Now that so many plugins and page builders require subscriptions, do you think the client should own the subscription or should it be managed by the developer? I’m asking mainly about small, one-off projects rather than high-volume agency work.
Usually, we manage the subscription and license it to the client. It’s often cheaper for them this way since we can bundle multiple licenses together.
Linden said:
Usually, we manage the subscription and license it to the client. It’s often cheaper for them this way since we can bundle multiple licenses together.
Same here. We include it in the maintenance fees. Most sites we build use the same core plugins, so it’s easier to manage. Larger clients usually pay for their own plugins when renewing hosting. The main thing is having clear terms with the client, so everyone knows how it works.
Linden said:
Usually, we manage the subscription and license it to the client. It’s often cheaper for them this way since we can bundle multiple licenses together.
I’ve taken over so many projects where the client has no idea who’s paying for the subscriptions. It’s often done this way just to inflate the bill.
@Bowie
I’ve seen it too many times. The lack of transparency is frustrating. Clients often don’t even know they’re being charged for stuff they don’t need.
Sullivan said:
@Bowie
I’ve seen it too many times. The lack of transparency is frustrating. Clients often don’t even know they’re being charged for stuff they don’t need.
A big issue is clients often don’t want to pay for premium plugins when starting out. They prefer free ones, even if they’re not well-maintained.
Linden said:
Usually, we manage the subscription and license it to the client. It’s often cheaper for them this way since we can bundle multiple licenses together.
That works well for agencies with resale options, but for freelancers, it gets tricky. I also wish more services allowed separate user accounts for developers and clients.
Depends on the situation. If it’s a plugin I use across multiple sites, I cover it. For one-off plugins, the client pays.
Oli said:
Depends on the situation. If it’s a plugin I use across multiple sites, I cover it. For one-off plugins, the client pays.
Exactly.
For yearly licenses, I buy them myself and include the cost in the client’s hosting and maintenance package. Most plugins offer multi-site licenses, so I just charge the client for the equivalent of a single site license.
It really depends. For plugins I use across many sites, like Gravity Forms or Elementor Pro, I use my licenses if they’re paying for maintenance. If they aren’t, I have the client buy and renew their own licenses. Sometimes I set up a temporary payment method for the initial purchase and then transfer everything to them.
@Jordan
Makes sense. Out of curiosity, what are you using now instead of Elementor and Astra?
Finch said:
@Jordan
Makes sense. Out of curiosity, what are you using now instead of Elementor and Astra?
We moved to Kadence for smaller projects, but most of our builds now use a custom block-based theme we developed. It gives us more control and flexibility. For Elementor, we’ve been shifting to blocks with a mix of custom and third-party plugins like Kadence Blocks.
I’ve been on both sides of this. For my day job, I manage sites developed by third parties, and plugin subscriptions often create headaches because clients don’t know what’s paid for. When freelancing, I stick to free plugins or have the client handle the subscriptions themselves.
@Harlan
Same here. It’s easier to let clients own the subscriptions, especially for smaller projects.
I prefer clients to own the subscriptions, but in practice, I usually manage them and invoice the client. I register plugins with their email or a shared one for easier access.
Lin said:
I prefer clients to own the subscriptions, but in practice, I usually manage them and invoice the client. I register plugins with their email or a shared one for easier access.
Using the client’s email can make support and renewals a hassle, though. How do you manage that?
@Finch
I usually set up a dedicated email like licenses@client.com or an alias for tracking purposes. That way, I can handle everything easily.
Lin said:
@Finch
I usually set up a dedicated email like licenses@client.com or an alias for tracking purposes. That way, I can handle everything easily.
You ask clients to create a separate email for licenses?
Lin said:
@Finch
I usually set up a dedicated email like licenses@client.com or an alias for tracking purposes. That way, I can handle everything easily.
I do something similar but use an alias tied to my email for simplicity.