1. How do you do that? Update the site with the licensed theme, copy the theme folder and overwrite the theme folders on the other sites?
2. Do you need to use the license key to install the theme on the sites? Or do you just copy the whole theme folder into the wp-content/Themes directory?
For most products on Theme Forest / Codecanyon (Part of fellow Australian Company Envato - beautiful success story):
- You have 2 type of licenses: Individual and Agency. There's some blurry line about the Individual license.
- Most plugins and themes have LIFETIME update + 6 months of renewable support.
This pricing is maybe less profitable than other developer pricing since the rise of Shopify where now most Wordpress devs do only 1 year of update and support. Envato made enormous cash last fifteen years because developers were dependent on their platform.
For instance, If you install the same theme over and over (without entering license) you are (unofficially) allowed to do that because you don't bill any client with this, it is for your sole use and projects. If you bill clients, you should take Agency license. No the case here.
On the plugin side, most dev won't allow you to update their plugins if the license is not entered in the wp dashboard.
So what I do (that always worked so far) is to download each new updates, and install it via FTP manually after having renamed the old version of the plugins and theme. Ok, the only drawback is 20 seconds of interrupted service.... If you do this when your clients are sleeping, who cares?
I love Envato because of these lifetime updates. It is a clear investment but it worth it, they have great plugins there. Ok, I took some arrangements, but heck, at least I paid it! And I'm not rich enough to afford it. When the money will be there be sure I'll pay for it.
Funny examples of companies "changing sides" is WPLM, they did lifetime updates before now it's only 1 year of support.
To overcome this, now companies like Yoast (really costly but very good plugin) do a check of the site where the plugin is installed, you have to enter your license + register your domain name on your account on their server, so no turnaround.
So for all Envato plugins, this works, except for "Social Locker" plugin.
That's why I loved Wordpress in the beginning, clear pricing. Now every price is skyrocketing, not good.
I think Alidropship nailed it with their pricing, lifetime update, no piracy because of strong encryption. Perfect deal. Everyone is winning here.