Through the Envato Elements service, you can purchase stunning design elements, music, various templates, stock photos and videos and use them for your business.
But is Envato Elements worth paying for and how does it compare to alternatives like Creative Market or Envato Market?
In this Envato Elements review, I will examine the content library, licensing policies, pros and cons of the platform, customer reviews, and some of its notable competitors to help you decide if it is the right tool for your business needs.
Envato Elements at a Glance
Envato Elements is a smart choice for entrepreneurs who want digital assets without high costs. With a subscription you can download unlimited files from the large content library and license them for your project.
Over the years, Envato Elements has proven to be a trusted and accessible resource for developers around the world.
Here are some highlights of Envato Elements:
- Access to over 14 million assets across various categories
- Unlimited downloads starting at $16.5 per month
- Strong social media presence with 128k+ Instagram followers, 260k+ Facebook followers, and nearly 200k YouTube subscribers
- More than 500,000 subscribers
- Annual subscriptions available with a 57% discount
- Simple terms with a single license.
Pros:
- Unlimited downloads
- Single license for ease of use
- Cost-effective pricing
- Extensive library of over 14 million assets
- Each digital asset is reviewed for quality.
Cons:
- Some items may lack exclusivity
- Requires registration of items for reuse
- Downloaded items cannot be used for new projects if the subscription is canceled.
Envato Elements Library what Content Is Offered?
An active subscription gives you unlimited access to the complete yet large collection of Envato Elements digital assets. For example, its library contains more than 8.5 million photos and 4.6 million stock videos.
Additionally, there are music and sound effects, numerous graphic and web templates, fonts, plugins and other elements that can enhance your creative content.
And for example, “Graphics” is just one of the large categories that contains many subcategories where you can filter only software elements such as objects, backgrounds, icons, patterns and others. You can also choose to show resources only for specific applications such as Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, Figma, Procreate or Sketch.
This can save you significant time and effort when creating professional-looking images for your business or personal projects.
Licensing
Envato Elements operates with a simple licensing model where all files follow the same usage rules. Subscribers gain unlimited access to the full library of assets for personal and commercial use.
However, there are some common restrictions:
- You cannot use downloaded assets for new projects after your subscription ends.
- You cannot distribute or share the original assets with others, even if modified. Each user must have their own license.
- Assets cannot be used as key elements in on-demand products (e.g., T-shirts, mugs) unless modified.
For any doubts about the license, it’s best to consult Envato Elements support or review the official license terms before using assets in commercial projects.
Who Is Envato Elements For?
Envato Elements serves a wide range of individuals and businesses looking to enhance their creative projects affordably:
Small Businesses, Entrepreneurs, and Freelancers: Cost-effective resources help startups and small businesses achieve a professional look without significant investment.
Graphic Designers: Access thousands of templates, fonts, and graphics to streamline your workflow and create compelling designs.
Content Creators: Photographers, videographers, and musicians can find high-quality media to enrich their projects.
Web Developers: A diverse range of website themes, plugins, and code snippets are available to support web development tasks.
Cost of Envato Elements?
Envato Elements costs $16.5/month if paid annually and $33/month if paid monthly. The fact that you get unlimited downloads makes this service very affordable.
Monthly subscription: | $33 per month |
Yearly subscription: | $16.50 per month |
Yearly subscription discount: | 50% |
If you choose the Teams plan, the more members your team has, the more discount you will receive. You can save up to 34% when you share Envato Elements with other members.
There are also special prices for students who receive a 30% discount.
And if you need more, there’s an Enterprise plan for large teams, organizations and agencies where you can submit a request and receive a customized quote.
I will compare Envato Elements’ pricing to other competitors in the Alternatives and Competitors section.
Benefits of Using Envato Elements
Highly Cost-Effective
One of the key benefits of Envato Elements is its cost-effectiveness. The subscription fee is comparatively low when you consider the cost of purchasing individual assets separately. This allows users to access a broad array of creative resources without stretching their budget, making it an appealing choice for both individuals and businesses looking to save.
The value is further enhanced by a single subscription that grants access to everything, along with just one license covering all items.
Extensive Content Library
The platform offers a diverse range of design and media resources, including graphics, templates, web themes, audio tracks, videos, and photos. This extensive selection provides ample options to find the ideal assets for various needs.
It’s also worth noting that not all items are geared towards professionals. For instance, mobile photographers or Instagram users can easily find mobile Lightroom presets for enhancing their photos.
Quality Control
One aspect I personally appreciate about Envato Elements is the rigorous review process for each digital asset available for download.
This ensures that all assets adhere to specific quality standards before being accessible to users.
Fresh Content Regularly
Envato Elements continually expands its library with new content, keeping up with trends and needs. This regular influx of new assets ensures that users have access to the latest trends, styles and designs.
As a subscriber, you can constantly discover new materials to keep your projects fresh and attractive.
Drawbacks of Using Envato Elements
Re-Registering Items for Multiple Uses
A drawback of Envato Elements is the need to re-register items if you want to use them across different projects. Unlike other stock marketplaces where a single license covers multiple uses, Envato Elements requires users to register assets anew each time they are used in a new project. This process can be time-consuming and less convenient, especially for individuals juggling multiple projects at once.
Limited Exclusivity
Some assets on Envato Elements may not be entirely unique to the platform, as similar resources might be available elsewhere, which could affect exclusivity for certain projects or brands. Authors on Envato Elements can choose to offer their items either exclusively or non-exclusively, meaning some assets might also be sold on other platforms. While this may not be a major issue, it is something to consider for those seeking truly unique and exclusive resources.
What Do Customers Think?
Envato Elements holds a rating of 3.9 out of 5.0 on Trustpilot and 3.7 out of 5.0 on G2, suggesting that the majority of customers are pleased with the service.
Satisfied Envato Elements customers praised high quality, simplicity, creative ideas, and value for money.
However, some users have expressed minor concerns about customer support, stating that they did not provide the help they needed.
Overall, Envato Elements content allows users to simplify the editing flow.
Alternatives and competitors
This platform may not be your cup of tea. Maybe the only thing you’ve learned from this Envato Elements review is the fact that you don’t want to use it. And that’s okay! I’ve added some other options (and compared them to Envato Elements) that might be interesting:
Creative market
Creative Market is an online marketplace that features unique design resources from independent developers and offers individual products for one-time purchase. The products are similar to Envato Elements, but the business model is not.
The main difference is that Creative Market charges for individual products and provides different licenses for different usage options. This platform may be suitable for those who need a single product or item.
Shutterstock
Shutterstock offers all types of digital assets and is best known as a provider of stock photos and videos. It offers a huge library of high-quality images and footage that users can purchase on-demand or through subscriptions, just like Envato Elements.
For example, a Shutterstock subscription priced at $29 per month only allows you to download 10 images or 1 video per month. When it comes to one-time purchases, Shutterstock offers 5 downloads for $49 (standard license) or $449 (extended license). This latter license is almost ten times more expensive than the standard Shutterstock license, making it extremely expensive but very high quality, so it all depends on your needs.
In short, Shutterstock focuses primarily on stock photos and videos, making it ideal for media-focused projects, but it lacks the wide range of creative assets available through Envato Elements.
Story blocks
Storyblocks specializes in archival video and audio, making it a useful alternative for multimedia creators, but it may not meet the needs of those looking for a broader range of creative content.
Storyblocks offers unlimited downloads for $30 a month. So if you create video content and aren’t satisfied with the stock audio and video assets that Envato Elements offers, you might want to try this alternative.
Envato Elements and Envato Market
Envato Elements and Envato Market are projects of the same Envato company. Both are online platforms that offer digital assets such as templates, graphics, audio and more for creative projects.
However, they have some key differences:
- Pricing Model: Envato Elements operates a subscription pricing model where you pay a flat monthly or annual fee to access a full asset library. Envato Market, on the other hand, relies on purchasing individual items. You pay for each item separately and the price varies depending on the complexity and type of asset.
- Licenses: With Envato Elements, you get a single license that covers multiple usage types, including personal and commercial projects. On Envato Market, each item has its own license terms and for some uses you may need to purchase an additional (extended) license (for example: you sell a mug with some graphic assets that you purchased on Envato Market).
- Customer Support: Envato Elements offers general help and FAQs, but there is no direct support for individual elements. So the advantage here is Envato Market, which offers customer support for specific items. The best part is that you can contact the author of the article directly and get help.
There are a few other minor differences, but I think these are the most important ones. Your choice between the two depends on your needs, frequency of use, and the level of support you need for your creative projects.