We occasionally receive requests from clients who’d like to use a SMILE-developed WordPress theme on their own hosting environment. While we’re happy to support open and flexible use of our work, it’s important to understand the implications of doing so.
Using a SMILE theme externally is permitted under the GPL licence, but it becomes a self-managed setup. We’re happy to provide the files, but all maintenance, guidance, support, and responsibility sit with your chosen hosting provider or internal team.
If you’d like to discuss bringing your site into SMILE’s managed hosting environment in future, we’d be happy to talk through the options.
Theme licensing
All SMILE WordPress themes are released under the GNU General Public License (GPL). This means you are free to use, modify, and redistribute the theme, provided that:
- Any distributed copies also remain under the GPL.
- You accept full responsibility for installation, maintenance, and support.
What’s included
If you’d like to run a site externally utilising your theme, we can provide you with the base theme files at no cost. These files are provided as-is, with no guarantee of compatibility or ongoing updates.
What’s not included
When a SMILE site is hosted externally, the following are not provided or supported:
- Theme updates – The version you receive will not receive automatic updates or security patches.
- Plugin updates – Proprietary SMILE plugins and integrations (used for certain custom features) will not be included or maintained.
- Technical support – We don’t provide troubleshooting, setup assistance, or compatibility checks for externally hosted sites.
- Infrastructure benefits – Performance, caching, security, and monitoring tools that form part of our managed hosting are not available outside our environment.
Responsibility
By hosting the theme externally, you take on full responsibility for:
- Server configuration, security, and uptime.
- WordPress updates, plugin compatibility, and site performance.
- Any maintenance or development required to keep the site operational.
We strongly recommend using a reputable WordPress hosting provider and ensuring you have access to developer support if needed.
Benefits of SMILE-managed hosting
When hosted within SMILE’s environment, your site benefits from:
- Automatic updates to your theme and SMILE plugins.
- Regular security and performance maintenance.
- Access to our technical team for support and advice.
- A guaranteed compatibility layer with other sites in your network.
These are part of the managed service agreement provided to our partner institutions.