Divi Lifetime: The Scam Isn't From Elegant Themes - It's From Everyone Selling It

Divi Lifetime is a genuinely good deal. $249 one-time for unlimited sites beats every competitor when you do the math. Annual is $89/year, which means after 34 months you’ve already lost money buying annual instead of lifetime.

But here’s where it gets dirty: there are THREE separate scams all using “Divi Lifetime” to steal your money or infect your website.

The worst part? I make ~$124.50 one-time from Divi Lifetime sales, but I make ~$44.50 EVERY YEAR from annual purchases. Over 5 years that’s ~$222.50 vs ~$124.50. Every other affiliate running a Divi comparison right now knows this math. Most of them are quietly recommending annual subscriptions because recurring commission is more profitable than honesty.

Even I’m not that much of an asshole.

Let me walk you through all three scams so you don’t fall for them.

⚠️ Scam #1: Nulled Divi Themes From “The Divi Club” and Similar Sites

“The Divi Club” (thedivi.club) and similar reseller sites will sell you “Divi Lifetime” for suspiciously cheap prices. They call it “The Ultimate Divi Builder Bundle” or “Lifetime Divi Access for Life.”

It’s not. It’s pirated software bundled with malware.

How This Actually Works

These sites don’t have permission from Elegant Themes to resell Divi. They’re taking cracked versions and selling them as legitimate licenses. Your “lifetime access” doesn’t connect to anything real - it’s a license key that either doesn’t work or gets revoked the moment Elegant Themes finds out.

What you actually get:

A pirated Divi theme/plugin filled with hidden malicious code
A fake license key that works for a few months then stops
No support, no updates, no real lifetime access
A malware-infected WordPress site

Get Divi Lifetime - $249 One-Time, Unlimited Sites

The Malware Is Real, Not Hypothetical

According to BleepingComputer, the wp-vcd malware is commonly embedded in pirated WordPress themes. Here’s how it works:

The attack vector: The malware creates a hidden admin account with usernames like “100010010” that attackers use as a backdoor. Once installed, attackers can:

Steal your data (customer information, private content)
Inject malware into visitor browsers
Use your server for DDoS attacks
Harvest credentials and credit cards

How common is this? Security researchers found more than 30% of nulled WordPress themes are infected with malware in 2024.

Sources:

Why “The Divi Club” Admits to Selling Stolen Software

If you check Trustpilot for The Divi Club, the company literally admits in responses to complaints: “We are not the legitimate owner of the products and do not have permission from the developers to sell them on our site.”

That’s not a bug. That’s an admission that they’re knowingly selling stolen copyrighted material.

User complaints on Trustpilot report:

Outdated products that don’t work
Plugins requiring separate license purchases to function
Support requests going unanswered
Refunds denied or reversed after months
Accounts closed without explanation during chargeback disputes

Source: [The Divi Club Trustpilot Reviews]

The Legal Risk You’re Taking

If you install nulled software, you’re personally liable for:

License agreement violations (Elegant Themes’ ToS)
Distributing pirated software (DMCA violations in the US)
Harboring malware (computer fraud charges in some jurisdictions)
Data breach liability if your site gets hacked

Elegant Themes doesn’t prosecute individual users usually, but some hosting providers will terminate your account the moment they detect nulled software, and you won’t get a refund.

Not worth $20 in savings.

⚠️ Scam #2: Fake “Black Friday Discount Codes” That Don’t Exist

You’re scrolling through WordPress blogs in October and seeing headlines like:

“75% OFF Divi Lifetime with Code BDAYSALE75”
“Exclusive Divi Discount Code: Save $150 Today”
“Limited Time: Get Divi for Just $99 Lifetime”

Here’s the thing: Elegant Themes does not use manual discount codes. They never have. Every “discount code” site you see is either:

An affiliate scamming you (pretending codes exist to get you to click their link)
A fake site stealing your credit card info
A referral link wrapped in lies

How Elegant Themes Actually Does Discounts

According to multiple affiliate reviews and the search results showing how legitimate Elegant Themes discounts work, all legitimate Elegant Themes discounts are auto-applied through affiliate links. There are no manual coupon codes to enter at checkout.

If someone gives you a “code” to type in, you’re looking at either:

A link that doesn’t work at checkout (wasted time)
A phishing site that harvests your payment info
A scammer’s affiliate link where they’re hoping you’ll accidentally click through

How to verify: Try entering any code on elegantthemes.com checkout. It won’t work. The discount already applies through the link you clicked.

The Real Black Friday Math

Elegant Themes does offer actual discounts around Black Friday and Cyber Monday - usually 20-40% off for a limited time. But here’s what people don’t tell you:

The announcement: “40% off Divi Lifetime - normally $249, now just $149!”

The reality: This is one-time, applies to first purchase only, annual subscription is separate. And it’s typically only available through legitimate channels (their email list, official announcements).

The affiliate scam: Fake sites claim the same discount is available year-round with a “secret code” only they know. It’s not.

⚠️ Scam #3: The Affiliate Incentive Scam (This One’s On Us)

Here’s where I get honest about the industry problem that most affiliates won’t admit.

The Commission Math That Incentivizes Lying

Elegant Themes pays 50% commission on all sales. For a customer choosing between Lifetime and Annual:

If they buy Divi Lifetime ($249):

I earn: ~$124.50 one-time
They pay: $249 total (then never pay again)
Their cost over 5 years: $249

If they buy Divi Annual ($89/year):

I earn: ~$44.50 first year
Second year they renew: I earn another $44.50
Third year: $44.50
Fourth year: $44.50
Fifth year: $44.50
My total earnings over 5 years: $222.50
Their total cost: $445

The incentive: I make 78% more money if you buy annual instead of lifetime, even though lifetime saves you $196 over 5 years.

Most affiliate sites know this math. Most of them recommend annual because recurring commissions are more valuable than one-time payouts. They rationalize it with bullshit like:

“Annual gives you flexibility to switch builders”
“You might not need Divi after a year”
“Test it out first before committing”

All true in edge cases. Completely dishonest as default recommendations.

Why Even I’m Not That Much of an Asshole

I make more money if you buy annual. But the math is brutal. If you’re planning to use Divi for more than 34 months (which is most freelancers and agencies), lifetime is objectively better.

Recommending annual just for recurring commission would mean I’m knowingly costing you $196+ to make an extra $98 for myself over 5 years. That’s not just hypocritical - that’s actually shitty.

So I’m recommending Divi Lifetime ($249) even though it pays me less.

Disclose this too early and you sound preachy. Hide it entirely and you’re part of the problem. The balance is admitting it exists, showing the math, then recommending what’s actually better for you.

The honest word for this industry behavior is: greed disguised as guidance.

The Honest Breakdown: When Lifetime Actually Makes Sense

Not everyone should buy Lifetime. Here’s the actual decision matrix:

Buy Divi Lifetime ($249) If:

You’ll use Divi for 34+ months (break-even point)
You manage multiple sites (freelancers, agencies)
You want to own the license outright without renewal fears
You want the best per-site cost (unlimited sites = $0/site)

Real-world example: Agency managing 15 sites. Cost per site with annual: $5.93/site/year. With lifetime: $16.60/site first year, then $0/site. After 3 years, lifetime saves you $223.

Buy Divi Annual ($89/year) If:

You’re testing Divi for the first time (hedge your bet)
You only manage 1 site and might switch builders
Your budget doesn’t accommodate $249 upfront
You’re genuinely uncertain about long-term needs

Real-world example: Freelancer with 1 client site, considering whether to stick with Elementor. Annual is cheaper insurance for the first year ($89 vs $249).

Don’t Buy Either If:

You want Gutenberg-native (use Kadence)
You need the latest cutting-edge features (use Elementor)
You prioritize clean code output (use Bricks)
You’re on a strict budget under $249 (use free Gutenberg or Elementor Free)

How to Actually Buy Divi Lifetime Safely

Only buy from elegantthemes.com directly.

Red Flags to Avoid:

“Download Divi for free” (malware)
“Special discount code SAVE50” (doesn’t exist)
“Lifetime for $99” on any site that’s not elegantthemes.com (scam)
Domain names like “thedivi.club,” “getdivi.net,” “divi-deals.com” (all fake)
Promises of “instant delivery” or “download immediately” (legitimate licenses are linked to your account, not instant downloads)

The Legit Process:

Go to [Elegant Themes Lifetime Page] (affiliate link)
Click “Get Started” or equivalent button
Create your account
Pay the $249 (no code needed, discount auto-applies through affiliate links if applicable)
Access downloads through your account dashboard
Receive email confirmation with license key

That’s it. No weird processes, no instant downloads, no weird upsell.

What You’re Actually Getting

For your $249 (or affiliate-discounted price if available):

Lifetime access to the latest Divi version (one-time purchase, forever updates)
Use on unlimited websites
Divi AI included (text and image generation - usually costs $277/year separately)
Premium support (though historically slow)
All current and future Elegant Themes plugins/themes (included as part of the membership)

What you’re NOT getting:

Your license doesn’t expire
You don’t lose access if Elegant Themes shuts down (you keep your downloads)
You can use it on client sites you build

Important limitation: The lifetime license is personal to you. You can’t resell it or transfer it to someone else. You can use it on unlimited of your own sites, but each person needs their own license.

The Comparison: Why Lifetime Beats Everything (Except Free Gutenberg)

Over 5 years with unlimited sites:

Builder	Cost Type	5-Year Cost	Paid Me
Divi Lifetime	$249 one-time	$249	$124.50
Divi Annual	$89/year × 5	$445	$222.50
Elementor Essential	$59/year × 5	$295	~$100
Elementor Advanced	$99/year × 5	$495	~$150
Bricks Agency	$249/year × 5	$1,245	$0
Breakdance Pro	$199.99/year × 5	$999.95	$0
Gutenberg	Free	$0	$0

The math is unambiguous. If you’re choosing between paid options and plan to use it long-term, Divi Lifetime wins. Gutenberg wins if you don’t mind the learning curve.

Final Verdict: The Right Way to Think About Divi Lifetime

Divi Lifetime is a legitimate good deal that gets overshadowed by three separate scams all claiming to be “Divi Lifetime.”

The real deal: $249 one-time, unlimited sites, lifetime updates.

The fake deals:

Nulled software from reseller sites (malware)
Phantom discount codes (scam)
Affiliate recommendations for annual because recurring commission (dishonesty)

My recommendation: Buy Divi Lifetime directly from Elegant Themes if you’re committed to using Divi for 3+ years. Buy annual if you’re testing or on a budget. And for the love of WordPress security, don’t download it from anywhere else.

I make ~$124.50 from this recommendation instead of $222.50 over 5 years. That means I actually mean it.

Get Divi Lifetime - $249 One-Time, Unlimited Sites

⚡ Verify This Yourself

Don’t trust me on any of this. Verify it yourself:

Elegant Themes official claims:

The malware research:

The Divi Club reviews:

[Trustpilot: The Divi Club]

Affiliate program details:

Legal Note: This article contains documented facts (linked throughout), personal experience, and my opinions based on those facts. All claims are either sourced or marked as opinion. I’m not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice.

Affiliate Disclosure: I earn 50% commission on Divi sales (~$124.50 for lifetime, ~$44.50/year for annual). I earn nothing from Gutenberg, Bricks, or Breakdance. I rank by value instead of commission, which is why I recommend the lifetime option that pays me less.