Is Envato Legit or a Scam? The Truth About Envato Market & Elements (2025 Review)
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Is Envato Legit or a Scam? The Truth About Envato Market & Elements (2025 Review)
TL;DR: Envato is a real company, but their marketplace is full of poorly coded, glitchy scripts that don't work in production. Refunds are nearly impossible, and quality control is non-existent. Read this before wasting your money.
What is Envato?
Envato is a marketplace that sells:
- Themes & Templates (WordPress, Shopify, HTML)
- Scripts & Code (PHP, React, Laravel)
- Graphics & Stock Assets
- Music & Video Templates
They also offer Envato Elements, a subscription-based model for digital downloads.
But is it worth your money? Let's break it down.
Is Envato a Scam?
Legally, Envato is a real company based in Australia.
Practically, it's full of low-quality, unverified code that doesn't work.
Why do people call it a scam?
- No quality control (anyone can sell)
- No refunds, even for broken products
- Glitchy, outdated scripts
- Fake reviews and misleading descriptions
While Envato isn't an outright scam, it functions like one.
Why Are Envato Scripts Bad?
Poor Code Quality
- Outdated jQuery, PHP, and React versions
- No TypeScript or proper documentation
- Code is bloated and unoptimized
Nothing Works Out of the Box
- Scripts break as soon as you install them
- Dependencies missing or outdated
- No proper error handling
Security Issues
- No SQL injection protection
- Poor authentication practices
- Many scripts expose sensitive data
You're paying for broken, insecure code.
Common Complaints About Envato
"I bought a theme, and it was completely broken!"
"The code is so bad, I had to rewrite everything!"
"Envato refuses to refund me!"
Most users regret purchasing from Envato because nothing works as advertised.
Is Envato Market Worth It?
No. Unless you like rewriting bad code from scratch, it's a waste of money.
Better Alternatives
- Creative Market (Higher quality templates)
- Premium WordPress Themes (From trusted developers)
- Custom Development (Best option for real-world projects)
Pros & Cons of Envato
Pros
- Huge selection of themes
- Cheap pricing
- Subscription model (Envato Elements)
- Some good designers
Cons
- 90% of scripts are garbage
- No refunds, even for broken items
- Code is outdated & unoptimized
- Many templates break instantly
Envato Refund Policy
Envato's refund policy is problematic. You can't get a refund, even if:
- The product is completely broken
- The seller disappears
- You can't use the script at all
They deny refunds unless the seller agrees (which rarely happens).
Final Verdict: Should You Use Envato?
No. Avoid it.
- Broken, outdated, low-quality scripts
- Sellers don't follow best practices
- No real support or accountability
- No refunds, even for unusable products
If you need working code, do not buy from Envato.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Envato a scam?
Not illegal, but a bad investment. You pay for unusable scripts with no refunds.
Why is Envato bad?
The code quality is terrible, nothing works as expected, and there's zero customer support.
Can I get a refund from Envato?
No. They reject 99% of refund requests, even for broken products.
What are better alternatives?
- Creative Market for themes
- Premium developers for custom code
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Envato is a legally registered company based in Australia. However, the quality of products on their marketplace varies significantly, and many users report issues with code quality and refunds.
People criticize Envato due to poor code quality in many items, outdated scripts, lack of proper quality control, and a strict no-refund policy even for non-functional products.
Envato has a very strict no-refund policy. They rarely approve refunds, even if the product is broken or non-functional, unless the seller explicitly agrees.
Better alternatives include Creative Market for themes and templates, premium WordPress theme shops for WordPress, and hiring professional developers for custom solutions.