MyBB Community Forums

I'd like to hear from plugin authors with their thoughts on paying for plugins.

I've been very quiet on the plugin/MyBB scene because of work. I just couldn't face programming at home when I do it for 8 hours a day at work.
But I'm quitting my job soon and planning on spending 3+ months on a project I've got in mind.
Intermingled with the project, I plan on doing some plugin updates. I was thinking of creating some new plugins, but as I wouldn't have a job, I wouldn't have an income. So I thought if I created plugins, could I charge for them?
I know MyBB is free, so really, the plugins should be free (keeping in spirit of MyBB). So my questions are:

1. Is it right/ok to charge for plugins?
2. Would people pay for plugins (depends on what it does/is)?
3. How much would you be willing to pay for a moderate plugin? I was thinking of $5/£3 for a moderate plugin and $10/£5 for a large plugin.
4. Would people mind if plugins required a copyright (to me/ link to my site), and payed for a copyright less version? I've noticed some recent plugins either put a message in the footer automatically or ask for a link to be put in the template. This is an extension of that?

I was thinking of releasing my cash mod as free, but making a shop mod and charging $10 for it.

Your thoughts?

There are always request for high demanded plugins that are somehow in need for a lot of coding, you can focus on such requests i guess.

good luck

Me personally, Id love to see coders code up some LITE versions of thier releases wihch would be the free versions of mods and then they can also build the same version with more options as a commercial or something. I mean thta IS how tings work like this in the designing world isent it?

If we think about it, it was stated and said over and over time and time again, this is pretty much hopefully the next generation of the new BB

vBulletin has more free mods then commercials and still the top BB out there. So like I said, why not make 1 mod, turn it into a Lite version and make another of the same with more options.

I may not seem to be explaining this correctly, so hopefully someone can understand what Im saying. I am a core coder myself and would sell my work upon requests and or depending on the type of mod and how many hours I sepnd coding it. so if you understand this, please let me know something as for I just wok up myself LOL!:eek:

I think it makes perfect sense to give a mod away for free if the user provides a copyright or link, and if they want it without that they need to pay! I'm actually quite surprised at all the coders that are so willing to put their time and energy into providing such great free scripts. Yes, there are plenty of them out there that are free, but most do require a link or have some sort of ads. I don't know how much I would be willing to pay. Depends on how much I really need/want that mod!

It's good to see some people think it's a good idea. Not as much response to the topic as I would have hoped but I didn't think it would be suitable for the mods forum on the main site.
Thanks for your input guys and I'll still read what other people write after this!

Err, there is already a Bux plugin and a shop mod.

Anyway, I think making custom plugins is a good idea. I know some people that want a custum plugin.

Here is a good Idea, Open a website. Have "free quotes". let customers fill out a form on what they want their forum to have. Then you give them the pricing, and if they except you do it. Then you give them the mybb forum fully customized to the way they want/ So all they do is install the mybb and the mods are already in it. You will make tons of cash.

I'd be willing to pay for a plugin if it is custom made.

You can't redistribute MyBB. I can provide plugin files, but they must always get MyBB from the site. I could install it as a service as part of the fee I suppose.
I would have though custom plugins would be more expensive though, unless I can re-release them. I spend say 1 week on a plugin for one person, that's time I could have spent making a public plugin and getting money from that?
At least, that's what would happen in the business world. I don't think I'm going to make enough money to do plugins as a job ().

I'm also looking for a little income. I've done a custom points system for a site and I charged for that because it was custom to their specs, and also was delivered quickly.

Personally I think it's fine to charge for custom plugins (ie. making something specific for one site, and finetuned to exactly what they need). It's just like getting hired as a freelancer. As for general released MyBB plugins, if you decide to make people pay for them, there isn't really anything that prevents another person from making their own plugin that does something similar but for free is there?