Envato Elements became my secret weapon when I was broke, desperate, and needed professional design assets yesterday. I had a client presentation in 48 hours. Zero budget for designers. My PowerPoint looked like a middle school science project.
Stock photo sites wanted $30 per image. Custom graphics? Designers quoted $500 minimum. I needed templates, fonts, music, videos—everything.
That’s when I discovered Envato Elements and it changed how I run my entire business.
Why I Switched to Envato Elements (The Money Story)
I was hemorrhaging cash on creative assets. Every project meant buying individual stock photos, hiring freelancers, or settling for garbage free resources.
One month I spent $847 on stock content alone. Graphics from one site. Photos from another. Music from a third. The costs stacked up fast.
My business partner showed me elements envato during a late-night work session. Unlimited downloads. One flat monthly fee. I thought it was too good to be true.
I signed up for the free trial. Downloaded 47 assets in the first week. Templates, photos, graphics, video clips. Everything I’d been paying individual fees for.
The math was stupid obvious. One subscription replaced five different services. I canceled everything else immediately.
What Envato Elements Actually Gives You
Here’s what nobody tells you: Envato Elements isn’t just stock photos. It’s an entire creative arsenal.
The library contains over 60 million assets across multiple categories:
- Graphic templates for everything from logos to Instagram posts
- Stock photos that don’t look like cheesy corporate garbage
- Video templates for Premiere Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve
- Music tracks and sound effects for content creation
- Fonts including premium typefaces worth hundreds individually
- Presentation templates that make PowerPoint actually look good
- WordPress themes and website templates
- 3D models for product mockups and renders
Every single asset comes with a commercial license. Use it for client work. Use it in products you sell. Use it however you need.
I download maybe 30-50 assets monthly. At individual stock site prices, that’d cost me $600+. I pay $16.50 per month.
My First Week Using Envato Elements (What Actually Happened)
I dove in deep immediately. My first search was “modern presentation template” because that client deadline was ticking.
Found a gorgeous deck template in two minutes. Downloaded it. Customized the colors and text. Done in 90 minutes instead of the eight hours I’d planned.
The client loved it. They had no idea it wasn’t custom-designed from scratch. Why would they? It looked better than anything I could’ve afforded to commission.
That same week I built a complete brand identity for my side project. Logo template. Social media graphics. Business card design. Email signature. All from elements envato.
Total cost? Still just the one subscription fee. Total time saved? Probably 40 hours of design work I’m not qualified to do anyway.
The Envato Elements Categories That Actually Matter
I’ve explored most of the platform. Some categories are absolute gold mines. Others I’ve never touched.
Presentation templates are my most-used category. I give talks, create pitch decks, and build client reports constantly. These templates make me look way more professional than I am.
Stock photos from Envato Elements beat the standard stock photo sites. Less corporate fakeness. More authentic, usable imagery. The search actually works well too.
Video templates changed my content game. I’m not a video editor. But I can customize After Effects templates enough to create professional-looking content for social media.
Graphic templates cover literally everything. Flyers, brochures, Instagram stories, YouTube thumbnails, email headers. If you need a design, there’s a template.
Fonts might be the most underrated asset. Premium typefaces cost $50-200 individually. I have access to thousands. My brand typography improved dramatically.
How Envato Elements Compares to Other Platforms
I’ve used Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Creative Market, and Canva. Each has strengths. None match Envato Elements for sheer value.
Shutterstock has great photos but costs a fortune. Ten downloads monthly is $29. I’d burn through that in two days.
Adobe Stock integrates beautifully with Creative Cloud but pricing is similar to Shutterstock. Expensive per asset.
Creative Market has unique designs but everything is individually priced. One font could cost you $40.
Canva is easier for non-designers but more limited. Templates are simpler. Asset library is smaller. The elements envato library is exponentially larger.
For pure value and variety, nothing touches Envato Elements. That’s just facts.
The Envato Elements Licensing (What You Need to Know)
Licensing confused me initially. I’m not a lawyer. I needed to know: can I actually use this stuff commercially?
Yes. The license is straightforward. Download an asset. Register it to your project. Use it for that specific project with full commercial rights.
The only restriction: you can’t redistribute the raw files. You can’t download a template and sell it as your own template. But you can customize it and use it in client work.
I’ve used Envato Elements assets for paying clients, my own products, social media content, and commercial videos. Never had a licensing issue.
Each download includes a license certificate. Keep these. They prove you have rights to use the asset if anyone questions it.
What I Actually Download From Envato Elements
My download history tells the real story. These are the assets I use repeatedly:
Presentation templates: I have about 20 go-to decks I customize for different situations. Pitch decks. Training presentations. Client reports. All started as elements envato templates.
Social media templates: Instagram posts, stories, reels. I batch-create content using templates. Consistency without starting from scratch every time.
Stock photos: Website hero images, blog post headers, presentation backgrounds. The library is massive enough that I rarely see the same photo twice.
Music tracks: Background music for videos and podcasts. Having commercial-licensed music without tracking down artists individually is clutch.
WordPress themes: I’ve built three websites using themes from Envato Elements. Professional results without hiring developers.
I probably use 5% of what’s available. But that 5% has generated thousands in revenue and saved countless hours.
Problems I’ve Hit With Envato Elements (The Real Talk)
Nothing’s perfect. Envato Elements has quirks that annoyed me initially.
Search can be hit or miss. Sometimes finding the exact asset you want takes multiple searches with different keywords. The tagging isn’t always accurate.
Download speeds vary. Most files download instantly. Large video templates sometimes crawl. Frustrating when you’re on a deadline.
Some categories are better stocked than others. 3D models and video templates are incredible. The audio library isn’t as deep as dedicated music platforms.
License registration is an extra step. You can’t just download and go. You need to register each asset to a project. Takes 30 seconds but feels unnecessary.
File formats sometimes require specific software. After Effects templates need After Effects. Premiere Pro templates need Premiere. Obvious, but worth noting if you don’t have Creative Cloud.
Envato Elements for Client Work (Where It Really Pays Off)
Client projects are where Envato Elements justifies itself ten times over. I can deliver professional results without professional designer costs.
I had a client need a complete social media rebrand. They wanted a cohesive look across all platforms. The budget was $800.
I found a graphic template pack designed specifically for social media. Downloaded it. Customized colors to match their brand. Created 60 days of content templates.
Total time: six hours. Total cost: my existing subscription. The client was thrilled. I made $800 and didn’t spend a dime on additional resources.
Another client needed a promo video. Video production companies quoted $2,500 minimum. I used an elements envato video template, added their footage, and delivered for $600.
They got 75% of the quality at 25% of the price. I made solid money. Everyone won.
How to Actually Use Envato Elements Efficiently
I wasted time initially by browsing aimlessly. Now I have a system that maximizes efficiency.
Search with specifics: Don’t search “template.” Search “minimal business presentation template blue.” Specificity returns better results.
Save collections: Create collections for different project types. Client presentations. Social media. Website graphics. Organize as you find good assets.
Download in batches: When you find time, download assets you might need later. Build your own library. Don’t wait until you’re on deadline.
Check compatible software: Before downloading, verify you can actually use the file format. Wasting time downloading unusable files is frustrating.
Read the description: Some templates require specific fonts or plugins. The description tells you. Read it before downloading.
My efficiency increased 10x once I implemented these habits. Less searching. More creating.
Envato Elements vs Canva (The Designer Debate)
People ask me this constantly. Which is better, Envato Elements or Canva?
Different tools for different purposes. Canva is easier. Drag and drop. Built-in editor. Perfect for non-designers creating simple graphics quickly.
Envato Elements is more powerful but requires more skill. You’re downloading raw files. You need Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, or similar tools to customize them.
I use both. Canva for quick social posts I need in five minutes. Elements envato for professional deliverables and client work.
If you’re comfortable with Adobe Creative Suite, Envato Elements is objectively more valuable. More assets. Better quality. Greater flexibility.
If you’re not a designer and need something fast, Canva wins on accessibility.
The Real Cost of Envato Elements (Breaking Down the Math)
The individual plan is $16.50 monthly. Unlimited downloads. That’s less than two premium stock photos on most platforms.
I calculated my savings. Before Envato Elements, I spent an average of $620 monthly on creative assets. Stock photos, music licenses, template purchases, font licenses.
Now I spend $16.50. That’s $603.50 saved monthly. $7,242 annually. In two years, that’s $14,484 I didn’t spend on design resources.
But the real value isn’t just cost savings. It’s speed. I execute faster. Projects that took days now take hours. That efficiency generates more revenue than the subscription costs.
Time is money. Envato Elements gives me both.
Selling on Envato (The Creator Side)
I don’t create assets to sell, but I know people who do. Envato Elements has a creator program where designers upload assets and earn royalties.
The payout structure is complicated. You earn based on downloads and subscriber value. Not per download like traditional stock sites.
Minimum payout is $50. Once you hit that threshold, you can withdraw earnings. Some creators make serious money. Others barely break even.
The author fee is what Envato keeps. They take a percentage of subscription revenue. Your cut depends on how many of your items get downloaded.
If you’re a designer, it’s worth exploring. Passive income potential is real if your assets resonate with users like me.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Envato Elements used for?
Downloading unlimited stock photos, templates, graphics, music, fonts, and other creative assets for personal or commercial projects.
Is Envato free or paid?
Paid subscription starting at $16.50 monthly, with a free trial available.
Is Envato better than Canva?
Different purposes—Envato offers more professional assets but requires design software; Canva is easier for quick graphics.
Is it free to sell on Envato?
Yes, creators can upload assets for free, but Envato takes a percentage of earnings.
Can I earn money from Envato?
Yes, by creating and selling templates, graphics, and other assets on their marketplace.
Who is the CEO of Envato?
Hichame Assi is the current CEO of Envato.
Can I pay Envato monthly?
Yes, subscriptions are billed monthly or you can pay annually for a discount.
Is Envato better than Shutterstock?
For unlimited downloads and variety, yes. Shutterstock has slightly better search and organization.
Can I download from Envato for free?
Only during the free trial period. After that, a paid subscription is required.
What country is Envato from?
Australia—Envato is based in Melbourne.
Who is Canva’s biggest competitor?
Adobe Express and Envato Elements both compete in different ways, along with Visme and Crello.
What to sell on Envato?
Templates, graphics, fonts, music, video assets, WordPress themes, or any digital creative product.
What is the minimum payout for Envato?
$50 for creators selling on the platform.
How to start selling on Envato?
Create an account, submit your assets for review, and once approved, list them in the marketplace.
What is an author fee?
The percentage Envato keeps from creator earnings, with the rest paid to the content creator.
The Bottom Line on Envato Elements
Two years in, Envato Elements is still the best $16.50 I spend monthly. The ROI is undeniable. The time savings are massive.
It’s not perfect for everyone. If you don’t use design software, you won’t maximize its value. If you only need one asset occasionally, individual purchases make more sense.
But if you create content regularly, work with clients, or run any kind of visual business, elements envato are non-negotiable.
The question isn’t whether Envato Elements is worth it. The question is how much money you’re wasting without it.
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