Everyone loves free stuff. Especially if it is good. I also love free stuff. And I admit that I use free WordPress themes and plugins for this website.
You may ask why.
The reason is simple – it satisfies all my needs.
And that is the goal. If a free WordPress theme and plugin do what you need, why buy a pro version? Why spent extra money?
And many free WordPress themes and plugins can accomplish a lot of things. So maybe you will never need a pro version.
Now let me tell you the 3 reasons why you should use free WordPress products.
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1. Price
I assume you have already guessed the first reason. Yeah, it is the price.
Nobody wants to spend money on anything if there is a free version that can do the same or even a little less. I always try to find free WordPress products.
And that works well with free WordPress themes and plugins. You can find many good free themes and plugins that work very well and do what you want.
You have many other expenses like hosting, domain, ads, etc. So you don’t want to spend more.
I was always thinking that pro means better. As time went by, I understood that it is not right in all cases. Free just means limited.
Also, some themes and plugins are too expensive, or they have subscription plans and could get too expensive in the future.
If you want to try some great free WordPress themes, check my post about the best free themes.
2. Features
The next reason why I use free stuff is its features.
First of all, when I try a new theme or plugin, I look through its features and compare free and pro versions.
If the free version has all the features I need, then do I need a pro version? Of course, not.
Maybe a pro version has one feature that I would like to have, but I won’t pay extra money just for one.
I better search for other plugin or theme that has that one feature. You should already know what you want your website to look like and choose plugins and themes accordingly.
You may buy a plugin that has features you will never use. And to buy a plugin for only one feature is not a good thing to do.
And believe me, there are too many free plugins. You will definitely find the right one for you. There are plugins for anything.
I will say again – I am using free theme and plugins on this website.
3. Testing
And the third reason is testing. What does it mean?
You must never buy a theme or plugin before testing it yourself. You can install WordPress on your PC, download the demo version of the plugin or theme, and test it locally.
See what it can do. If you don’t like it, you will try another one.
And if you like it, then see what a pro version has to offer, and then you can buy it. So, it is mandatory to test before buying.
That is what I do. Always.
But Sometimes You Need To Pay
Yeah, it is right.
There are situations when you need to buy a pro version.
For example, when building an eCommerce store or a big, professional website. Because many pro versions have more automated features, and it saves you time.
I plan to start an eCommerce business, and I know that I will buy a theme.
Because they have more customize options, and many of them come with pre-made templates.
I am not a great designer, so it is a time saver for me. It will look more professional. I tried free eCommerce themes, and it was OK but not great.
Also Read: Best Starter Themes For WordPress
But some people can use free WordPress themes and plugins and build great eCommerce websites.
I don’t know about plugins, but you may need some pro plugins for automated features.
But if you have a blog or a small website, then the free version is better.
Conclusion
These are my reasons and opinions on why you should use a free WordPress theme or plugin. So, it is better to test before buying, and the right question to ask yourself is – Do you need it?
A simple answer is – not always. many free themes and plugins work very well and can be enough in many cases.