What’s permitted and what not with Toolset-based themes

The purpose of Toolset-based themes is for theme authors to build rich themes, based on the functionality of Toolset plugins.

Any Toolset account allows you to build Toolset-based themes. Only Author accounts allow you to distribute these themes to an unlimited audience.

The permissions and restrictions on this page relate to the unlimited distribution and not to themes that are locked to specific sites.

You should use Toolset-based themes to create themes with your unique design and functionality

Respect the intellectual property of others and create themes that feature your own graphics, design and functionality. You can get inspiration from Toolset Reference Sites. However, you cannot use them “as is”. If you build a theme based on our reference designs, you must replace all sample content and graphics. Your themes should have the functionality that you create, so they cannot be very similar to the reference sites.

PHP code, CSS and graphics in your theme needs to be your or with proper permission from the original author

You are welcome to create Toolset-based themes using our Toolset Starter theme. There are plenty of GPL themes on the market, but many of them are trademarked. You are only allowed to build Toolset-based themes on the basis of themes for which the author has given you explicit permission to use, for this purpose. Of course, you can always use themes that you developed yourself as a basis.

Do not bundle plugins with your Toolset-based themes

The Toolset-based themes system allows you to choose plugins that are required. The installer will automatically download, install and activate these plugins for your end-users. You may not bundle plugins with the theme itself.

Toolset-based themes must not be vanilla designs, without any Toolset functionality

Toolset-based themes are not a mechanism for selling Toolset plugins under a different name or from a different source than the official Toolset Website. Themes that you build must have actual custom functionality (built with Toolset plugins) and intended for a specific audience. You are welcome to build “general purpose” themes, but not offer themes that have no real design or custom functionality.

You cannot use the word Toolset in the theme name

In order not to confuse your end users, you cannot use Toolset name in the name of the theme. Feel free to refer to Toolset in your documentation, but not as part of the name of the theme.