Whether you have to launch a Shopify online store or already have one, the requirement of upgrading your Shopify theme will arise sooner or later. Giving your Shopify store a new look that resonates with your business style is very important. With the thought of upgrading your Shopify theme, different questions might arise, like, Should you choose a premium Shopify theme, work with the free one, or customize an entirely new theme? How will your Shopify store benefit from this theme upgrade? Etc.
Free themes are great to work with if you plan to launch an online store. But as your business expands and your catalog range widens up, free themes might not meet the needs of your store’s increased traffic, large product catalog, different category pages, etc. Upgrading your free Shopify theme with the premium one is a sound solution. Besides this, you can hire a Shopify developer to customize a Shopify theme just for your store, but this option is quite expensive and suitable for large Shopify businesses.
Key Differences Between Free Themes and Premium Themes
1. Design
Shopify offers around 180+ Shopify themes, of which 12 are free and the rest are paid. With this number, the free themes might be easy to work with, but they allow you to work with just a limited number of fonts and color palettes. Hence, your Shopify store will have a standard layout, making it challenging to stand out from the competition.
Whereas the paid/premium Shopify themes offer many customization options, allowing you to experiment with your store and create a unique shopping experience for visitors and customers.
2. Cost
Just as the name suggests, Free Shopify themes are free of cost, whereas paid Shopify themes’ prices range from USD 140 to USD 400, and if you choose you choose to customize, it depends on the hourly and service rates of the Shopify developer.
As we discussed earlier, free Shopify themes usually have standard features and may not have unique elements that can make your website stand out. In such cases, you may need to install an app, which can slow down your website and increase your monthly costs.
On the other hand, paid themes come with advanced features that can be optimized to run fast without the need to install additional apps. These features may seem optional now, but they can come in handy as your business grows. Shopify’s store offers paid themes, but you can purchase them from third-party sellers.
3. Page Loading Speed
There is no thumb rule for evaluating your Shopify theme’s page loading speed. It is entirely dependent on how the theme development process and whether the website’s page loading speed was considered during the development of the theme or not.
Speaking in general, free Shopify themes have faster page loading speeds as Shopify develops them and is very well-optimized. Also, free themes have few features like the paid ones, making the website load faster.
However, this statement does not conclude that paid Shopify themes have slower loading speeds because third-party theme creators are aware of the importance of faster-loading websites. Therefore, the theme creators optimize the themes and ensure fast loading speeds to meet the expectations of both the store owners and the customers.
4. Ease of Use
Free themes are generally easier to use as they come with limited options and customizations. There may be better choices if you want to make your website stand out.
On the other hand, paid themes require quite a learning to start working with, as they offer more flexibility and customization options. This means you can tailor your website to your needs and make it look unique.
Fortunately, Shopify paid themes usually come with documentation and getting-started guides to help you use them effectively. Additionally, if you opt for one of the top paid themes, you’ll find many blogs with reviews and tutorials that can guide you through customizing your theme. Ultimately, investing in a paid theme can be a wise decision if you want to create a professional-looking website tailored to your needs.
5. Customer Support
Working with Shopify, you can absolutely stay worry-free as Shopify provides documentation and guides for all its free and paid themes. Still, if you choose to purchase a theme from a third-party theme provider, then it is highly recommended to check if they provide such kind of documentation and guides or not.
Why Paid Shopify Themes Are Better? – Our Recommendation
Investing in a paid Shopify theme is an intelligent move for serious sellers on the platform. Although it comes at a cost, the value paid themes offer significantly outweighs the cost. While free themes are a good starting point, they need more professionalism and customization than paid themes provide.
A professional-looking website is crucial to establish credibility and trust among customers. A cheap, generic, or unprofessional appearance can negatively impact your business’s reputation. On the other hand, a well-designed and clean website can make a positive impression on customers and improve your business’s image.
Additionally, paid Shopify themes offer more flexibility and control over your website’s design and functionality. You can choose from a wide range of themes catering to your needs. If you require a custom theme, you can hire a developer to create a personalized design and layout that reflects your brand’s identity and enhances the user experience.
Final Say
Both Shopify’s free and paid themes have their own pros and cons. If you are a new business owner who has planned to launch their online store on Shopify, then free Shopify themes are the best options to start working with. Whereas, paid Shopify themes are suitable for large Shopify businesses.
Free themes are undoubtedly pocket-friendly, but they offer a limited number of features to work with. Paid themes might ask for some investment, but the investment is totally worth it in the long run.
Share this informative blog with your Shopify mates, and if you want to upgrade your current Shopify theme, then kindly hire our Shopify developers. If you want to customize your Shopify theme, then contact us quoting your requirements, and we will connect with you within no time.
Happy Shopifying!!!
