Are Premium Plugins Worth Buying When You Should Open Your Wallet

With over 55,000 free plugins at WordPress.org alone, its not surprising that many WordPress users wonder, are premium plugins worth buying?In this article, were going to try to answer that question by discussing the different pricing options most plugin developers use, and then posing some questions for you to answer to help you decide whether or not you should open your wallet and start looking for premium plugins. FreePremiumFreemiumThe main benefit of free plugins is right there in the name – they wont cost you a thing.Premium plugins, on the other hand, will cost you a fee to use. However, this provides them with the scope to offer dedicated support options. Additionally, they often provide more targeted, niche functionality than free plugins do (because charging a free lets them target a smaller market). You can find these plugins in many places online, such as  CodeCanyon  and  our own directory.WP Product Review is an example of a premium plugin that offers a lot of targeted features.Finally, freemium plugins offer a core free version, and then either:Sell a single pro versionSell multiple add-ons with specific premium featuresThe free tier will contain some basic functionality, and will be sufficient for many sites. The premium version, on the other hand, will include additional features and more support.Youll often encounter free and premium (or freemium) plugins that do the largely the same things. If youre looking for a plugin to back up your site, for example, you could go with UpdraftPlus or Duplicator, both of which are free in the WordPress Plugin Directory. Alternately, you could purchase BackupBuddy, which will cost you $80 per year.So, are premium plugins worth buying? Now that you understand what options are out there, let’s explore the answer to that question in more detail.Are premium plugins worth buying? Answer these 5 key questionsDeciding whether a premium plugin is worth the cost isn’t always simple. To help you out, here are five key questions to consider before settling on a plugin for your site.1. How flexible is your budget?The first thing you’ll need to consider is the most basic difference between free and premium plugins – cost. If youre operating on a shoestring budget, it makes sense to try and find a way to make free plugins work for your site.It might not always be ideal, but even if you cant find a free option that does exactly what you want, you can usually find one that gets  close. And if money is tight, that might be enoughat least to get started.2. Are you looking for specific or niche features?Once you’ve checked your budget, it’s time to consider what you’re actually looking for. While it’s easiest to simply start searching through the various plugin options available, it can be smarter to make a ‘shopping list’ beforehand. In other words, decide on the exact features and functionality you need,  then go look ing for tools that will do the job.This approach can make your ultimate choice a lot simpler. Sometimes, you’ll find both free and premium plugins that offer all the features on your list. In that scenario, the free plugin will have an advantage. However, this won’t always be the case. So when are premium plugins worth buying?While not an absolute, free plugins tend to focus on more general functionality – basic features that most sites need, such as improved security and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). If you’re looking for more niche features, on the other hand, free plugins can come up short. This means that if your site is a little off the beaten path, or you require very specific functionality, you may only find what you need in premium plugins.3. Do you need more functionality than the free versions of freemium plugins can provide?So far, we’ve been focusing largely on free and premium plugins. However, it’s important not to forget a bout the third pricing structure. Many of the best WordPress plugins work on a freemium model, and theyre as easy to find as strictly free and premium tools. A lot of them are located in the WordPress Plugin Directory, along with descriptions of how their various tiers differ:Choosing a freemium plugin can be a very smart decision. You can get a feel for how it works by trying out the free version first, rather than paying for a premium plugin you might not actually need. What’s more, it will quickly become obvious whether the features offered by the free version are enough. If you do decide you need more comprehensive or targeted functionality, you can upgrade immediately to one of the plugins premium tiers without any inconvenience or loss of data.4. Do the premium options have better ratings and reviews?It can be easy to assume that premium plugins are inherently ‘better’ than free plugins. In reality, however, this is far from the truth. You can find a lot of free plugins that are well reviewed, secure, and reliable. Similarly, just because a plugin costs money doesn’t guarantee that its a quality offering.At the same time, ratings and reviews can be a helpful way to choose the best tool for your site. If you’ve found both free and premium plugins that do what you need, take a look at how well other users have rated them, how popular they are, and how recently they’ve been updated. You can also read through reviews, and check to see if the developer of each plugin has an upstanding reputation.If the results of this research are similar for each class of plugin, you may be safe sticking with a free solution. If a premium option has superior reviews and comes from a more reputable source, however, it may be worth the cost.5. Are you looking for access to 24/7 support?It isn’t uncommon to find free and premium plugins that have essentially the same features, and are equally well-reviewed. This can lead you to wo nder: When are premium plugins worth buying, if you can get the same functionality for free?Often, the answer comes down to support. While many free plugins have dedicated forums and communities, getting support directly from the developers can be challenging. One of the primary perks of premium plugins is that they almost always come with a year’s worth of support bundled in. Typically, this means you’ll be able to get deeper, and more responsive, support. You may also get access to a members-only forum, live chat, or other exclusive resources.Therefore, premium plugins can be smart investments if you want to make sure you can always get help when you need it. This is particularity relevant when the plugin you’re interested in involves a lot of complex functionality, or when your site is going to rely heavily on its features. Just keep in mind that in most cases, you’ll need to renew your license each year to retain access to support.ConclusionAre premiu m plugins worth buying? After all, it seems wasteful to pay for something you could get for free. On the other hand, you may wonder whether free plugins can really do everything their premium counterparts can. The truth is that both types of plugins have their place, and are worth your consideration.To recap, here are some of the questions youll want to ask yourself when choosing between free and premium plugins:Is there room in your budget for a premium solution?Are you looking for specific or niche features?Do you need more functionality than the free versions of freemium plugins can provide?Do the premium options have better ratings and reviews?Are you looking for access to 24/7 support?What do you think: Are premium plugins worth buying? Share your thoughts in the comments section below! Are premium #WordPress #plugins worth paying for? Answer these questions to find out