Quick overview: ThemeForest offers 17,000+ WordPress themes starting at $19-$69. It’s the largest theme marketplace, but quality varies dramatically. Best for one-off projects with tight budgets. Not ideal if you need ongoing support, regular updates, or plan to build multiple sites.
My client loved the demo. Sleek design. Animated features. Five-star reviews everywhere.
Three weeks into the build, I discovered the theme loaded 47 external scripts. The homepage CSS alone was 2MB. When I updated WordPress, half the features stopped working.
That $59 ‘premium’ theme cost me 20 hours of debugging.
After buying 30+ themes over three years and building sites for clients, I’ve learned which red flags to watch for.
This review explains what ThemeForest really offers in 2025, not what their marketing promises. You’ll learn which themes are worth buying, which features matter, and when you should look.
What ThemeForest Actually Is (Not What They Say They Are)
ThemeForest is a marketplace – think eBay for WordPress themes. They don’t create themes themselves. Independent developers submit themes, ThemeForest reviews them (loosely), and lists them for sale.
Part of Envato Market, an Australian company that also runs CodeCanyon (plugins), VideoHive (stock footage), and other digital marketplaces. Been around since 2008, so they’re established and legitimate.
What really matters:
ThemeForest takes 50-70% of each sale. Theme developers keep $15-$35 from a $50 theme. This creates perverse incentives – developers pack themes with features to justify higher prices, leading to code bloat. They can also afford only limited support with such thin margins.
Current stats (2025):
- 17,000+ WordPress themes
- 50,000+ total themes across all platforms
- Prices: $19-$69 (average $52)
- Support: 6 months included
- License: One site only
Compare this to Elegant Themes or StudioPress: pay once, get unlimited sites, lifetime updates.
Advertised price: $59
Actual cost over two years: $150-$300
The real cost breakdown:
Initial purchase: $59
Extended support (12 months): $22 (you’ll want this)
Premium plugins not included: $50-$150 (many “bundled” plugins require separate licenses for updates)
Developer time fixing bloat: 5-15 hours at $50-$150/hour
Theme demos showcase premium plugins like WPBakery Page Builder, Slider Revolution, and LayerSlider. Theme listings say “bundled plugins worth $200!” The catch: you get the plugin files, not a license.
Updates require purchasing licenses separately. Security updates, too. So that “$59 theme with $200 of plugins” actually costs $259 if you want updates.
Comparison:
- ThemeForest: $59 + $22 support + $100 plugin licenses = $181 for ONE site
- Astra Pro: $59/year for UP TO 3 sites + updates + actual support
- GeneratePress: $59/year for UNLIMITED sites + direct developer support
The math only favors ThemeForest if you’re building exactly one site and never touching it again.
Even when you find a lightweight theme, poor support can derail your project. Here’s what ThemeForest’s 6-month support period covers.
Code Quality: The Ugly Truth About Theme Bloat
Thin profit margins force developers to compete on features rather than quality. More features = higher price = more revenue.
What You’re Actually Downloading
An average ThemeForest theme includes:
- 15-30 page templates you’ll never use
- 50+ shortcodes (half break after updates)
- 8-12 slider options (you need one)
- Custom post types for everything
- Page builders you didn’t ask for
- Demo import that fails on half of the hosting platforms
The Performance Impact
Real-world testing reveals the damage:
- Load time: 3-8 seconds (should be under 2)
- Page weight: 5-15MB (should be under 1MB)
- HTTP requests: 80-150 (should be under 50)
- Database queries: 200+ per page (good themes use under 50)
Example: Avada vs. GeneratePress
I tested this myself. Fresh WordPress install. Same server. Same content layout.
Avada (top-selling ThemeForest theme):
- Homepage load: 6.2 seconds
- Just the demo, zero custom content
GeneratePress (lightweight theme):
- Homepage load: 0.8 seconds
- Same layout, same content
The 6-second difference? Unnecessary features you’ll never use.
Warning Signs of Bloated Themes
Avoid themes with:
- “All-in-one” or “multipurpose” in the name
- 50+ demo sites
- 5+ bundled premium plugins
- Feature lists longer than your arm
- No coding required marketing (usually means bloated code)
Support Quality: What 6 Months Actually Gets You
ThemeForest includes 6 months of ‘item support.’ The fine print reveals what that actually means:
Included support:
- Answering questions about theme features
- Bug fixes for issues caused by the theme code
- Compatibility updates for WordPress core
NOT included support:
- Third-party plugin configuration
- Server/hosting problems
- Customization requests
- “How do I…” questions
- Urgent responses
Reality check: Response times average 2-5 business days. Some developers respond in hours. Others take weeks. Quality varies widely because you’re dealing with individual developers rather than a support team.
Compare this to the other companies with actual support teams:
- Elegant Themes: Live chat, average 10-minute response.
- StudioPress: Dedicated support forum, same-day responses.
- Astra Themes: Email support, 24-hour response guarantee.
After your 6 months expires, extending support costs 62.5% of the original theme price. So that $59 theme costs another $37 for 12 more months of support. Adds up fast.
Pro tip: Even the best theme needs quality hosting. Our WordPress hosting plans start at $1.19/month with automatic backups and WordPress optimization.
Check the theme’s comment section before buying. Developer responsiveness shows there. If recent questions go unanswered for weeks, skip that theme regardless of features.
Better Alternatives to ThemeForest (When to Skip the Marketplace)
ThemeForest makes sense for specific scenarios. But often, better options exist:
Choose ThemeForest when:
- Building exactly ONE website
- Need a particular niche design
- Budget under $100 total
- Don’t need ongoing support
Choose theme companies instead when:
- Building multiple sites
- Want reliable support
- Need regular updates
- Value performance over features
Top ThemeForest alternatives:
| Theme Provider | Annual Cost | Sites Limit | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astra Pro | $59/year | Unlimited | Speed + flexibility |
| GeneratePress Premium | $59/year | Unlimited | Developers who want control |
| Kadence | $129/year | Unlimited | Advanced design features |
| Divi | $89/year or $249 lifetime | Unlimited | Visual drag-and-drop builders |
| StudioPress | $499 one-time | Unlimited | Agencies building client sites |
Notice a pattern? Most charge annually but cover an unlimited number of sites. Build 3+ sites per year? These beat ThemeForest’s per-site licensing.
How to Buy on ThemeForest Without Getting Screwed (Buyer’s Checklist)
Buying from ThemeForest anyway? Follow this checklist:
Before clicking Add to Cart:
- Check last update date – Skip themes not updated in 3+ months
- Read 1-star reviews – Problems show up there, not in 5-star ones.
- Test demo speed – Use PageSpeed Insights, reject anything over 2 seconds
- Verify WordPress compatibility – Must support the current WP version.
- Count sales – Under 1,000 sales = risky, over 10,000 = established
- Check support response time – Read recent comment replies
- List required plugins – Calculate actual cost, including licenses
- Screenshot everything – Demo screenshots for reference.
- Test on staging first – Never install directly on the live site
- Budget for extended support – You’ll probably need it
Red flags – Don’t buy if:
- The theme hasn’t been updated in 6+ months
- The developer doesn’t respond to comments
- No refund policy or guarantee
- “All-in-one solution” claims
- Bundled plugins require separate licenses
- Demo site loads over 3 seconds
Conclusion
For most people, theme memberships are better than Themeforest. Pay $59/year for Astra or GeneratePress, get unlimited site licenses, reliable support, and better performance. You’ll thank yourself six months later when you need help and actually get it.
If you must use ThemeForest, stick to established themes with 10,000+ sales, recent updates, and responsive developers. Test thoroughly on staging before going live.
And no matter which theme you choose, host it on quality infrastructure. Managed WordPress hosting starts at $1.19 with optimized servers, automatic backups, and actual support – because even the best theme performs poorly on bad hosting.
FAQs
Yes, it’s legitimate. ThemeForest has operated since 2008 as part of Envato, a reputable Australian company. All themes undergo a security review before listing. But legitimate ≠ high quality. Code review catches security flaws, not performance issues or bloated code. A theme can be “safe” and still slow down your site.
No. Each ThemeForest license covers ONE website only. If you’re building three sites, you need three separate licenses, each at $59 ($177 total). This is where theme companies with unlimited-site licenses become much cheaper – building multiple sites? Skip ThemeForest and get a theme membership that covers unlimited installations.
After 6 months, you lose access to developer support but keep the theme forever. You can still use it, just can’t ask questions or get help. Extending support costs 62.5% of the original price, so $37 for a $59 theme. Most people skip extensions and figure things out themselves or hire developers for specific issues.
Many do, yes. ThemeForest themes average 3-6 seconds to load, compared to 0.8-1.5 seconds for lightweight themes. This happens because developers add excessive features to stand out in a crowded marketplace. Test demo speed before buying – if it’s slow with no content, your site will be worse. Look for themes under 2-second load times in demos.
ThemeForest offers refunds only if the theme is “materially different from the description” or has “quality issues that render it unusable.” “I don’t like it” doesn’t qualify. Refund window is limited – usually 7-14 days. Test immediately after purchase. Most refund requests are denied, so choose carefully up front.
Sometimes, yes. Quality free themes like Astra, GeneratePress, or Kadence outperform many premium ThemeForest themes in speed and code quality. Free themes make money through premium add-ons, so developers keep the code clean to attract paying customers. ThemeForest developers get paid once, creating less incentive for long-term quality. Don’t assume you’re paid better.
Check the comment section on the theme’s page. Look at recent questions (from the last 30 days) and see how quickly the developer responds. Quality support means responses within 1-2 business days. If questions go unanswered for weeks or responses are defensive/unhelpful, skip that theme. Support quality varies dramatically between developers.
Regular License ($59): One website, standard use
Extended License ($2,950): For products you sell that include the theme
99% of buyers need a Regular License. An Extended License is for developers who build website products for resale (like creating a SaaS platform using the theme). Unless you’re selling access to websites built with the theme, the Regular License is what you want.
