I often get asked what themes and plugins I use for my WordPress Websites and Client Sites. With so many different options available both Free & Premium, finding the right WordPress Stack can be difficult. So I am sharing what I use and why.
Themes
Framework – Let me start off by saying that I am a big fan of the Genesis Framework. StudioPress is recognized as one of the best places to purchase fast, secure child themes for the main framework. You will find that the developers at StudioPress have a child theme for virtually every possible design.
Custom Work – When I’m developing custom designs for my clients I like to start off with BlankSlate or Underscores for the starting point of my code. Then I add either custom css or a css framework like BootStrap 3, Foundation 5, Skeleton etc.
Of course there are plenty of free options available but sometimes the code can be extremely bloated which can cause various issues like conflicts with plugins, page load speed etc. This is why I like to have a thorough conversation with my clients so we can determine what is the best approach.
Plugins
Free Plugins – This is not an exhaustive list of plugins but are what I use on all sites I create.
- WordFence – Security & Cache Performance Options
- BruteProtect – Security
- WordPress Seo
- Imsanity – Image Processing
- EWWW Image Optimizer
- WP-Optimize – Optimizes the database
- WP_Smushit
Paid Plugins – These are just some of the premium plugins I recommend. I hold Developer Licenses for these plugins and my clients will have them installed on there websites and will receive all future updates.
- Gravity Forms – $39 to $199 plus an annual fee for updates
- Soliloquy Slider – $19 to $249
- Envira Gallery – $19 to $249
- iThemes Security Pro – $80 to $150 plus an annual fee for updates
- BackUpBuddy – $80 to $150 plus an annual fee for updates
- EmailBuddy – Only available as part of the plugin suite $247 plus an annual fee for updates
Reminder: My clients will have these Premium Themes & Plugins plus others installed on their sites as needed. The themes & plugins will all be under my developer license, supported and installed by me. This is what the developers recommend if you won’t be purchasing a seperate license. I don’t sell them, I just install, configure and provide support for them. This is the proper way to have them incorporated.
These are just some of the Themes & Plugins I use on websites I create for my clients and myself. This WordPress Stack is tested and proven to work well together.
There are more that I use but this is a general list. Every website is different and will require different plugins that takes care of specific needs. That is why speaking with a WordPress Developer that has experience with various themes and plugins will help you make the right decision from day 1.
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