What is the difference between a Premium and Simple Theme?

At 17th Avenue Designs, we offer two types of WordPress themes in our shop:

But what do “Premium” and “Simple” actually mean?

All of our themes share some core features (outlined below). For simplicity's sake, the main difference comes down to design complexity, flexibility, and advanced functionality.

Premium WordPress Themes

Premium Themes feature unique, eye-catching homepage designs and are packed with advanced customization options and functionality.

These themes include features such as related posts, portfolio layouts, e-commerce support, and more. Some Premium Themes are designed primarily for blogging, while others are geared toward full websites — but all are flexible enough to be used for either.

✨ All Premium Themes are built on the Kadence Framework, giving you powerful design controls, modern performance, and long-term flexibility.

Simple WordPress Themes

Simple Themes are straightforward, classic blog themes.

Think: a traditional blog feed paired with a sidebar — no extra bells and whistles. These themes are ideal if you want a clean, minimal setup without advanced features or custom page templates.

✨ Simple Themes are built on the Genesis Framework and are designed specifically for blogging.

What you'll find in every 17th Avenue theme:

Mobile responsive across all devices
SEO optimization
Built-in color customizer
Automatic plugin installation + demo import
Custom logo/header with retina support
At least 2 navigation menu locations
Category archive grid
Support for advertisements and affiliate links
Instagram Feed (Premium Themes display the Instagram feed in more creative ways)

What sets a Premium Theme Apart?

Premium Themes include many features that Simple Themes do not, including:

Uniquely designed, fully customizable homepage — this is the biggest, most obvious difference!
Can be used as a website, blog, or both
Multiple homepage options included
Fully customizable fonts and colors
Fully customizable header, navigation, and footer
Built-in Block Collection included with each theme (example) so you can easily mix and match blocks between pages
Blog Blocks included for easy blog post creation (example)
Bespoke accents and features that lend a "custom-designed" feel
Prominent newsletter signup forms and call-to-actions
Custom Instagram links page - like Linktree, but on your own website! (example)
Portfolio page/CPT (example)
Several custom designed page templates – About, Blog, Contact, FAQ, Services, Shop, and more
Related posts section under each blog post
Recipe support in blog posts (example)
Custom "Shop the Post" widgets (example)
E-commerce integration through WooCommerce (example)
Advanced category grid with subcategory sort feature (example)
Offscreen side menu that pops in when clicked (certain themes)
Pop-up post navigation to encourage visitors to read more posts (certain themes)
Trending Now / Popular Posts widgets (certain themes)
And many more little features that are specific to individual themes!

Can I use a Premium Theme for a blog?

Absolutely! Premium Themes are extremely flexible. Even if a theme's demo homepage is styled as a website or shop, you can easily customize it to work beautifully as a blog.

You can even remove all homepage section and use a simple blog feed + sidebar on your homepage. This is a great option if you like the simplicity of our Simple Themes, but want the extra flexibility and features that come with a Premium Theme.

Which type of theme is best for me?

Simple Themes are a great fit if you:

Want a classic blog layout
Prefer minimal setup and fewer options
Just need a blog feed with a sidebar

Premium Themes are a great fit if you:

Want a more polished, custom-looking site
Need flexibility beyond a traditional blog
Plan to grow into features like email marketing, portfolios, or e-commerce
Want full control over design, fonts, and layout without custom coding

Still deciding between themes? Here’s a deeper look at what makes 17th Avenue Designs themes worth the investment.