Avada or GeneratePress - Which One Is The Ultimate Wordpress Theme?

Choosing the right WordPress theme is no easy task. With such an array of choice in the marketplace it can appear quite overwhelming.

Thankfully, there are a few standouts; themes which have risen above the mountain top with a glowing reputation. Two such candidates for the ultimate WordPress theme are Avada and GeneratePress. We decided to put each to the test to see what makes them so special.

GeneratePress WordPress Theme

With over 1 million downloads (1,070,696 to be exact at the time of writing), There's no hiding from the fact that this is a much-loved theme. Within the theme directory on wordpress.org it boasts a perfect 5-star rating: rated by 517 users, given 5-stars by 517 users.

There are two versions available; the free version and GP Premium which is priced at $39.95. Whilst the free GeneratePress is superb in itself, the Premium version offers the complete library of add-ons and all future releases, unlimited websites, lifetime usage and a full year of updates and support. The developers are so confident that you will love the extras that there is a 30-day money back guarantee available.

These are the main features of the GeneratePress.com theme and the reason why it is so popular:

Fast and Lightweight

Less than 1MB zipped is incredible for such a powerful theme. GP Premium adopts a modular structure so extra features (add-ons) can be included as required.

Mobile Responsive

Straight out of the box this theme is completely mobile responsive, producing a beautiful look on tablets and mobile devices.

SEO Integrated

Schema.org microdata is integrated into the theme which helps with search engine optimization and communication.

Compatibility

All major WordPress plugins such as BuddyPress, WooCommerce, bbPress, WPML and the leading page builders are compatible with GeneratePress. Additionally, it works on all the commonly used web browsers, too.

Customization

GeneratePress prides itself on being one of the most customizable WordPress themes on the market. By using the built-in native customizer, all changes can be seen in real time before being published.

Translations and RTL

GeneratePress has been fully translated into over 20 languages by members of the theme’s community. Right-to-left (RTL) languages fully supported as well.

Font Awesome

Already built-in to GeneratePress, Font Awesome provides more than 600 icons for you to use when designing your site.

Furthermore, GeneratePress offers 9 widget areas, 5 sidebar layouts, 5 navigation (menu) positions, a return to top button and click and hover dropdown menus.

GP Premium users benefit from powerful add-ons which include; sections, menu plus, page header, spacing, backgrounds, blog design, secondary nav, hooks and lots more. These enhance the user-friendliness of the theme so it can be used by complete novices or professional developers.

GeneratePress in Action

Seeing real world examples of this theme in action help to showcase the capabilities it possess and demonstrate the possibilities open for all.

Momtricks.com wonderful example of how GeneratePress can display a blog website and notice how fast everything loads - no hanging around whatsoever.

Nettikasinotsuomalaisille.com uses tables to highlight different offers in the casino gaming sector. Simple, clean and fast - just what visitors desire.

Avada

Avada.theme-fusion.com by Theme Forest, has been the best selling WordPress theme for the last 5 years. That is an awesome testament to the quality of this outstanding product.

Priced at a reasonable $60, Avada is far more than your average WordPress theme - it is a powerful design tool. It provides the user with a plethora of professional-looking demo templates so any design imaginable is possible - and all of this can be achieved without knowing one single piece of code!

Users are in full control of their site’s appearance. From header area parameters and slider controls to menu location and widget areas. It comes built-in with the Fusion ‘Drag & Drop’ page builder, which provides 100+ styling options and other features.

If you are a total newbie, Avada will be the best $60 you're ever likely to spend. However, even if you are a professional developer looking to create fast yet stunning websites, Avada is a great choice.

Avada brings all the outstanding features into one place which allows everyone to make professional-looking websites, they include:

Theme and Page Options

Styling, sidebar control and analytics code are three of the 25+ options in the theme panel. There is also an incredible mobile design option so you can customize the appearance specific for those devices. The pages options allow for a range of styles - virtually any layout you wish for is possible.

Responsive

Avada is continuously tested to ensure it is compatible with all screen sizes while providing the best UX possible.

Fully Compatible

You can use leading plugins without fear of conflict on Avada. WooCommerce and bbPress are two of the most popular.

iLightbox

This premium plugin comes as standard in Avada - if you have a site with plenty of images, it’s a great tool to use.

Ultra Fast

Clean, well structured code makes Avada one of the fastest themes in the marketplace today.

SEO Ready

The careful nature of the theme's code makes Avada very search engine friendly. This could potentially lead to better rankings in Google and other engines.

1-6 Columns Supported

Allows users to design their site how they want it to be. Gives tremendous flexibility and looks awesome.

Additionally, Avada offers one page parallax, parallax effects, custom backgrounds, advanced typography and header options, Fusion Mega Menus and boxed/wide layouts. It also comes with 5-star support and a large community of active users so any questions/issues you have are dealt with very quickly. Absolutely everything is packed in straight-out-of-the-box for you. It really is the most complete theme we’ve ever tested.

Avada in Action

These are a few examples with what can be achieved with Avada:

Liberty-trails.com a company offering horse riding excursions and holidays. The homepage design is simply beautiful.

Jlrecruitment.com.sg recruitment site for domestic workers. Simple, sharp and lightning fast.

Whitesulphursprings.org a Christian camp - wonderful use of the parallax features Avada offers.

Which Theme is the Best?

The answer is they both are outstanding and it would be unfair to claim one sits above the other. However, depending on the user’s level of knowledge, there would be a preference.

For absolute beginners, those with no prior knowledge of HTML or CSS, then Avada would be a wise choice. It allows users to design beautiful sites without touching any code. The drag and drop builder and column support provide layout options which can be unique to you.

Yet, Avada is not free, so if you are on a shoestring budget, then GeneratePress is the place to go. It does support top-end page builders so even novices will be able to design striking websites.

Also, if you are familiar with HTML and like to tinker with CSS, GeneratePress gives you total flexibility to do so. Ultimately, it depends on you, your ability and how much time you have (it is faster to build sites on Avada). Both are among the best of the best so either option is a cracking choice.