Head to head
TheGem-CreativeMulti-Purpose&WooCommerceWordPressThemevsHub-ResponsiveMulti-PurposeWordPressTheme
TheGem and Hub are both $59 multi-purpose WordPress themes competing for the same broad audience, yet they take meaningfully different approaches to flexibility, page-building, and community trust. Choosing between them comes down to how much raw design variety you need versus how much you value a focused, modern editing experience.
Assessed on documented capabilities & licensing · updated
At a glance
| TheGem - Creative Multi-Purpose & WooCommerce WordPress ThemeOur pick | Hub - Responsive Multi-Purpose WordPress Theme | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | CodexThemes | LiquidThemes |
| Type | Theme | Theme |
| Pricing model | Paid | Paid |
| What you pay for | — | — |
| Best for | — | — |
The breakdown
Target Use Cases
TheGem, built by CodexThemes, is designed to cover virtually every niche a creative professional or business might encounter. Its listed use cases span eCommerce, creative agencies, portfolio sites, fashion stores, landing pages, one-page layouts, and more. That breadth is genuine: the theme ships with both Elementor and WPBakery Page Builder support, giving buyers two fully developed page-building workflows rather than one.
Hub, from LiquidThemes, targets a similar wide audience — corporate, agency, blog, shop, and portfolio — but positions itself around a more curated, visually refined experience. Its use case list notably includes an AI tag, signaling that LiquidThemes is actively weaving newer workflow tools into the product. Hub is Elementor-only on the visual editor side, which is a deliberate choice rather than an oversight.
Feature Breadth
TheGem
- Dual page-builder support: Elementor and WPBakery Page Builder
- Over 40 described multi-purpose design concepts and 150+ demo pages per the author's feature set
- Eight navigation configurations in more than 20 styles — unusually granular header control
- WooCommerce compatibility through version 9.x, the most current generation
- Broad plugin compatibility: Gravity Forms, WPForms, Contact Form 7, Easy Digital Downloads, Events Calendar, Jetpack, WPML, and Facebook integration
- Retina-ready and fast-loading optimized assets
Hub
- Elementor-focused workflow with 100+ pre-built websites and 1,000+ section templates per the author's feature list
- Bootstrap 4.x integration, which gives developers a familiar grid foundation
- WooCommerce support through version 8.x — solid but one major generation behind TheGem
- IE11 browser compatibility, a practical consideration for legacy enterprise environments
- Granular section-block import system for rapid page assembly
- WordPress version compatibility stretches back to 4.9.x — useful for teams slow to update their core installation
TheGem wins on raw integration count: more plugin connections, dual page builders, and newer WooCommerce support. Hub counters with a larger stated template library and a more systematic block-import workflow, which can meaningfully speed up the design phase for Elementor users.
Pricing & Value
Both themes are priced identically at $59 for a one-time license, so neither has a cost advantage. Value comparisons therefore hinge on what each dollar buys in depth of features, longevity of support, and community validation.
TheGem's 86,600 total sales represent one of the larger install bases in the creative multi-purpose category. That scale generally translates to a well-exercised codebase, a large community of third-party tutorials, and strong author incentive to maintain the product. Hub's 20,900 sales are respectable for a theme at this price point, though the smaller base means a narrower pool of community resources.
Buyer Satisfaction
Both themes carry exceptional ratings. Hub holds a 4.88 / 5 from 667 reviews, and TheGem holds a 4.87 / 5 from 2,200 reviews. The gap in raw score is negligible — effectively identical satisfaction. The meaningful difference is sample size: TheGem's rating is drawn from more than three times as many verified buyers, which makes it statistically more reliable. Hub's rating, while slightly higher numerically, reflects a younger, smaller audience. Neither score is a red flag; both suggest low defect rates and responsive support.
Maintenance Track Record
Both themes were last updated by their authors in June 2026 and both support WordPress through version 6.9.x — the same current release. Maintenance parity is complete here, and buyers can be confident that either theme is actively supported. TheGem's compatibility list reaching back to WordPress 6.1.x and Hub's reaching all the way to WordPress 4.9.x suggest Hub has been on the market considerably longer, which accounts for its wider WordPress version range without necessarily implying better ongoing care.
Genuine Trade-Offs to Consider
TheGem's cons: Supporting two page builders simultaneously (Elementor and WPBakery) can create complexity — feature parity between builders is rarely perfect, and switching between them later is difficult. The sheer volume of design options can slow the decision-making process for buyers who just want to launch quickly.
Hub's cons: Elementor-only support means buyers locked into WPBakery get nothing here. WooCommerce compatibility topping out at version 8.x is a mild concern for store owners wanting to track the very latest releases. A smaller sales base means fewer community tutorials and third-party resources to draw on when troubleshooting.
The verdict
TheGem is the stronger pick for buyers who need maximum flexibility — dual page builders, the widest plugin compatibility, and a battle-tested codebase backed by 86,000+ installs. Hub is the better fit for Elementor-focused teams and agencies that prioritize a large curated template library, a modern minimal aesthetic, and Bootstrap developer access. At the same $59 price, neither is a poor choice, but TheGem edges ahead for most general-purpose and WooCommerce-heavy projects.