Standard Theme vs. Custom Theme: Which Is Best for Your Business?
When building a WordPress website, the choice between a stock theme and a custom theme is crucial. If you look at custom themes created with Roots Sage, you will see a world of difference in functionality, flexibility and performance compared to stock themes. But what exactly does this mean for your website? Here we explain.
Table of contents
What is a default WordPress theme?
A default theme, like those you can find in the WordPress repository (think Astra, Divi or OceanWP), is designed to be widely applicable. These themes offer:
- Easy-to-use ready-made designs: Instantly installable and suitable for different types of websites.
- Many built-in features: Suitable for users without technical knowledge.
- Plugin dependency: Often you need to add plugins to get specific functionality.
Limits:
- Overloaded code: Default themes often contain unnecessary functionality that slows down your website.
- Less customization: Customizing the theme beyond the built-in options can be difficult without in-depth knowledge of PHP or CSS.
- Limited scalability: With complex projects you may run into limits.
What is a custom theme with Roots Sage?
Roots Sage is a modern, open-source WordPress starter theme designed specifically for custom projects. It offers developers a powerful and flexible foundation to build fully customized websites.
Characteristics of Roots Sage:
- Clean, minimalist code: Only necessary features are built in, which ensures better performance.
- Modern development process: Sage uses tools such as Blade templating, Webpack and Composer for a more efficient and organized development process.
- Complete control: Everything is designed from the ground up to perfectly match the customer’s needs.
- Optimized for speed: No unnecessary features or heavy plugins, which ensures faster loading times.
Key differences between Roots Sage and standard themes
| Feature | Roots Sage (Custom) | Default Theme |
| Flexibility | Completely tailor-made to your wishes. | Limited to the built-in options. |
| Code quality | Clean, efficient code without bloat. | Lots of redundant code and functionality. |
| Speed and performance | Optimized with modern tools. | May be slow due to overload. |
| Design possibilities | 100% customized to your brand. | Limited to the theme options. |
| Scalability | Ideal for complex and growing websites. | Less suitable for large projects. |
| Plugin dependency | Minimal, only necessary functionalities. | Often multiple plugins needed. |
When do you choose Roots Sage?
A custom theme with Roots Sage is ideal if:
- You need a unique website that fully matches your brand identity.
- You want a scalable solution that grows with your business.
- Performance and speed are important for your user experience and SEO.
- You need specific functionalities that are not available as standard.
When is a standard theme sufficient?
Standard themes are suitable if:
- You want a simple website without complex functionalities.
- You have a limited budget and want to be online quickly.
- You have little technical knowledge and are looking for a “plug-and-play” solution.
Conclusion
Choosing between a standard theme and a custom theme with Roots Sage depends entirely on your needs and goals. Where standard themes are suitable for simple and quick solutions, Roots Sage offers unmatched flexibility, scalability and performance for businesses that need a unique and professional website.
Tip: Consider a custom theme if you want to invest in a website that not only works today, but is also future-proof. Contact us to learn more about what Roots Sage can do for your website!
