So… You’ve just created your blog or business website, purchased your domain name, hosting, and you are ready to hit the next step.

I know that you might have been looking for someone else’s website for ideas and you may be frustrating because you can’t make it look like theirs…

It sucks! I have been there too and I know how it feels and it’s not a nice place to be especially when you are a beginner.

I remember spending HOURS watching videos on youtube, trying different themes because the header image, the logo or the theme structure didn’t work or look like I was expecting.

So, Why is this so hard?

Why is so difficult to get your website to look the way you want it to?

Something you have to understand before doing this process is that:

Every WordPress theme will make your website look a little different because these themes come with different pre-coded customizations and certain limitations.

This means that you won’t be able to make your website EXACTLY how you desire to.

If you want to do so, you will have to get themes with the most customizations and usually cost a little more because of this.

How to overcome these limitations?

• Using CSS custom code to make changes.
• Installing plugins for customization
• Hiring a web developer to add custom code to your website
• Purchasing a new theme

I have tried to do some of this but it is a really time-consuming task, especially if you don’t have the budget to hire a web developer to help you with it.

A complete nightmare!

But…WHAT!? DO I NEED TO DO THIS?

Absolutely not!! You can have a good looking, professional website using the themes I will recommend in this article – and not need to hire a developer!

If you are on a budget without any coding skills, I recommend you to get a free theme.

But if you have some extra money to invest in your business or if you are already earning some money, get a paid theme and customize it just the way you want it.

What is a website theme? And Why does it matter so much?

A theme is what is installed on your WordPress site to allow you to make design customizations. Think of it as what you see on the frontend of your website and not the backend.

These themes are created by someone else and they came with a pre-programmed coding that allows you to make customizations like…

• Adding a header image to your homepage
• Creating columns in your content
• Changing your menu color and display
• Adding your logo
• How your author box, sidebar, and other elements display on your site

Something that you have to be clear about is as I stated before, these themes have different coding written into their files and as a result, will allow you to customize different sections and also they will look very different because not all WordPress themes were created equal.

When you choose a WordPress theme is like choosing the right car…

A great car will take you where you want in as little time possible and with fewer problems.

Choose the wrong one and you will end up in a ditch on the side of the road whit a flat tire.

This is part of setting up a great foundation for your website along with getting a solid hosting plan.

Why You Should Avoid Free WordPress Themes?

Simply because you get what you pay for…

I started out with a free theme, just like most of the people are doing. I was spending so many hours trying to make my website look like the design I had in mind until I find out that it just wasn’t within my themes capabilities.

This is because as with pretty much any software in the online market, free usually means:

• Fewer customizations
• Clunkier design
• Less help and support from the provider
• And a whole lot of free headaches

But if this is all that is in your budget, that’s fine! I just want you to have the right expectations in place when you are getting started.

You need to know your worth and by this, I mean your time.

Time is an invaluable resource than you can’t get back. You must treat it as such and save it the most you can, even if that requires spending a little money.

If you save $70 by opting for a free theme but then spend a solid 3 days trying to design your blog, you have essentially wasted FAR more than $70…

Time is money. Please don’t waste it!

It is perfectly fine to start with a free theme while you are getting familiar with WordPress, adding some pages, post, and images, but just keep these things in mind as you begin to spend more time on the design of your website.

OK! Now is time to choose the right car.

The 5 Best WordPress Themes For Beginners

1. Divi Theme

Divi is currently the most customizable and user-friendly theme for beginners on the market.

You can make your home page look pretty much exactly how you want it to, and they have tons of resources to help you do so.

It has a drag and drop editor that lets you design your blog and see how it looks in real time, as you go along.

They have a no-questions-asked, 30-day money-back guarantee, which is super important. Some things don’t, which means you’re pretty much stuck after you buy it.

They also have an extensive library of written and video tutorials to show you how to use their theme and design your blog. More than any other theme I’ve seen.

And the most important especially if you are in the testing phase is that with Divi, you can give it a trial run, and if you don’t like it, you can either return it OR you can try out any of the other 70+ themes that come with Elegant Themes — at no additional cost.

Well, for all of this awesomeness, it does, of course, come at a higher price tag. But you can try it before you decide to stick with it.

This theme is perfect for: Beginner who are completely new to WordPress and want full customization of their site!

Who it’s not for: Advanced users needing fewer customizations, anyone with a pretty good knowledge base of CSS, or anyone willing to pay for help from a web developer.

2. Flash (Free)

Flash, by ThemeGrill, is one of the best free themes on the market that I could found.

It provides quite a bit of customization considering it’s a free theme.

It’s still not going to be NEARLY as customizable as a theme like Divi, but if a paid theme isn’t in your budget, this is a GREAT option to start with.

They also offer a paid version of the theme if you want to upgrade for additional features.

Flash is the best fit for anyone who just doesn’t have the budget for a paid theme.

But, if you want some serious customization on your homepage, you should try one of the paid themes in this list.

3. Hestia (Free)

Hestia, by ThemeIsle, is another great free option!

Like with Flash, you can make quite a few customizations on your homepage considering it’s totally free.

You can change your menus, your header images, create columns, and all kinds of other good stuff.

They also offer paid versions if you want additional customizations!

4. Avada

Avada has tons of customizations and also has quite a few tutorials and documentation to help you learn how to use the theme.

It’s not quite as intuitive or user-friendly as Divi, but if you’re on a serious budget, it’s a great second option!

While it comes at a much lower price tag than Divi, the tradeoff is that does come with a higher learning curve.

The biggest downside of this time is that they have a very poor refund policy, in my opinion. They specifically do not offer refunds if you decide you don’t like it or it wasn’t what you were expecting.

So, if you buy this theme, you’ll need to make it work for you.

This WordPress theme is perfect for: Anyone who isn’t able to stomach the cost of Divi but that still wants a LOT of beginner-friendly customizations.

Who it’s not for: Anyone who wants the flexibility of being able to try a couple of different themes to see what’s right for them.

5. Genesis Framework

The Genesis Framework, by StudioPress, is generally considered to be the fastest theme on the market.

But…It’s VERY difficult to customize.

You will have to purchase the Genesis Framework, then purchase a Genesis child theme, and then purchase a Genesis customization plugin.

And STILL, it is hard to customize without custom coding.

It’s often marketed by people as a great theme for beginners because it has a high affiliate payout, but in my honest opinion, it’s a terrible option for a beginner.

Genesis is like the Lamborghini of car, but beware that there is a MUCH higher learning curve for this theme.

This theme is for: Anyone wanting to start out with the BEST and FASTEST theme on the market that is willing to be challenged with a higher learning curve.

Who this theme is not for: Anyone with a budget that needs a lot of customization on their website and would rather get it done in a much smaller amount of time.

Conclusion

Well, that’s it! These are the best themes you will find all over the theme market.

Now it is time for you to choose the right one according to your current situation. Always take in consideration the value of time when choosing the ideal theme for your website.

If you found this article helpful, let me know in the comment section below! Which one did you decide to go with?