Thinking about becoming an Envato author? You're in the right place!

Selling digital products on Envato can be a great way to build a passive income, improve your skills, and reach customers from all over the world. While getting your first item approved isn't always easy, preparation and quality make a huge difference.

Step 1: Choose Your Marketplace

Envato operates several marketplaces, each focused on different types of digital products, such as:

CodeCanyon – PHP scripts, plugins, mobile apps, desktop software, SaaS applications, APIs, and development tools.
ThemeForest – Website themes and templates.
GraphicRiver – Graphics, icons, logos, UI kits, and design assets.
VideoHive – Motion graphics and video templates.
AudioJungle – Music and sound effects.

Choose the marketplace that best matches your skills and experience.

Step 2: Research Before You Build

One of the biggest mistakes new authors make is building a product without checking the market first.

Spend time researching:

Best-selling products
Recently approved items
Customer reviews
Frequently requested features
Products with poor ratings that could be improved

Understanding what customers need is just as important as writing good code.

Step 3: Build a High-Quality Product

Quality is the most important factor.

Your product should be:

Well designed
Easy to install
Fully functional
Responsive (when applicable)
Secure
Optimized for performance
Free of obvious bugs

Take time to polish every detail before submitting.

Step 4: Write Clean and Maintainable Code

Reviewers pay attention to code quality.

Good practices include:

Clear project structure
Consistent coding style
Meaningful variable and function names
Proper validation
Security best practices
Comments where appropriate
No unused files or code

A clean project is much easier to review and maintain.

Step 5: Create Excellent Documentation

Many rejections happen because documentation is incomplete.

Include:

Installation guide
System requirements
Configuration steps
Feature overview
Frequently Asked Questions
Troubleshooting
Update instructions

A customer should be able to install your product without contacting support.

Step 6: Prepare Professional Preview Material

Your presentation matters.

Create:

High-quality screenshots
Attractive preview images
Feature graphics
Icons
A short demo video if possible
A live demo when appropriate

A professional presentation increases buyer confidence.

Step 7: Test Everything

Before submitting, test your product thoroughly.

Check:

Installation from scratch
Different browsers
Different screen sizes
Error handling
Performance
Security
Upgrade process
Uninstall process (if applicable)

Ask friends or beta testers to try your product before submission.

Step 8: Submit Your Item

Upload all required files and carefully complete your product page:

Clear title
Detailed description
Feature list
Keywords
Documentation
Demo links
Support information

Double-check everything before clicking Submit.

Step 9: Don't Be Discouraged by Rejections

Many successful authors were rejected multiple times before their first approval.

A rejection doesn't necessarily mean your idea is bad—it often means the product needs improvements.

Read the reviewer comments carefully and focus on:

Better design
Better documentation
Cleaner code
More features
Better user experience
Stronger presentation

Every revision helps you improve.

Step 10: Keep Improving After Approval

Getting approved is only the beginning.

Successful authors continue to:

Release updates
Fix bugs quickly
Listen to customer feedback
Improve documentation
Add new features
Maintain compatibility with new technologies

Long-term success comes from supporting your products consistently.

Tips from Experienced Authors

Focus on solving real problems.
Quality always beats quantity.
Build something you would enjoy using yourself.
Never stop learning new technologies.
Respond politely to customers and reviewers.
Keep improving your products over time.

Join the Discussion

Already an Envato author?

Share your experience below:

How long did it take to get your first approval?
What was your biggest challenge?
What advice would you give to new authors?
What do you wish you had known before submitting your first item?

Your experience could help the next successful author.

Happy coding, and good luck with your first submission! 🚀