I'm beginning to design websites using WordPress. The issue is, every client wants their website to be styled differently. ive looked into creating my own themes, but a new theme for each client is just unrealistic.

Somebody pointed me towards dopewp.com, which is a Bootstrap based theme with a page builder. I've settled for the idea that I need one theme that'll do the job everywhere, but there's more questions past that.

should I develop my own Bootstrap theme, or use freemium software (which I hate) like dopewp? another option would be to build my own Bootstrap theme, or a completely new Bootstrap CMS.

I just don't know...

The only way to be happy is to develop your own theme. Give it a basic design and write it with child themes in mind. Put in all your common code for asset loading, taming WP, etc.

Each client website that you do will then be a child theme of that core theme of yours containing only the visual and layout differences, overriding whatever you want.

This approach avoids using multiple themes of varying quality and removes the maintenance nightmare this brings. It's more work up front but in the long run it will save you a ton of time and grey hair.

If you have a project on the go right now you might not get this approach done in time, so you may have to run with a theme that is close to what you would like.

Also, always choose themes based on code quality and performance rather than eye-candy visuals. It's easier to change visuals than to refactor core classes.

Create your own basic theme that's gives you the theme setup. Then develop the website yet clients want in it.

You just need to practise more, research more etc. Anything you can do with a normal website you can do with a Wordpress theme once you understand all he different files, functions, hooks, actions and the rest!!!

themes like avada have their own builder which means you can get any site looking as unique as you want. all the builder does is ensure you're building with some conscience for modern user experience.

Build your own theme or you're not a Wordpress developer. Anyone can use a prebuilt theme and fiddle with a settings panel.

@pixeltherapy thanks, that's what I'll do. Def still gonna base off Bootstrap, but that is definitely the way to go, and one that I had completely forgotten about.

@octacian nothing wrong with Bootstrap! :)