Astra vs Pro

August 31, 2020

Which one is better? Astra or Pro?

Here are 10 considerations when choosing one of the two themes.

  1. Compatibility is key. When using a WordPress theme most often you're also in need of plugins. Having a theme that is widely supported will safe you a lot of trouble.
  2. Performace in mind. Site loading time is essential for keeping your visitors, that's why taking a look at the performance of a theme before buying it is highly recommended.
  3. The Builder. Only a few WordPress themes feature their own builder. Having a tool that is built for the product can significantly reduce the time you need to spend to create great layouts.
  4. Support. Every product is just a good as the support it comes with. Make sure the company behind the theme is around for some time and has an emphasize on support.
  5. Keeping you updated. Security and stability updates are key. By checking the changelog of a theme you can see how frequently the developer is updating the theme.
  6. Search Engine Optimisation. Your site needs to be indexed properly so search engines can display your content to the right audience. Make sure the theme is SEO optimized.
  7. Selling goods online. Most bigger themes nowadays fully support WooCommerce, while you might not need a store right now it's great if a theme is compatible so you can add one without having to switch theme.
  8. Design Assets at your fingertip. Having a starting point when creating layouts is a great time safer, that's why some WordPress templates offer you a wide range of assets that you can use and alter.
  9. Price. Pricing varies from theme to theme but we would not recommend judging a theme by its price.
  10. Give it a try. There are some themes that provide you with a 30 day refund guarantee like Pro which gives you the option to try out the theme and see if it's a fit for you.

Chances are high that you’re here because you’re torn between Astra and Pro. You want to know which of the two WordPress themes would be best for building your website.

Here’s a quick answer: Go with Pro.

While we admit we are biased, we don’t want to just merely shove our product down your throat. Hence, we carefully reviewed Astra’s features vis-à-vis that of Pro’s to provide you with the bases for our unabashed plug and at the same time help you make your own informed decision. With that being said, let’s start diving into the details:

On Pre-built Templates (Starter Templates vs. Design Cloud)

Starter Templates (formerly Astra Sites) is Astra’s stunning collection of pre-built websites. They come in almost every industry you can think of – from Cake Shops and Cosmetics Stores to Plant Shops and Pool Services. The pre-built sites can be easily customized to cater to your personal branding needs. Some of the templates are free, while some are available for paid theme versions only.

On the other hand, Pro’s repository of professionally designed and ready-to-use templates is the Design Cloud. What sets it apart from Astra’s library is its inclusion of Content Templates, Preset Templates, and Header and Footer Templates. Thus, users have access not only to several ready to import websites, but also to customizable designs for sections or full pages as well as for headers and footers. With Design Cloud, you can keep the uniqueness of your brand even while using a popular pre-built website since you can tailor it further through the mixing and matching of hundreds of available design assets.

Owning it with Page Builders

Page builders make it easier for users to alter and modify their website without need of any coding know-how. These days, drag and drop builders are on the rise, and both Astra and Pro have consistently kept up with the trend.

Astra was made for page builders. The theme effortlessly works with other page builders like Elementor, Beaver Builder, Site Origin, Visual Composer, and Brizy. However, Astra has no page builder of its own.

And that’s where Pro stands out. Integrated into the theme is a full front-end page builder called Content Builder. With this setup, users no longer have to purchase a page builder independently, thereby saving precious time and money.

On Extending Site Functionality

Similar to most themes on the market, Astra and Pro allow full and seamless integration of plugins and widgets. This provides users with the option to extend the functionality of their website, making it more engaging to end-users.

Yet, the available extensions for Astra, which include, among others, WooCommerce, LearnDash, and Yoast SEO, are nothing compared to what Pro has to offer.

An industry first, Pro comes with an exclusive extension library of nearly three dozen 3rd party tools and plugins. Most of the tools and plugins you need already come bundled with the theme itself and are not priced separately.

Speed and Search Engine Optimization

What good is a website when it cannot be found? If your site doesn’t appear on the first few pages of search engines, your target audience will never reach it, no matter how grand it may be.

Fortunately for Astra and Pro, the creators made sure that the themes have SEO friendly markups and have been optimized for speed. Astra follows SEO best practices and even comes with the necessary schema support. It also prides itself in being able to load its websites in half seconds.

The same goes for Pro. It’s also designed to be SEO friendly. As for speed and performance, it boasts of a 1,000 hour head start, allowing you to begin building your site in a flash. What’s more, a website powered by Pro can also load within just a few seconds – anywhere between 0.7 to 2 seconds.

Pricing Plan Options

Astra is firstly offered as a free theme with all the necessary features for website building. To access the more advanced features and functionalities, users need to pony up for these options: Astra Pro, Mini Agency Bundle, and Agency Bundle. These plans are regularly priced at an annual rate of $59, $276, and $523, respectively.

Pro Theme is offered in both single use and unlimited use licenses. A single use license starts at $9 a month and allows you to use Pro on one website. With an unlimited use license at $19 a month, you can use Pro on as many sites as you want. Even further, users also have the option of getting Pro Hosted which starts at $29 a month for one website. This will entail the hosting of your Pro powered site in addition to all WordPress and theme updates being taken care of. It’s worth your dollars, without doubt.

Support System

Users do not want to be left to fend for themselves just because they’ve already purchased the product. Aftermarket support speaks on so many levels not only on how good a WordPress theme can be, but also on the company behind it.

With Astra, you get a dedicated Facebook Group with over 12,000+ active members as well as free access to a knowledge base of in-depth articles that cover common theme-related questions. The Astra team also provides users with 24/7 dedicated email support. But here’s the catch – the one to one email support is only available for those who have purchased the paid version of the theme. Free users can get 24/7 support through the WP.org support forum.

As for Pro, the support it provides is one of the best in the industry, not to mention it’s forever free. The team spans the globe and answers any question about product usage every hour of every day of the year. The team has a native forum where users can submit their support questions. All questions are then answered in the order received, and the team always makes it a point to respond within 24 hours, if not much sooner.

Conclusion

While Astra is one of the best WordPress themes on the market, Pro has definitely taken its theme features up a notch. Still, the choice is yours to make. If you’re simply content with sleek and standard features for building your website, then by all means use Astra all the way. But if you particularly prefer a website building platform with a professional edge, then Pro is the way to go.

What are you waiting for? Give Pro a try today!