The beauty of WordPress is that it is an open source content management system with countless developers working day in and day out to continue improving the platform. From a simple landing page to a full blown online store, you can get it done with a variety of third-party WordPress extensions, better known as plugins.
Plugins add to the functionality of your website and can allow you to turn your WordPress site into a powerhouse without coding or programming knowledge. From improving SEO to streamlining the e-commerce checkout process, plugins do it all.
Many plugins are free, but others charge a fee. This brings us to an important question — is it worth paying to use plugins? The strong consensus is an overwhelming yes. Here’s why.
Premium Plugins Offer Enhanced Functionality
There are many free WordPress plugins that can greatly enhance your website, but oftentimes, premium (paid) plugins will give you added features and functions that a free one cannot. More advanced software can help you make your site more professional and appealing to visitors. Added functions can be a competitive advantage that sets your website apart from others in your niche.
Beyond additional features, a developer may offer better support for a plugin if it is paid or subscription based. Let’s say you encounter a problem or have a question about how to maximize your use of a plugin. A paid plugin is more likely to offer its own support staff to help you resolve any issues you might encounter.
Paid Plugins Are Typically More Secure
Security is a common issue with free plugins. The creator of a free plugin doesn’t have much motivation to maintain it or keep it up to date to ensure compatibility with the latest WordPress themes. Using an out of date plugin could create maintenance or security issues for your website, hurting the user experience and potentially exposing your information to hackers.
Creators of paid plugins are motivated to keep them up to date, since reliable plugins improve their own financial results through good reviews and more sales. You can usually count on paid plugins to keep working for the long run without compatibility issues.
Freemium Plugins Let You Try Before You Buy
“Freemium” is an increasingly popular pricing model used by many WordPress developers. With this model, WordPress plugins available for free also offer a paid tier that unlocks more features or extends existing functionality. This “try before you buy” option lets you test the basic features of a WordPress plugin to decide if the tool meets your needs.
In some cases, you may get enough of a benefit from the free version of a premium plugin that you don’t even need to upgrade. Or you may discover it is worth upgrading for improved customer service or other benefits.
Premium Plugins Help You Save Time
Even as a developer who knows programming, plugins will save you time and energy. It is far more effective and economical to spend less time to do something by using a plugin rather than spending that time on the development.
There is a plugin for just about any type of scenario you can think of. When coming across something that you are looking to do with your WordPress website, it is nice to know there is a terrific chance you are not alone and that someone out there has come up with a plugin to provide the solution that you are looking for.
Do Your Research and Boost Your Site
Plugins are often worth the investment. However, you must always do your research. The WordPress plugin directory provides reviews, the number of downloads, the last time a plugin has been updated, and more. All of this information should be carefully considered when deciding whether to pay for a plugin or not. It can also be helpful to check out the developer’s repertoire – have they developed any other plugins? If so, how many?
Although premium plugins are a great investment when purchased wisely, you can easily lose money on something that is not what you expected or doesn’t work to the extent that you had hoped. At Site Rockstar, we understand this and can review your site and make recommendations of plugins that we know will work. Let’s get you going with WordPress today!
