Thinking about getting into plugin development, mainly for DIY users, and selling them on CodeCanyon. Does this make sense, or is it too crowded to be worth the effort?
CodeCanyon has a bit of a reputation, and most plugins there don’t sell much.
If you want to do well, focus on solving a real problem. There are already over 60,000 WordPress plugins, so standing out isn’t easy. But if you build something better than what’s out there and connect with the WordPress community, you have a shot.
For example, a couple of years ago, video embedding plugins weren’t great, and then Presto Player came in and did it way better. Now it’s one of the best options.
If you can find a gap like that and fill it, it could work. Otherwise, it’s probably not worth the time.
I recently made my first plugin because I needed something that didn’t exist—or at least not for free.
I’m not an expert in PHP, but I’ve been coding for a long time. I basically put together different pieces of code and made it work. It took a few hours of research and some testing, but I got it done.
If you’re considering making plugins, you might want to offer custom development instead. Some people are willing to pay for a plugin built specifically for them rather than searching for something that kinda fits their needs.
@Davi
Curious… why did you use Java in your plugin?
Jordan said:
@Davi
Curious… why did you use Java in your plugin?
[deleted]
Jordan said:
@Davi
Curious… why did you use Java in your plugin?
[deleted]
Oh, I meant JavaScript, not Java.
Jordan said:
@Davi
Curious… why did you use Java in your plugin?
[deleted]
Makes sense! Just wanted to check. Thought maybe there was some unusual use case I hadn’t seen before.
If you can offer something different, go for it. If not, don’t waste your time.
Chances are high that you’ll put in a lot of work and see very little return.
CodeCanyon is super competitive. I prefer Freemius—it lets you put a free version of your plugin in the WordPress repository and attract potential buyers that way.
Tough market with low sales volume. Check how much commission they take before committing. You’ll probably make more money doing custom plugins for businesses.
If you’re just starting out, create a few free plugins and put them on WordPress.org. That way, you build experience and a portfolio, which can help you get clients later.
WordPress is massive, so knowing how to build plugins can be useful.
Selling on CodeCanyon works, but a freemium model is usually better. Make a free plugin on WordPress.org, then add premium features people can pay for.
There are platforms like Easy Digital Downloads, WooCommerce, and Freemius that help you sell licenses. Long-term, this usually works better than relying on CodeCanyon, which takes a big cut of your sales.
Learning how to make WordPress plugins is always useful. Even if you don’t sell them, you can use them for your own sites or clients.
If you want to make money from it, just know that the competition is tough, so you’ll need something unique to stand out.