Exclusive Author | 12 Years

After more than 12 years as a customer (and listed as an author) on Envato, this is not a post I take lightly. But it’s time to speak plainly. As someone who’s remained loyal to the platform for over a decade, I can no longer ignore what feels like an increasingly inconsistent, arbitrary, and discouraging review process. And I’m not alone.

It’s Not Just One Incident...

This isn’t just a one-off or a bad day at the review office. Two live items currently on the Envato marketplace raise real concerns about the standards being applied:

• A FAQs plugin was approved despite lacking basics: no screenshots, no JSON schema for SEO/AI, and no marketing assets. It’s for sale right now.
• A 404 redirect plugin was accepted with only a single textbox input, no real interface, and no descriptive HTML content — also for sale on Envato.

These aren’t outliers; they reflect a larger inconsistency problem, making it difficult for authors to know what’s expected or whether standards are applied fairly.

Story 1: A Comprehensive Plugin Suite Rejected Without Explanation

I developed a full suite of WordPress admin tools with a modern UI, clean code, inline documentation, and professional marketing assets. Despite this, it was hard rejected for vague “quality” reasons. I rebranded, refined, and improved it further — yet received the same rejection, again with no actionable feedback.

When released on WordPress.org, the same plugin sold 12 copies on day one. Clearly, the product is functional and marketable — so what is the standard?

Story 2: Tailwind CSS Quote Tool – From Soft Rejection to Silence

I built a single-page quote system with Tailwind CSS featuring toggles, sliders, PDF export, and email integration. Initially soft-rejected for presentation concerns, I followed every guideline and resubmitted. The second review? A hard rejection, with no explanation. Likely a different reviewer, but the same improved product.

This lack of continuity and feedback is disheartening and damaging for independent creators.

This Is Bigger Than Me

Many other authors share similar stories. One forum post reads:

“I’m an author who’s been trying to get a template approved on ThemeForest, but I’ve faced multiple hard rejections... It sometimes feels like if an elite author submitted this, it would be approved, but as a non-elite author, my templates are hard rejected every time.”

This reflects a pattern of perceived favoritism and inconsistency that undermines fairness and trust in the marketplace.

Questions That Need Answers

• Are reviewers rotated without context on prior rejections?
• Is there quality assurance within the review team?
• Are safeguards in place to prevent conflicts of interest, especially if reviewers are also authors?

Without transparency, the system invites doubt not just about fairness, but about trust.

So What’s Next?

Here’s what I’ve realized: I don’t need Envato to succeed. Neither do you. The market is bigger than one marketplace. Alternatives include:

• WordPress.org
• Gumroad
• AppSumo
• WooCommerce self-hosted stores
• Niche plugin marketplaces

These platforms allow authors to thrive without vague and inconsistent rejection processes.

To Envato: This Is Your Opportunity to Do Better

This isn’t about burning bridges, but about accountability. Envato has built an amazing ecosystem, but it’s faltering under inconsistency. Here’s how it can improve:

• Enforce reviewer guidelines with clarity and consistency.
• Provide meaningful feedback on rejections.
• Ensure reviewer rotation decisions are coherent and trackable.
• Proactively prevent internal conflicts of interest.

If you truly value the authors who built this marketplace, invest in fixing the system — not hiding behind vague “quality” responses.

Fellow creators: If you’ve been rejected without cause, given conflicting feedback, or left in the dark, share your story. It’s time for a larger conversation.