However, do not buy on aesthetics alone. Vet the developer's support response time, check their update log for the past 12 months, and test the demo on your phone. In the MyBB ecosystem, a beautiful theme without support is just a pretty liability.
Invest in a premium theme from a proven developer (like Audentio legacy or ThemeCollective), but keep a staging environment for updates. Your members will notice the difference—and they'll finally stop asking, "Why does this site look so old?" mybb premium themes
Some developers offer a "lifetime license" that includes the 2.0 upgrade; most do not. If you buy a premium theme today, ask the developer explicitly: "Will this entitle me to the MyBB 2.0 version?" If they hesitate, assume the answer is no. Yes—with caveats. However, do not buy on aesthetics alone