Generally, a custom made WordPress theme is better than a pre-designed template because it is designed exactly to meet the needs of the user. Obviously, the preferences of the client are all taken into account by the designer down to the last detail. From the color scheme to the font, to the slideshow mechanism, to the navigation and social media buttons, all these things are agreed upon by the client and the designer. Needless to say, clients get all what they really want with custom WordPress themes. There is however a major drawback from using a custom WordPress theme. It is expensive. Hiring a web designer to code the theme is far more expensive than buying a theme in a major template market. That is why, it is not a practical solution if you working on a tight budget, and you want to start your small online business as soon as possible.
The good thing is, there are WordPress themes right now which are very flexible. These are the themes that you can modify in a number of ways. The foremost themes in this category are those themes with built-in front end layout builders. On the admin panel of these themes you can create your own layout, choose your color scheme, and select buttons and navigation elements, all in a drag and drop interface. Yes. You can change the look and the layout of your web page, even without touching the CSS and PHP codes. Also, next in line to these kind of themes, are those that do not have a template builder but loaded with lots of features that can meet common layout demands and perhaps some special needs of users. Basically, they are packed with skins, layout variations, widgets, navigations and many more. And that is what we will be sharing with you in this post.
So here, we have some of the themes that can be considered as serious alternatives to custom WordPress themes. These flexible and versatile themes might not be able to meet your peculiar needs but these can be considered as the next best things to custom WordPress themes. If you like this article, please share this to your friends. We will also be happy to hear your additions and suggestion of the comment section below. Enjoy!
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links (at no extra cost to you). I recommend that you do your own independent research before purchasing any product or service. This article is not a guideline, a recommendation or endorsement of specific products.
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Swagger – Responsive WordPress Theme – DEMO
Swagger is built on top of the all-new version 2 of the Theme Blvd framework. Use the layout builder to accomplish just about anything you could ever think of. Use the slider manager to create as many sliders as you want. Use the widget area manager to create as many widget areas and sidebars as you want. With just the right amount of theme options and flexibility, the power is all in your hands. And with a sleek, responsive HTML5 design, you’ll be sure no one will miss out on your new website built with Swagger.
Pioneer – Responsive drag & drop theme – DEMO
Get ready for a new and better approach to content management in WordPress. Pioneer features a brand new front end admin system that lets you configure your website without going back and forth between the admin and web-page front end. This theme allows you to, edit your posts and pages directly on your webpage; add, organize and change page elements via drag and drop on the front end; and change your website’s style and appearance directly on the front end with colorpickers, background-textures, font-selectors ++.
The Builder – Multipurpose WordPress Theme – DEMO
The Builder is a Premium WordPress theme that comes with massive and flexible features. Focused on bringing easiest system for user to build and modify their own site, both on content and layout/design! With homepage manager, you can have any layout type for your homepage. Use single Fullwidth, single sidebar-content, single content-sidebar or mix them into random layout structure. Lots of modules available to use to filled up your content.
Modernize – Flexibility of WordPress – DEMO
Modernize is a new era of wordpress theme. You can discover many new awesome features in this theme. For example ‘Page Builder’, it allow you to create page easily by drag-drop module. Moreover, it comes with many options on that. Also, to change color elements, it won’t be a big deal anymore, with our new admin panel, you can access to almost of all elements color. Admin panel in this theme is a real feature rich. You can also create unlimited sidebar, choosing over 350 fonts or if you want to use your own, we provide a cufon uploader. Modernize has 15 predefined background pattern but if you want to use your own background, again, we have a custom background uploader. You can also translate each elements to your language via this admin panel.
Shoutbox Magazine – Minimal WordPress theme with Template Builder – DEMO
Shoutbox is a minimal Magazine and Blog Theme, that uses a very elegant Featured Slider for news presentation. Built on one of the most flexible WordPress Themes on Themeforest, it is equipped with a dynamic Template Builder that allows you to create stunning page layouts without any knowledge of coding . It also has a unique built in slideshow manager (no plugins needed), that supports both self hosted videos as well as vimeo, youtube, etc and comes with a content importer for faster setup.
Prime Time – Responsive WordPress Theme – DEMO
Prime Time is built on top of the Theme Blvd framework. Use the layout builder to accomplish just about anything you can think of. Use the slider manager to create as many sliders as you want. Use the widget area manager to create as many widget areas and sidebars as you want. With just the right amount of theme options and flexibility, the power is all in your hands. And with a sleek, responsive HTML5 design, you’ll be sure no one will miss out on your new website built with Prime Time.
Velvet – Minimal Business Theme – DEMO
Velvet is a minimal business and portfolio Theme, that uses a very elegant Ken Burns Slider for image presentation. Like the uPscale, it is built on one of the most flexible WordPress Themes on Themeforest. It also has dynamic Template Builder where you can create stunning page layouts without any coding knowledge. Yet if you are a developer eager to create your own PHP files the theme supports you as well with a very structured folder and file system. It has a unqiue built in slideshow manager (no plugins needed), supports both self hosted videos as well as vimeo, youtube, etc and comes with a content importer for faster setup.
Coalition – One Page WordPress Portfolio – DEMO
Coalition is a minimal business and portfolio Theme that is created to be used as a One Page Template. With the help of a Template Builder you can create a single page which holds all your content. The theme can of course also be used as a “normal” WordPress theme. In that case Coalition will behave like any other WordPress theme with a blog, posts, pages etc.
Bangkok Press – Responsive, News & Editorial Theme – DEMO
Bangkok Press is the most awesome News and Editorial WordPress Theme. With this theme that comes with Responsive Action, your readers can easily read your article everywhere, on there mobile or tablet. There’re more than 10 of blog option for your alternative. Moreover, you can change almost every elements color easily via admin panel. Page items are managed very easily via our awesome tool, ‘Page Builder’. Admin panel in this theme is a real feature rich.
upScale – WordPress Business & Portfolio Theme – DEMO
upScale is a modern business and portfolio Theme, built on one of the most flexible WordPress Themes on Themeforest. With the help of a dynamic Template Builder you can create stunning page layouts without any coding knowledge. Yet if you are a developer eager to create your own PHP files the theme supports you as well with a very structured folder and file system. It has a unqiue built in 3D slideshow manager (no plugins needed), supports both self hosted videos as well as vimeo, youtube, etc and comes with a content importer for faster setup.
Angular – Responsive Portfolio – DEMO
Angular comes with a plethora of options so you can modify layout, styling, colors and fonts directly from within the backend. 28 predefined skins (which are easy to modify from your backend), font and color options as well as dynamic template builder will help you create the Website you need in no time.
Maestro – All-purpose theme with front end editor – DEMO
MAESTRO is an extremely versatile and flexible WordPress theme, thanks to the extensive front end admin/editor, that lets you add, remove and reorder page elements via drag and drop from the front end. You can even edit your pages content from the front end, via a tinymce wysiwyg editor.
Mercato – Premium WordPress E-commerce Theme – DEMO
Mercato is an elegant and flexible WordPress Premium E-Commerce Theme, suited for users with no coding knowledge as well as developers. The theme comes with a tons of options so you can modify layout, styling and fonts directly from within the backend. Multiple Slideshows, font and skins options as well as dynamic template builder will help you create the Website you need in no time. Mercato turns your default wordpress website into a plugin free fully functional online store, get your store up and running in minutes. The theme is built with SEO best practices in mind. It uses semantical valid HTML code and CSS so search engines can index the content of your site with ease. The site also uses heavy internal site linking, which is also of vital for search engines.
Propulsion – responsive business & eCommerce – DEMO
Propulsion is built on top of the fabulous woocommerce shop plugin as well as the bbPress Forum plugin. It comes with a plethora of options so you can modify layout, styling, colors and fonts directly from within the backend. 3 Slideshows, 21 predefined skins (which are easy to modify from your backend), font and color options as well as dynamic template builder will help you create the Website you need quickly.
Breakout – Responsive WordPress Theme – DEMO
Breakout is built on top of the all-new version two of the Theme Blvd framework. Like Prime time, Brekout has a layout builder that lets you accomplish just about anything you could ever think of. You can use the slider manager to create as many sliders as you want. Use the widget area manager to create as many widget areas and sidebars as you want. With just the right amount of theme options and flexibility, the power is all in your hands. And with a sleek, responsive HTML5 design, you’ll be sure no one will miss out on your new website built with Breakout.
ECOBIZ – Modern Business WordPress Theme – DEMO
![ecobiz[3]](http://cdn.tripwiremagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/ecobiz3.jpg "ecobiz[3]")
ECOBIZ is clean,elegant and modern corporate and business WordPress theme that can be switched as eco/green business and portfolio theme. There’s many page templates available,6 pre-defined skins, unlimited colors, 3 slideshow types, Portfolio and Product post type with categories filter, User friendly shortcodes and more. Please explore demo site or follow below features.
Karma – Clean and Modern WordPress Theme – DEMO
Karma is a Premium WordPress Theme built on a highly intelligent framework. It’s the only theme on Themeforest to feature the amazing new CU3ER v1 3D slider. Whether your a wordpress pro or just a beginner, you’ll have absolutely no problems at all working with this theme.
Striking – Custom WordPress Themes – DEMO
![striking[5]](http://cdn.tripwiremagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/striking5.jpg "striking[5]")
Striking is an extremely powerful and flexible wordpress theme – actually a “Super Premium” theme as it has extraordinary features and coding that are not found in the normal premium WP theme. It is the theme you buy when you want to create a website in every way you imagined possible. The superb flexibility of its framework allows it to be tailored to a Blog, Portfolio, Creative, Business or almost any other kind of website one can imagine. You will not find a more comprehensive admin interface – easy enough for a beginner to grasp immediately (and includes both online and written help documentation) but with every design element of Striking fully controllable so that if you are an experienced designer you can manipulate the design in any manner you see fit – Striking includes a child theme layout for the wp professionals.
Mingle – Multi-purpose WordPress Theme – DEMO
Mingle is an amazing WordPress theme and it’s BuddyPress ready! If you’re not familiar with BuddyPress, it’s a social network plugin for WordPress allowing your website to become a fully functional community portal. BuddyPress lets your users interract through groups, forums, friends, status updates, private messaging and a lot more. It includes administration features giving you complete control of your website’s layout and design. The unique and easy to manage design ensures your site will stand out and be remembered.
King Size – full screen background Custom WordPress Themes – DEMO
![king-size[3]](http://cdn.tripwiremagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/king-size3.jpg "king-size[3]")
King Size WP is a WordPress version of the top-selling HTML template. It’s a great Custom WordPress Theme for variety of purposes, although focused towards Photographers and those using Portfolios to display their past and present work collections. It’s another great example of photography website templates.
Continuum – Magazine WordPress Theme – DEMO
Continuum is best used for newspaper and magazine blogs, but it has a good number of custom widgets, short codes, page templates, unique sidebars, and custom menus, so it can be molded into whatever kind of site you want, like a portfolio site for example. Continuum features an extensive Feed Framework which intuitively groups and displays your posts, and lets the user sort the posts several ways depending on which part of the site they are on. Continuum fully supports and was designed specifically for WordPress 3.0+
Village – An Awesome Full screen Custom WordPress Themes – DEMO
![village[3]](http://cdn.tripwiremagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/village31.jpg "village[3]")
If you love photography or general creativeness and want new interesting ways to display your work then this could be the theme for you. They have WordPress video tutorials that can guide you through how to create everything you need. The theme also has helpful hints throughout to let you know what everything does. If you want to create a unique look you will like that they have included many different modules that are unique to Themeforest, like the interactive query wall, and the floating slideshow navigation with automatic scroll.
Folioway – Premium Portfolio WordPress Theme – DEMO
![folioway[3]](http://cdn.tripwiremagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/folioway31.jpg "folioway[3]")
Folioway are cool pixel Custom Simple WordPress Themes, not only its clean and elegant, it also comes with lots of features like amazing slider, unlimited colors, etc.
Duotive Three – – Complete Custom WordPress Themes – DEMO
Duotive has a lot of features that you can choose from on its admin panel. The Custom sidebar manager helps you create custom sidebars and assign them to any page or post on your website. It is great to be used in portfolio or as a blog theme of your website.
Dandelion – Powerful Elegant WordPress Theme – DEMO
Dandelion theme has very powerful admin settings included, so that it can satisfy all different needs without having to change any code. You can very easily change between page layouts, theme styles, sliders and set the theme content.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I used the Strike theme for my website http://www.gsdecorating.com and I thought it was pretty good I was happy with my purchase. Support is pretty good too
Hi thanks for your comment. Great to hear you have good experience with the Strike theme – by the way, your home page is good looking with a nice slider
Hey Andy
I usually browse ThemeForest looking at the top sellers, and this just makes it easier. Thanks for taking the time to post.
Would be great if you could also break down the top sellers by category
Wow! Templates are really cool. Thanks for making and sharing this round up !
Thanks for the listing. I need to choose a template for side decorating business site.
Hi! I am new here, just found this website via other links and yea, there are a lot of things to choose from here. Thanks
This is a good one , recommend to all 5 star
Very nice themes…
My favorite is no. 1…the other ones are to dark
I really like the designs! I love the themes: Pioneer and Karma! They’re the best!
“Needless to say, clients get all what they really want with custom WordPress themes. There is however a major drawback from using a custom WordPress theme. It is expensive. ”
True. But I believe there are two viable alternatives. Both of which I have used:
1) Find a theme with “good bones” (as they say in the real estate industry) and re-skin it. That is, leave the structure and functionality of the theme, supplement it with plugins and widgets, but alter and customize the design (beyond the setting built into the theme) to better match the brand. More expensive than taking it off the shelf? Yes. But less than a total ground up build. The result should be a fairly unique website which is good for the client as well as your portfolio.
2) Custom build your own theme or modify/enhance a basic theme (e.g. Twenty Twelve). The end of this exercise is a known framework that fits 80% of most needs and can be supplemented and modified on a project by project basis to cover the other 20%. The more you use your own “framework” theme (i.e., it’s known), the more productive you’ll get with it, as well as have a tool box of enhancements to pull from as various customizations are developed. Wheel reinventing is minimal.
That said, it should be mentioned that “a fool with a tool is still a fool.” Even a quick & dirty iproperty still requires the blog be updated, social media be utilized, etc. Getting to market cheap and quick doesn’t necessary guarantee ROI. For example, a $50 theme and $250 setup that doesn’t bring in a cent of biz is still $300 poorly spent.
Perhaps it’s just me but I have found that clients who are willing to make a larger investment are also willing to make a deeper commitment. They understand a lauched site is not an ends but the beginning of an ongoing process. Every project is different. Every client is different. But there is a profile to those who seek something for nothing.
Even in the case of themes with a built- in layout builder I think you can’t do many modifications, some things will nevertheless look alike with themes used by others. The settings are limited, you can’t upload images, buttons, drag, resize, add/ remove elements. I prefer to do things myself, in an editor called Lubith, that works online. The default layout is based on the twenty eleven theme, but the customization that you can bring about is pretty extensive. Is easier to make an original theme in this way, I think.
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