Finding a free WordPress theme seems like an awesome idea. High-quality, professionally developed free themes are available from trusted, reputable distributors, such as the WordPress Theme Directory or ThemeForest.
However, before you start googling for free themes, remember that many free themes come from unreliable sources.
Be aware of these warnings:
- A high number of free themes are embedded with malicious code and encrypted links to spammy websites or malware.
- Free themes are rarely updated with the frequency of WordPress updates—if they are updated at all. They also don't come with support should anything go wrong with the theme.
- Free themes lack a lot of the features and customizability found in premium themes.
- Free themes are often poorly coded, leaving them open to security vulnerabilities and making them more difficult to localize. Poor coding also slows down loading and performance, decreasing search engine optimization.
If you decide to use a free WordPress theme, remember the best free themes are downloaded thousands of times. It might be more beneficial for your business to buy a premium theme to help make your website stand out.
