Envato vs Freepik: Which Design Resource Tool Is Right For You?

In today's design world, finding quality resources is an indispensable part of creating impressive and professional products. Two of the most popular platforms for designers are Envato and Freepik. Each platform has its own advantages and disadvantages, serving different needs of users. Envato with a diverse collection of design resources from videos, sounds to templates, while Freepik stands out with millions of free images, vectors and icons. So, which platform should you choose for your design work? Let's explore the strengths and weaknesses of each service with Sadesign to make the most appropriate decision.

1. What is Envato?

Envato is a leading digital platform, founded in 2006, that provides creative professionals with access to high-quality digital assets and tools. Headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, Envato operates globally and serves millions of users through its two main services: Envato Market and Envato Elements. With a wide range of options, Envato has become a must-have destination for anyone working in the design and creative industries.

Envato Market is a collection of specialized marketplaces such as ThemeForest, CodeCanyon, VideoHive, AudioJungle, and GraphicRiver. Here, users can purchase individual assets such as website templates, plugins, stock videos, music, graphics, and more. Each marketplace offers quality products that cater to a wide range of user needs. In contrast, Envato Elements operates on a subscription model, allowing unlimited downloads of digital assets under a single commercial license. This is particularly appealing to designers, developers, and content creators, saving them time and money.

In addition, Envato also owns Placeit, a tool that helps users easily create mockups and logos, along with Tuts+, an educational platform that offers creative courses. These tools not only support the design process but also enhance users' skills, creating a rich creative community. With a combination of rich resources and supporting tools, Envato is truly a top choice for anyone in the creative industry.

2. Envato Features and Services

Envato builds a comprehensive creative ecosystem, with Envato Elements serving as the central registry for digital assets. The platform offers a deep library of assets that cater to a wide range of professionals in the fields of design, video production, and web development. With over 15 million digital items, users can easily find everything from graphics, video templates, fonts, to sound effects and WordPress themes.

One of the highlights of Envato Elements is its all-in-one subscription model. With just one subscription, users have access to nearly every type of content, saving time and money for those who regularly work with multiple formats. The platform also supports video and audio, providing royalty-free clips and background music that are perfect for YouTube creators, filmmakers, and marketers.

Envato also offers a wide range of presentation templates for applications such as Keynote, Google Slides, and PowerPoint, making them effective for business and educational communications. Each asset comes with a commercial license, allowing users to use them in both personal and client projects, giving them maximum flexibility in their creative work.

3. Pros and cons of Envato Elements

Envato Elements stands out with its many notable advantages, most notably its unlimited downloads. Subscribers can access and download millions of assets at no additional cost, helping to optimize workflow and boost creativity. At just $16.50/month, Envato Elements becomes an economical solution to access a diverse library of creative resources.

The simple licensing is also a big plus, as each asset comes with a clear commercial license, allowing users to use it widely in multiple projects. Additionally, subscribers also get access to Envato Tuts+, which offers a wide range of lessons and skill-building courses, helping users not only find resources but also develop themselves.

However, Envato Elements is not without its drawbacks. Some premium assets and best-selling products on Envato Market are not included in the subscription, which can limit access to highly sought-after resources. Additionally, assets related to WordPress themes and plugins do not receive technical support or updates, making it difficult for users who need long-term help. Finally, the requirement to re-register assets when using them on new projects can add a step to the workflow, and the quality of assets can sometimes be inconsistent.

4. What is Freepik?

Freepik, a prominent digital platform from Spain, was founded in 2010 by Alejandro Sánchez, Pablo Blanes, and Joaquín Cuenca. Initially, Freepik was just a search engine for free graphics, but over time it has become a comprehensive creative toolkit with over 250 million assets, including stock photos, vectors, illustrations, design templates, and videos. This growth reflects not only the growing demand for design resources, but also Freepik’s commitment to providing high-quality products to the creative community.

Recently, Freepik has expanded into advanced AI tools, affirming its leadership in the field of creative content creation. Freepik's AI toolset includes many attractive features such as AI Image Generator, which turns text descriptions into high-quality images, and AI Video Generator, which converts descriptions into short videos. These tools not only optimize the creative process but also open up new possibilities for both professionals and beginners.

The platform operates on a freemium model, offering both a free version and a premium subscription plan. Premium users have access to exclusive content and advanced features that enable unlimited creativity. With a growing presence in the United States and acquisitions such as Videvo and Iconfinder, Freepik continues to innovate and lead the way in digital design.

5. Features and services provided by Freepik

Freepik specializes in providing a wide range of graphic design assets, catering to the needs of a wide range of users such as designers, educators, and marketing teams. With an extensive graphic library, the platform has over 50 million downloadable assets, including vectors, PSD files, illustrations, stock photos, and mockups. This variety helps users find what they need for any project, from advertising design to social media content.

One of the highlights of Freepik is its high level of customization with editable templates. Users can easily edit files in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or online editing tools, saving time and effort in customizing images. Furthermore, Freepik integrates with Flaticon, giving users access to millions of icons in multiple formats such as SVG and PNG, for websites, mobile apps and presentations.

In addition, Freepik is constantly innovating with AI tools, including image generation and background removal. These tools help users enhance their design capabilities and optimize their creative process. With visual content focusing on social media graphics, infographics, and digital advertising, Freepik has become an indispensable resource for those who need eye-catching, high-quality images.

6. Advantages and disadvantages of Freepik

Freepik offers many outstanding advantages, of which the diverse asset library is one of the strongest points. With millions of high-quality graphic resources, Freepik meets the creative needs of users in many different fields. In addition, AI-powered tools such as image generation and background removal not only help optimize the workflow but also create unique and impressive products.

Freepik’s freemium model is also a big plus, as users can access a large amount of content for free. Those who want to unlock exclusive resources and additional tools can easily upgrade to a premium plan for a reasonable fee. Freepik’s interface is friendly and easy to use, suitable for both beginners and experts, helping them quickly find and use the necessary resources.

However, Freepik also has its downsides. For free users, the requirement to attribute content can be problematic in some commercial use cases. Furthermore, some customization features fall short of the needs of professional designers, which can limit creativity. The cost of premium plans can also be a bit high for individual users or small businesses. Finally, while the library is extensive, the quality of the assets is not always consistent, requiring users to choose carefully to ensure they meet their standards.

7. User reviews and feedback

User feedback on both Envato and Freepik platforms often reflects the strengths of each. Envato is praised for its rich and diverse content, especially in the areas of video production and web development. Users often praise the platform’s extensive selection of templates, along with its seamless licensing model, which makes for a more convenient workflow. While some have noted some overlap in asset styles, many have argued that Envato’s value is well worth it, especially for complex creative projects that require a variety of assets.

On the other hand, Freepik has received positive reviews thanks to its user-friendly interface and well-categorized resources. The platform is often favored by social media managers and graphic designers who need eye-catching images on a regular basis. Users appreciate the fast download speeds, which save time on urgent projects. However, some reviews also point out that Freepik's resources are better suited to lighter design needs and that originality can sometimes be limited, especially for free accounts.

In short, both platforms have their own strengths and weaknesses, reflecting the needs and expectations of users in the design industry. Envato is better suited for large and complex projects, while Freepik is ideal for those who need quick and easy design resources. The choice between the two will depend on the specific needs and working style of each user.

8. Summary table comparing Envato and Freepik 

Criteria

Envato

Freepik

Year of establishment

2006

2010

Number of resources

Over 15 million items, including video, audio, design templates

Over 250 million assets, including stock photos, vectors, illustrations, videos

Operating model

Buy individually or subscribe monthly

Freemium (free and premium versions)

License to use

Clear commercial license for each property

Require attribution for free resources

Outstanding features

Diverse platform with many specialized markets

AI tools like image generation, background removal, photo editing

User Object

Designer, developer, marketer

Graphic designer, social media manager, marketer

Interface

Friendly but can be complicated for beginners

Intuitive, easy to use

Expense

From $16.50/month for Elements

Free with premium subscription option

Educational Resources

Provided via Tuts+

Do not have

Community Support

Large community with lots of courses and tutorials

Community support but less than Envato

9. Conclusion

When choosing between Envato and Freepik, the main factor to consider is your specific needs. If you need a diverse resource base and are willing to pay for quality, Envato may be the better choice. On the other hand, if you are looking for free images and vectors that are quick to use, Freepik will do the trick. Ultimately, using both platforms is a smart solution, allowing you to expand your creative capabilities and improve the quality of your design output.