GPL Astra — Everything About the Nulled Club! (A Review)

June 6, 2025 Gen Daniel 24 Views 0 Comments 19 min read

WordPress' core vision, which is democratizing publishing, has been a great turning point for its success.

It was what led the founding team to implement the GPL, a license that took the “freedom in free software” to the next level.

The GPL license of WordPress is based on freedom not just on usage rights but also on other things — like passing or distribution. And that has caused the CMS to remain relevant up to this day.

Because developers can easily build on an already established core, it attracted huge enthusiasts who bettered the platform.

Fast-forward to today, WordPress hosts over 43% of websites — mind you — not in the midst of content management systems alone, but in the different ways of making a site (including from scratch). That's to say that the % also constitutes websites built without a CMS.

WordPress has also presented its derivatives (including themes and plugins) as free as in speech and, in some cases, as in beer due to the GPL.

To avoid digressing, let's go directly to review GPLAstra, a platform that offers premium WordPress themes and plugins at a lower cost.

We'll see whether GPLAstra is legal, safe, and worth the money. We'll also talk about alternative platforms, allowing you to discover your best interest.

🔥 We suggest you check out the best GPL websites for WordPress collection after reviewing this platform.

Before we head over to reviewing GPLAstra, we have to understand how WordPress works under the hood along with the GPL that backs it up.

Understanding the GPL License in WordPress

The GNU GPL license is one of the most-used free software licenses that blend well with open-source software.

Unlike most FSF licenses, the GPL offers a very strong copyleft — an agreement that ensures that open software remains open even when shared or distributed.

The GPL license offers four core freedoms:

The Freedom to use
The Freedom to study
The Freedom to modify
The Freedom to share exact and modified software

Due to WordPress being licensed under the GPL, all these freedoms come applied to it, including all of its derivative works.

Note: We have comprehensively covered GPL impact on WordPress users and developers.

How the GPL Affects Users

At first glance, the GPL seems to benefit WordPress users more — here are actual interpretations:

1. The freedom to use, study, and modify is next to limitless

Because potential users can utilize software (particularly themes and plugins) as they fit, plus study, they can be enlightened about how stuff works, and they can possibly do something better (thanks to the freedom to modify).

2. “The freedom to share,” when combined with previous freedoms, means limitless power.

At this level, users can share any program (including WordPress derivatives) to help their neighbors.

Also, the freedom to share makes plugins and themes potentially free as in beer. That tops it all. Straight translation — users who have acquired premium WordPress plugins and themes can help their neighbors avoid costs of acquisition.

Note —

Free as in beer is a free software concept as well as free as in speech. The former means free price, and the latter — freedom.

In simple terms, when they say free as in speech/freedom, it means that the program offers all the freedoms of the free software movement (as explored above), but doesn't mean free price. As for free as in beer, it relates to price, meaning free price.

How the GPL Affects Developers

The GPL affects developers on two sides — positively and slightly negatively.

Here are actual interpretations:

Let’s start with the sweet side:

You can build on top of anything.

Since WordPress and many of its plugins/themes are under the GPL, you’re free to fork, remix, or rebuild.

You don’t need to start from scratch. You can take an existing plugin, improve it, add features, and even make it your own.

You can sell your version.

Yup, even modified GPL software can be sold. You’re not stuck giving it out for free (unless you want to).

You get the spotlight.

When you build something great and give it back to the community, brand visibility travels faster.

Now the slightly negative side:

You can’t stop others from sharing or modifying your work.

If you release your plugin/theme under the GPL, anyone can take it, modify it, and even redistribute it — sometimes even for free. That means your premium plugin could end up on a “GPL club” site tomorrow.

Support becomes your real product.

Because the code is open, what you charge for isn’t the actual plugin but support, timely updates, and the act of distributing.

Just in a nutshell — the GPL allows others to use and share your work as a developer. So you can’t fully control it. If you want to make money, your real product is the service you offer, not the code.

Learn more about the GPL and WordPress.

What's GPLAstra?

GPLAstra is a GPL platform offering access to premium WordPress themes and plugins at significantly reduced prices.

The website uses the freedoms provided by the General Public License (GPL) to legally redistribute these products.

Top GPL sites typically get their plugins and themes from original developers, then resell to you at very low prices. GPLAstra likely follows this common approach, offering products at rates far below official developer prices.

The site specifically focuses on WordPress solutions, ensuring better compatibility and fewer integration issues for WordPress users.

It’s important to note that GPLAstra does not offer direct support from original developers. Users needing dedicated support must purchase directly from the original developers.

GPLAstra positions itself as an accessible solution for users who are familiar with WordPress management and can independently handle plugin and theme installations and updates.

Is GPLAstra Legal?

GPLAstra may be legal due to the GPL. But certain debates may arise.

For instance — what is called split-licensing.

Many developers use two licenses on their works: the GPL for the main code (i.e., the PHP components), and others like graphics and fonts under a more restrictive license. WordPress allows that — take note!

When that happens, the business of GPLAstra may not be 100% legal unless the platform carefully distributes only the GPL'ed part.

In short, GPLAstra is operating under the GPL. So it's legal. But it stops being fully legit if it includes or shares things that aren’t under the GPL.

Here’s what Matt said about Split-licensing (summarized) — While it is permitted to release the non-php parts (the main code) under a different license, the term split-lincensing or split-GPL doesn’t accurately tell which side must be GPL and which side must not, therefore it’s not a straightforward term to use. We should rather use the complete explanation — the PHP part must be GPL’ed, while other elements like artworks and CSS can use another license.

Is GPL Astra Safe?

The GPL sites in our list are mostly safe to use. These are platforms that have existed for some time and do offer their products at a price.

Originally, the act of distributing GPL themes and plugins doesn't involve any threat. It's usually the practice of sharing premium products for free.

What GPL websites often do is that — they remove the license key field by deleting a few lines of code. That way, another user can use the product without entering a license key or paying for it.

This act is called nulling, and it inherently doesn't involve any threat.

GPLAstra Features

Features of GPLAstra.com

Library Size

GPLAstra allegedly offers a considerable collection of WordPress plugins and themes. While exact numbers aren't publicly disclosed, the platform covers diverse categories including e-commerce, blogs, and professional portfolios.

Regular Product Updates

GPLAstra provides regular updates to its offerings. However, these updates usually have a slight delay compared to official developer releases. More popular products often receive quicker updates than lesser-used items.

Unlimited Domain Usage

Products from GPLAstra naturally function on unlimited domains, aligning with the typical GPL model. This makes it convenient for users managing multiple websites or projects.

No License Keys Needed

All themes and plugins from GPLAstra operate immediately without any activation keys, providing instant access to full functionality after downloading.

Refund Policy

GPLAstra provides a money-back guarantee to new subscribers, allowing users to evaluate the quality and reliability of the products without financial risk.

Customer Communication

While GPLAstra does not offer official product support, they provide communication channels like Telegram and email to handle general inquiries and basic issues.

Why are some plugins and themes missing on GPLAstra?

If you didn't find what you're looking for on GPLAstra, it could be due to the following:

Maybe, the theme or plugin you're looking for isn't fully released under the GPL. A good GPL website will avoid them so they don't cross the boundary of what is distributable.

Another reason could simply be that they lack it, maybe due to their library size. In this case, we recommend you take a look at the largest GPL websites, where you can find even rare items.

Yes, that's why we recommend top sites like Pluginsforwp, Srmehranclub, and GPL Vault over GPLAstra. They offer extensive features, including the ability to get automated updates on WordPress directly.

You can check their reviews: Pluginsforwp reviews, Srmehranclub unbiased review, GPL Vault reviews, WorldPressIT review.

GPL Astra Pricing

GPLAstra offers clear subscription options:

Monthly Plan: $5.99
Two Months: $8.99
Three Months: $10.99
Six months: $19.99
Yearly Plan: $38.99

Each subscription plan allows unlimited usage across multiple websites, ensuring flexibility and value for frequent WordPress users.

GPLAstra Best Alternatives and Competitors

GPLAstra is just one of the countless platforms that run under the GPL to provide $$$ worth of plugins and themes at ridiculous prices.

Here are the best GPLAstra alternatives to consider before going with it:

Pluginsforwp, best overall GPL site for WordPress themes and plugins | best for plugins | best for rare product availability (11,000+ products)
Srmehranclub, a GPL site that offers solutions beyond WordPress | best for themes | best for single-download needs because of tied lifetime update (40,000+ products)
GPL Vault, best place for top WordPress plugins and themes | And their regular updates (4,700+).
WorldPressIT, another considerable option (7,300+ products)

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GPLAstra Other Alternatives

Here are other alternatives to GPLAstra; they are usually not as strong as the best platforms explored above, and we have perhaps not fully tested them. Additionally, they may lack cool features like automated WordPress upgrades.

We find platforms that appear here better — GPL Plugin sites | GPL theme sites.

GPLAstra Pros and Cons

There are a number of pros and cons to using a GPL website rather than main developers. GPLAstra, as one, has its own ups and downs.

GPL Astra Pros

Ideal for testing of premium plugins and themes
Can save you some money

GPL Astra Cons

The use of GPLAstra can hurt the effort of actual developers
Popular items may be prioritized in updates over rarely downloaded ones
Updates may be delayed
Plugin or theme upgrade experience is not the same with actual developers
No customer support

🥳Access Superior features with Leading GPL Platforms

While there are tons of GPL websites, I rely on a few of them for my needs.

The reason? Because — come hundreds of GPL websites come different issues.

Why Use the Most Well-Known and Best GPL Platforms?

Here are the reasons why you should use the top options.

Automatic Upgrades from WordPress Admin Area

One of the disadvantages of using a GPL website rather than the main developer is the—lack of updates.

But with the leading options, you get a near-upgrade experience to developmental updates (i.e., updates coming from makers).

Top GPL platforms simulate this by offering a plugin manager or some sort of mechanism (e.g. via an API). With that, you don't need to worry about getting left behind using an old version.

Access to a Huge Library of Plugins and Themes

The most well-known names often have a good number of WordPress solutions.

While other GPL websites have issues with rarely used items, it's not usually the case with the largest ones.

Access to Genuine and Firsthand Products

Another benefit of going with long-standing marketplaces is the ability to get genuine and firsthand products.

By “genuine products,” I mean that top platforms are always mindful of what they list on their site, unlike others that aim for numbers.

Some plugins and themes don't qualify for distribution. These solutions use another license on top of the GPL to cancel out the right to distribute the whole product.

Therefore, to stay legal at all times, leading GPL wordpress clubs avoid the non-GPL part or even the whole plugin/theme totally .

By “firsthand,” I am trying to unpack the various ways third-party sellers get their solutions.

Some low-budget ones rely on other GPL websites for their products.

You might have seen the reseller plan offers of some GPL platforms… Yes, that's how they do it. These plans give you the ability to kickstart your own GPL site through unlimited downloads.

One concern with this is that, when products are gotten in that form, safety drops.

But by using the top sites for GPL plugins/themes, you run away from these issues.

🔥Spotlight—

The biggest GPL clubs for peace of mind are listed here:

Pluginsforwp, best overall GPL site for WordPress themes and plugins | best for plugins | best for rare product availability (11,000+ products)
Srmehranclub, a GPL site that offers solutions beyond WordPress | best for themes | best for single-download needs because of tied lifetime update (40,000+ products)
GPL Vault, best place for top WordPress plugins and themes | And their regular updates (4,700+).
WorldPressIT, another considerable option (7,300+ products)

Conclusion

After the careful review of GPLAstra, we came to understand that its operation is primarily legal under the GPL. However, there are some cases that may beat the legality stand — split-licensing.

Another line: platforms like GPLAstra can be detrimental to the effort of WordPress developers. This is because the practice of redistribution actually cuts their potential revenue.

Therefore, everyone is advised to reduce their use of GPL websites or even cut them off entirely. Because the actual thing being impacted isn't just developers but the beauty of WordPress.

Use cases like product testing can enter the ethical usage side. As opposed to getting premium themes or plugins from unofficial sources and expecting them to last on your site for long, which carries some levels of inauthenticity.

Instead, you can patronize actual developers for your core plugins and get the best experience, plus support their work.

FAQs

Is GPLAstra legal?

Because of the GPL freedom to distribute in WordPress, GPLAstra is legal. But it's not always right.

Split-licensing exists, and if the owners of GPLAstra host non-GPL parts of plugins/themes, then the legality becomes weak.

Also, despite that the GPL license supports redistribution, the practice of GPLAstra can be considered a misuse of the freedoms in some cases.

Is GPLAstra safe to use?

While we haven't fully reviewed (as in testing) GPLAstra, the business of GPL websites is inherently threat-less in the sense that no additional code is added.

For a complete answer as to whether GPLAstra is safe to use, we still can’t provide a solid opinion.

The advice — make sure you thoroughly pass downloaded items through different security measures before installing on your website. Otherwise, go with the leading GPL websites which we have confirmed to be mostly safe to use.

Is GPLAstra a kind of misuse of the GPL license?

Some people may consider it as a slap to the GPL. I think while redistribution is allowed, it doesn't give you the ticket to run a platform that competes with main developers.

Are all WordPress plugins and themes GPL?

All plugins and themes located in the WordPress.org directory all use the GPL license. No split-licensing is allowed here.

But some premium plugins and themes aren't fully GPL.

🔥In all you do, make sure you go through the list — top-listed GPL websites. These platforms put you on the right side (most times), offer genuine, firsthand products, and allow automatic updates that happen on WordPress.