9 ThemeForest Alternatives for Theme Buyers and Sellers

By Manob Editorial · October 13, 2026

The best ThemeForest alternative depends on which side you're on. Buyers who need many templates should look at Envato Elements; free themes are on WordPress.org; Divi users want Elegant Themes. Sellers keep more on Gumroad, Lemon Squeezy, UI8 or Manob (our own marketplace) than on ThemeForest's 50% author fee. ThemeForest's main advantage is still the size of its catalog.

ThemeForest today: the baseline

Before comparing anything, here is what ThemeForest offers as of October 2026, from Envato's own pages:

• Catalog: "over 67,200 website templates and themes", which Envato says are hand-reviewed (ThemeForest).
• Licenses: a Regular License when the end product is free to the end user and an Extended License when the end user pays (Envato licenses).
• Support: supported items include 6 months of item support from the purchase date. You can extend it at checkout up to a maximum of 12 months (item support). Six more months cost 37.5% of the item price at purchase, 62.5% before expiry and 87.5% after it (extension pricing).
• Refunds: assessed case by case, based on the item's digital nature and the preview available before purchase (refund page).
• For authors: a 50% author fee on the item price, with a buyer fee added on top to make the list price buyers see (earnings guide).

One change worth knowing about: older guides describe separate exclusive and non-exclusive author rates. Envato's current Market Author Terms say authors list items "on a non-exclusive basis" and that the author fee applies "irrespective of whether you make your Items available elsewhere." So selling elsewhere no longer changes your ThemeForest rate.

ThemeForest alternatives for buyers

As of October 2026. "Not listed" means we couldn't find the term on the platform's own pages.

ThemeForest alternatives for sellers

The 9 alternatives, one by one

1. Envato Elements: best for buyers who need many templates

Elements is Envato's subscription, now sold as "Envato subscription". Its plans guide says plans start at $16.50 a month with unlimited downloads from 29+ million assets. That includes WordPress themes, plugins and template kits, coded web templates, and CMS themes for Shopify and others, all under one commercial license. The catch is ownership: the same guide says you can cancel anytime, "but access to downloaded items requires an active plan." Agencies building many sites get the most out of it. Someone building one site usually does better with a single purchase.

For authors, Elements pays a share of 50% of each subscriber's net revenue, split by how much that subscriber used your items, under the subscriber share model. Enterprise subscriptions are the exception, with a 25% share.

2. TemplateMonster: best for buyers who want a second large catalog

TemplateMonster is the closest like-for-like marketplace: single purchases of WordPress, HTML, Shopify and other templates. Its footer lists 21,416 products. TemplateMonster's policy pages block automated checks, so the support and refund terms here match the pages as archived in 2026. Its support policy gives 6 months of free support from the purchase date. Another 6 months cost 50% of the product price at purchase, 75% while support is active and 100% after it expires, if the author agrees to extend. Refunds are for exceptional cases under its refund policy, such as non-delivery reported within 14 days, or a verified defect the author doesn't fix within 3 business days.

Sellers should read the numbers closely. TemplateMonster's commission page lists 20% for every product type from July 1, 2026. Its own worked example pays the author $10 on a $50 price, with the customer fee added on top for the buyer. Since January 1, 2026, all products are non-exclusive.

3. WordPress.org: best for free, reviewed WordPress themes

The official theme directory listed 8,695 free themes in its search on October 13, 2026, even though its tagline still says "over 15,000". Its submission rules require every theme to be "100% GPL or compatible", and each one is reviewed by the Themes team. For a simple blog or a small business site, start here before paying anyone, and check whether a free theme already has the layouts you need. Our guide to installing a WordPress theme manually works for either kind.

4. Elegant Themes: best if you want Divi on unlimited sites

Elegant Themes sells a membership rather than individual themes. Its pricing page lists $89 billed yearly for access to all its themes and plugins (Divi, Extra, Bloom and Monarch) and a $249 one-time lifetime plan. The lifetime card mentions only Divi and Divi Dash, while the FAQ says lifetime includes the rest, so confirm before buying. Both plans cover unlimited websites and come with a 30-day, no-questions-asked refund. If you'd build every site in Divi anyway, this replaces buying a theme per project.

5. Creative Market: best for design assets alongside templates

Creative Market is broader than web themes. Its templates sit next to mockups, presentation templates and other design assets. Buyers pay a flat platform fee per order (the amount isn't stated on that page). Refunds are narrow. The refund policy covers duplicate purchases, technical issues the shop owner can't fix, and misrepresented products, all within a 3-day window. Shop owners earn 50% of list price by default, though Creative Market says rates "vary per shop/product" (shop sales page).

6. CodeCanyon: best for plugins and scripts, not themes

CodeCanyon is ThemeForest's sister marketplace for code. It lists "over 38,600 plugins, code & scripts" (CodeCanyon), under the same Envato licenses, support policy and author fee. It's not an alternative for finding a theme. It's where you go for the booking plugin, form builder or PHP script a theme doesn't include.

7. UI8: best for selling and buying design kits

UI8 focuses on design: UI kits, Figma files, coded templates, mockups and fonts. UI8's site blocks automated checks, so these terms come from its author page as archived in June 2026. Authors earn 70% of each individual sale plus 2% of the product's value for each unique download. Exclusivity isn't required, every product is included in the All Access Pass with no opt-out, and authors join by invitation or application. For buyers, UI8 says the All Access Pass covers more than 14,000 design assets. If you sell Figma kits rather than WordPress themes, UI8 is the more natural home. See our Figma UI kits roundup for what buyers compare.

8. Gumroad or Lemon Squeezy: best for authors selling direct

Neither is a theme marketplace. They're checkout tools for selling your own products. Gumroad charges 10% plus $0.50 per sale through your profile or direct links, 30% when a buyer finds you through its Discover marketplace, and no monthly fee. Lemon Squeezy charges 5% plus 50¢ per transaction, notes that some payments carry additional fees, and acts as your merchant of record. You keep the most, but you bring every buyer yourself. You can pair either one with a non-exclusive marketplace listing.

9. Manob (our own marketplace): best for previewing, buying and customizing in one place

Manob is our own marketplace, so weigh this entry accordingly. Its catalog is tiny next to ThemeForest's: 707 products (roughly 303 WordPress themes, 327 HTML templates, 44 Figma, PSD or XD design files, 18 React or Next.js templates and 6 Shopify themes), with Regular License prices from $9 to $93 and a median of $29. ThemeForest's catalog is roughly 95 times larger. What Manob does differently:

• Every item can be previewed before you buy, and every product is manually reviewed before approval.
• Every product has Regular and Extended License prices, with the same end-user test as Envato's (Manob licenses).
• Products include 6 months of seller support through a built-in ticket system. You can extend it at 30% before it expires or renew at 75% after.
• Manob-compatible themes can be edited with the AI in Manob's workspace, and the same accounts sell freelance services if you'd rather hire the customization out.

For sellers: 30% commission on products, or 10% for the first 12 months at the early-bird rate, non-exclusive licensing, and the option to sell services from the same account. You'd keep 70% of each sale against ThemeForest's 50%, but on a much smaller audience. See becoming a seller or browse Manob's WordPress themes.

Is there a cheaper alternative to ThemeForest?

For one site, the cheapest option is a free theme from WordPress.org. If you need dozens of templates a year, an Envato Elements subscription can cost less than buying them one by one, as long as you keep paying. Elegant Themes' membership is cheaper than per-site purchases if every site will use Divi. For single purchases, compare total cost, not sticker price: the license you need, any buyer or platform fee, and whether you'll pay to extend support. We break this down in how much a WordPress theme costs.

Which marketplace pays theme authors the most?

On a $50 item price, before taxes and payment fees, as of October 2026:

• Lemon Squeezy: $47.00 (5% plus 50¢)
• Gumroad, direct sale: $44.50 (10% plus $0.50)
• UI8: $35 (70%), plus income from unique downloads
• Manob (ours): $35 (30% commission), or $45 in the first 12 months
• ThemeForest: $25 (50% author fee; the buyer fee goes to Envato)
• Creative Market: $25 (50% default split)
• TemplateMonster: $10 (20% commission)

The percentage is only half the picture. A 50% cut of steady sales beats 95% of no sales, and ThemeForest's audience is the reason many authors accept its fee. Because Envato, TemplateMonster, UI8 and Manob are all non-exclusive, you can list the same item on several and see which one sells.

When to stay on ThemeForest

• You need range. Over 67,200 templates and themes means niche designs that smaller marketplaces, including ours, simply don't have.
• You value a long support window. Extending to 12 months at checkout is built in, and the policy says exactly what support covers.
• As an author, you need buyers more than margin. A larger share of a small marketplace's sales can still be less money.
• You need code too. ThemeForest and CodeCanyon share one account, one license system and one support policy.

Whichever marketplace you buy from, plan the customization before you buy. Our guide on customizing a WordPress theme shows what's easy to change and what isn't. If you're working with static sites, see our HTML5 templates roundup.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to ThemeForest?

For buyers who need many templates, Envato Elements. For free themes, WordPress.org. For a second single-purchase catalog, TemplateMonster. For sellers who want a bigger share, Gumroad, Lemon Squeezy, UI8 or Manob.

Is Envato Elements cheaper than ThemeForest?

It can be if you download many items. As of October 2026, plans start at $16.50 a month with unlimited downloads. Envato says access to downloaded items requires an active plan, so for one site a single ThemeForest purchase is usually simpler.

Do ThemeForest authors have to sell exclusively?

No. Envato's current Market Author Terms say items are listed on a non-exclusive basis, and the 50% author fee applies whether or not you sell the same item elsewhere.

How long is ThemeForest item support?

Supported items include 6 months of support from the purchase date. You can extend it at checkout to a maximum of 12 months, or buy an extension or renewal later.

Can I sell the same theme on ThemeForest and other marketplaces?

Yes. As of October 2026, Envato, TemplateMonster, UI8 and Manob all allow non-exclusive selling, so the same item can be listed on several marketplaces at once.