What to Check Before Buying a DevSaver Template

Updated

DevSaver sells pre-designed websites that run on its own CMS, with full source code included and a one-time fee instead of SaaS subscriptions. Before you buy, confirm four things: that a live demo of the specific template exists for both the front end and admin panel, that the one-time price and Braintree checkout work for you, what the source code download actually contains, and whether a free template is enough for your project. The rest of this guide covers each check and what to do if it fails.

Check the live demos before anything else

DevSaver states that for each website you can view demos of its design and its admin area. This is the single most useful pre-purchase step because it shows you the actual CMS interface your client will use, not a marketing mockup.

What to do:

  1. Open the template you're considering and load the front-end demo.
  2. Load the back-end (admin) demo for the same template.
  3. Click through the admin as if you were the client: add a page, edit a widget, change a style.
  4. Note anything you'd have to explain to a non-technical client later.

If a template has no working admin demo, treat that as a gap — you'd be buying the CMS experience blind.

Confirm the pricing model and checkout

The site positions DevSaver against SaaS builders on cost structure: you own the source code and pay a one-time fee rather than monthly SaaS payments. That's the core commercial argument, and it's the thing to verify against your own situation.

Check Why it matters
One-time fee, not subscription The pitch is avoiding recurring SaaS costs; confirm the checkout reflects a single payment
Braintree as the payment platform Braintree is the payment processor in use — make sure your card or region works with it
Cart/checkout flow The site has a cart page; walk through it before committing
What "a fraction of its real value" means for you Marketing framing, not a number — decide based on the actual price shown at checkout

The site does not publish specific price figures in the material available, so read the number at checkout rather than assuming a range. It also doesn't state that anything is free beyond the free template offer — don't assume the paid templates or the CMS are free.

Know what the source code download includes

DevSaver's claim is that you get the full source code, and that the CMS is modular and built for developers to extend in PHP and MySQL. Before buying, be clear on what that means for your workflow:

  • Front-end HTML and JS are not mixed with PHP. This matters if you or a designer want to edit markup directly without touching server logic.
  • Modular structure in PHP and MySQL. You can modify or add functionality at the framework level rather than fighting a locked builder.
  • Drag-and-drop widgets onto Bootstrap layouts, plus shortcodes and a CSS Skin Editor for styling without code.
  • Full source code included to download. This is the ownership claim — you're not renting hosted access.

What to verify: whether the download covers the template you want, and whether updates to the CMS are included. The available material doesn't specify an update policy, so ask before assuming.

Decide whether a free template is enough

DevSaver offers free website templates as an entry point ("Download your free website template with DevSaver CMS!"). This is worth using as a trial before paying:

  • Download a free template and install it.
  • Test the admin experience yourself, including the claim that non-coders get the basics in under 10 minutes.
  • Check whether the free template's feature set matches what your client needs.

If the free template already covers the project, you may not need to buy at all. If it doesn't, you'll at least know the CMS fits your skills before spending.

Match the CMS to who will actually use it

DevSaver targets two audiences at once, and your buying decision depends on which one you are:

  • If you're the developer: the value is the modular PHP/MySQL structure and the fact that front-end markup is cleanly separated. You're buying a codebase to customize, not a locked platform.
  • If your client is the end user: the value is the low learning curve — the site claims non-coders reach full usability by clicking, with basics in under 10 minutes. Test this in the admin demo, because "intuitive" is the whole product promise.

If your client needs heavy custom functionality that the modular structure can't reach without significant PHP work, a SaaS builder with plugins might still be the cheaper path despite the subscription.

Quick pre-purchase checklist

  • [ ] Front-end demo loads and looks right for the project
  • [ ] Admin demo loads and a non-coder could plausibly use it
  • [ ] Checkout shows a one-time fee, payable via Braintree
  • [ ] You know exactly what the source code download contains
  • [ ] You've tested a free template first
  • [ ] You've confirmed the update/support policy (not stated on the site — ask)
  • [ ] The CMS's PHP/MySQL extensibility matches your skill level and the client's needs

Work through the demos and the free template first; those two steps answer most of the buying questions without spending anything.