Envato Elements Review 2025: Is It Really Worth It?

In this Envato Elements review we will find out what kind of digital goods can be found in the library, look into licensing terms, and learn how the platform really works. We will also talk about its pros and cons, determine who would benefit from using the service, and discuss whether there are better alternatives to Envato Elements. 

Original Source: On Medium

Commercial rights use and restrictions reviewed:

All the assets in the Envato Elements library are royalty-free. This means that you can use them in your personal and commercial projects. I use Envato Elements for all of my projects, and for my clients as well. Another common question is whether you can use Envato Elements on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. And the answer is yes. The only restriction is that you are not allowed to use music for streaming on YouTube, Facebook, and other live streaming platforms, or for broadcast and television. You can also sell products you create using Envato Elements, such as t-shirts if you add value to the item by customizing it or incorporating it into a larger design. So basically, you can sell your work as long as the original files you downloaded are not the end product, nor can they be extracted from the end product. The same rules apply to physical products you create and digital ones that you sell on platforms like Fiverr or to your clients.

However, there are several important things that you should be aware of (and that the company doesn’t mention outright):

1. Items need to be registered on a per-use basis.

If you intend on using an asset more than once, then you will need to re-register that asset again to use it the second time. Each time you download an item, an asset is only licensed for single, specified use. To legally use an item more than once, you need to double-register it. (This can be found in your "Downloads" page).

2. You cannot re-sell or re-distribute assets.

For instance, if you download stock video footage from Envato Elements and re-upload it to Shutterstock then you will be violating the license terms.

3. Envato Elements prohibits members from using the assets as a basis for merchandising.

An example of this would be downloading a graphic from the library and then directly printing it on to a T-shirt for sale.

The re-sale of a graphic would have to be contingent upon “fair-use”, if for instance, you download a graphic or photograph from the library and then make substantial changes to it, then it may fall under fair-use guidelines. Fair use would enable you to re-sell this newly altered graphic because it was significantly altered from the original.

4. If you are delivering an end product to a client, then you will need to provide the client with a “Sublicense”.

A sublicense is essentially an extension of the license provided to you when you download the asset. To keep it simple, just visit your "Downloads" page and see how to get a sublicense.

5. Lastly, you cannot create a trademark or copyright claim over items used in your projects.

That basically means that you didn’t “create” any digital asset and, therefore, it is not your intellectual property. To keep it legal, and fair to Envato Elements, don’t try to copyright your final products when they were made using the assets from the library.

If I cancel the Envato Elements subscription, what will happen to my previously created content?

If for any reason, you decide to cancel your membership, you won't be able to use any digital assets from the library anymore.  

However, Envato Elements offers a “Future-Proof Licensing”, meaning that even if you were to unsubscribe from their service, you would still have broad commercial rights for all of your items that were registered before you ended the subscription.

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New  AI ImageGen Tool

AI ImageGen is a text-to-image tool for Envato Elements subscribers. It generates quality images with commercial use rights as part of your subscription.

Why the Hype?

• User Demand: 42% of Envato users wanted AI tools; 92% were already using AI.

• Efficiency: Speeds up workflow and enhances creativity.

Pros

• Multi-Image Generation: Creates eight images at once.

• Diverse AI Models: Uses over seven AI engines for varied styles.

• Commercial Use Rights: No extra fees or legal issues.

Cons

• Beta Stage: Expect updates and some instability.

• Size Limitations: Only one image size available.

• Re-Generation Bugs: Some issues reported.

How to Access

1. Log into your Envato Elements account.

2. Go to labs.envato.com.

3. Start generating images.

Legal Insights

• User Terms: Follow Envato ImageGen policies.

• Commercial Use: Images must be part of an end product.

• Content Ownership: Input is yours, generated images are licensed under Envato.

Is It Worth It?

For Envato Elements subscribers, yes. It adds value and streamlines tools under one subscription. Despite being in beta, its future enhancements promise increased utility.

Downloading Items On Envato Elements How do I download from Envato Elements? 

Downloading a file from the Envato Elements library is a relatively straightforward process. Once you have found a file you are interested in, go to its page and click "Download Item". Then you will be given an option of either licensing the item for Project Use or Trial Use. If you decide to license it for Project Use, then you will have to give it a name. After that, click "Download". 

One thing I don't like about Envato Elements is that all the video files are quite large - around 1Gb each and can only be downloaded in .mov format. Because of that, it takes a while to convert them afterward.

Does Envato Elements Have Any Coupons To Lower The Subscription Cost?

No. There are no coupons at the moment. However, I suggest that you check out Envato Elements' latest deals and discounts once in a while (especially around Black Friday/Cyber Monday).   

Envato Elements Student Discount Review:

If you're a student, you can get a subscription for $11.5 per month.

All you have to do to get this discount is verify your student email address on the subscription page. Envato Elements subscription grants unlimited access to all assets in the library.

Best Alternatives to Envato Elements in 2025

Although Envato Elements might offer the best value for the money - especially considering the wide range of assets they are offering, there are other excellent stock media companies out there. And before you become an Envato Elements member, it is important that you consider other options.

Top 10 Best Stock Video | Photos Websites | Free & Paid

Here are just a few services that offer digital assets for content creators.

1. Artlist Max

Artlist Max is an excellent subscription service that offers unlimited access to high-quality digital assets - royalty-free music, SFX, footage, video templates, and more. The prices start at just $29.99 per month. The quality of files is what makes Artlist stand out among other similar services - you can even get RAW/LOG footage there.

Check out my Envato Elements vs. Artlist Max full comparison

2. Storyblocks

Storyblocks is a subscription-based stock video, audio, and photo platform, and in my opinion, one of Envato Elements' biggest competitors. Storyblocks has a library that offers over 1,5 million of high-quality digital assets. It doesn't offer as many products as Envato Elements and the monthly price is higher ($65 vs. $33 per month). However, it has a slightly better licensing - all assets are royalty-free and all the downloaded files are yours to keep even after you cancel your membership.  

Read Storyblocks vs. Envato Elements:To Learn More

3. Vecteezy 

If you are a graphic designer, Vecteezy offers over a million of high-quality vector graphics for you to use in your illustrations. Vecteezy offers “worry-free licensing” that includes full personal and commercial use. Vecteezy also has a “Free Forever” model which is exactly the same as Envato Elements' "Future-Proof Licensing".

Vecteezy does not have a library as expansive as Envato Elements, but if you are purely interested in graphics then it might be a better option.

Vecteezy offers a subscription-based service called “Vecteezy Pro” which is priced at $14 a month (if billed monthly) or $9 a month (if billed annually).

4. Shutterstock 

Shutterstock offers a large library of video and photo content for creators to browse and download. However, it is a lot more expensive than the other services mentioned above. For instance, 5 HD clips from Shutterstock will cost you $359! There are also no subscription plans being offered. 

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5. Free Sites Like Pixabay or Unsplash

These sites offer stock videos and images uploaded by photographers and videographers for free. The assets are licensed under the Unsplash and Pixabay license which is free for commercial use and does not require attribution.

Obviously, the quality of the assets found on these websites is not the best, but if you are on a tight budget, you might consider giving them a try.

Is Envato Elements Worth it?

So is there anything better than Envato Elements? Envato Elements is the best service for stock footage, images, music, and video templates. And if I want a new font, a Photoshop template, or a WordPress theme, I can also get it there, and it's a huge bonus to have everything in one place. 

It saves me both time and money. I also have subscriptions to other similar services like Storyblocks, Motion Array, and Artgrid, and each of them is good for different reasons. But if I had to choose one, I would go with Envato Elements because of its price, the quality of content, and the number of assets that they add to the library daily. Plus, none of the other services offers such a wide array of assets. After you are done watching this video, click the link in the description or in the top pinned comment and check the Envato Elements library for yourself to see whether you like it. Overall, Envato Elements is an affordable source of unlimited creative assets, and I highly recommend giving it a try.