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Head-to-head · Website Templates

ThemeForest vs Start Bootstrap

  • Updated Sep 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score ThemeForest #5 in Website Templates 7.1/10 Paid ✓ 1 of 2 features Visit ThemeForest
Start Bootstrap #7 in Website Templates 7.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 2 features Visit Start BS

ThemeForest leads on 0 checks, Start Bootstrap on 2, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreThemeForest · 7.1/10
  • Free planonly Start Bootstrap
  • Most featuresStart Bootstrap · 2 of 2

ThemeForest scores higher on our rubric for website templates: 7.1 against 7.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #7.

Start Bootstrap offers free plan; ThemeForest doesn't publish it. Start Bootstrap offers responsive designs; ThemeForest doesn't publish it.

ThemeForest is the better fit for shoppers comparing themes across platforms. Start Bootstrap is the better fit for bootstrap projects needing varied source formats.

  • ThemeForest fits best

    Shoppers comparing themes across platforms

  • Start Bootstrap fits best

    Bootstrap projects needing varied source formats

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. It never changes our verdict. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature ThemeForest 7.1/10 Visit ↗ Start Bootstrap 7.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 7.1 7.0
Ranking #5 in Website Templates #7 in Website Templates
Best for Shoppers comparing themes across platforms Bootstrap projects needing varied source formats
Pricing model Paid Free plan + paid
Starting price Not published Not published
Free plan Not published ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Cloud
Platforms Web Web
Support Live chat, Tickets, Docs Email, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features ThemeForest 1/2 · Start Bootstrap 2/2
Ecommerce templates ✓ ✓
Responsive designs Not published ✓ (best)
Specs
Platform compatibility Not published Multi-platform
Template types Not published themes; templates; admin & dashboard; landing pages; business & corporate; portfolio & resume; general page layouts; navigation layouts; ecommerce; blog & news
Templates available Not published Not published
Customization features Not published HTML/CSS editing; SCSS; JavaScript; Pug templates; Bootstrap components; npm/Gulp build tools
Our review
Pros
  • Catalog spans WordPress, Shopify, HTML, CMS, and other categories
  • Previews, ratings, and author details help compare individual items
  • Supports page-builder and responsive ecommerce templates
  • Broad coverage from dashboards and landing pages to ecommerce starters
  • Free MIT-licensed products can be downloaded without registration
  • HTML, SCSS, JavaScript, Pug, npm and Gulp support flexible workflows
Cons
  • Individual item pricing varies by independent author
  • Purchases are item-by-item rather than subscription access
  • Licenses specify one site per license
  • Web-only delivery does not cover native application projects
  • Paid license tiers limit domains and team-member counts
  • Breadth may be more than needed for a narrowly focused site
Our verdict

ThemeForest is an online marketplace for website themes and templates from independent authors. It suits shoppers comparing designs across platforms, from WordPress and Shopify to HTML, CMS, eCommerce, marketing, blogging, and UI. Buyers…

Read the review →

Start Bootstrap is a library of Bootstrap 5 themes, page templates, admin dashboards and UI tools for people building websites with editable source code. Its catalog serves solo developers, agencies and larger teams working on landing…

Read the review →
  1. ThemeForestWebsite Templates 7.1Paid
  2. Start BootstrapWebsite Templates 7.0Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • ThemeForest — where it wins

    • Catalog spans WordPress, Shopify, HTML, CMS, and other categories
    • Previews, ratings, and author details help compare individual items
    • Supports page-builder and responsive ecommerce templates

    Where it doesn't

    • Individual item pricing varies by independent author
    • Purchases are item-by-item rather than subscription access
    • Licenses specify one site per license

  • Start Bootstrap — where it wins

    • Broad coverage from dashboards and landing pages to ecommerce starters
    • Free MIT-licensed products can be downloaded without registration
    • HTML, SCSS, JavaScript, Pug, npm and Gulp support flexible workflows

    Where it doesn't

    • Web-only delivery does not cover native application projects
    • Paid license tiers limit domains and team-member counts
    • Breadth may be more than needed for a narrowly focused site

More comparisons

All website templates comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026

Last updated · How we research and update