When the platform for Blogging is WordPress, every user knows the word ‘Plugins’. WordPress plugins are easy-to-add tools that add advanced functionality to any WordPress site. Such functionalities are either very hard to develop by normal users (users who are not developers) or just something they cannot think of. Therefore the need of a plugin, that can be used by any WordPress site-owner, arises.
WordPress plugins can be gotten in two different ways – paying for them and then installing them or downloading the free plugins available. Both premium and free plugins are available in hundreds of numbers over the web. Following reasons will explain as to why choose premium (paid) plugins over free plugins.
Outstanding Functions And Features
Premium plugins are charged for a reason. The reason, if put in a simple manner, is that the development takes days or weeks of coding. Learning those codes might have taken months and must have been expensive if learnt from expert tools. All the learning and expertise is then put into the development of the plugin – therefore it has to be paid for in order to use it.
Premium plugins are always built by experts and professional developers and therefore the functionality within is always top-notch. Free plugins might have a part of the total functions in premium plugins, but never better than them. For example, premium membership plugins such as WP eStore and s2Member PRO have far better functions and features than free membership plugins such as “Membership“.
Lifetime Updates
Most, if not all, premium plugins update on a frequent basis (if applicable) or along with the core WordPress updates that often come out a few times around the year. Updates are very important especially for plugins that have a lot of features. The reason for this is that the users might demand different or additional styles/features for a specific feature of the plugin than the current version possesses. In such cases, plugin developers often update the plugins with the required.
If no demands or requests are coming in, the plugins are yet updated because of the compatibility with the latest WordPress version (for example – 3.5 i.e. the latest major update).
Most of the premium plugins can be updated from within the WordPress dashboard itself, therefore the users are not required to do any hard work.
Advanced Support
Customers are the first priority for any service provider right? Henceforth, developers of premium plugins always provide top-notch and extremely good support for the users. Be it a small common-sense query, or a major query that might require to tweak the codes – the support is always provided. Popular plugins often have support teams who’s only job is to take care of the customers.
Premium plugins often have organized platforms for the users to reach the support team. Tools such as live chat, email ticket system, forums (very popular) etc. are used to provide stress-free support.
Winding Up
Although I do use free plugins myself, I try to go premium if I’m convinced that I would get better features and all the other stuff mentioned above. Investing for your blog is always beneficial provided that the tools/services invested into have a potential to do something good for you and your blog – if not sooner, then definitely later.
This article is written by Raaj Trambadia. He is an active person looking for nothing more than simple ways of enjoying my life. He writes on my blog – My Blog Is My Money where he shares tips on how to Make Money Blogging. If you wish to write for HBB, kindly check this.
I stopped purchasing free plugins when i saw that one of them added a bunch of crappy links to my site. Always go for the paid plugins from sites like themeforest etc
I only buy premium if does something specific that I can’t get from a free plug-in. Also, I try to keep plug-ins to a minimum and only use plug-ins that add some sort of utility to my websites instead of just making it look pretty.
Sir If we use All in One SEO pack is it Ok or we need to go to SEO by yoast, I mean whic SEO Plugin is more effective ? and please tell me how many plugins are perfect for WorPress Blog ?
“All in one SEO plugin” is quite fine mate. It is hard to debate which is the best SEO plugin.
Try to use less or around 15 plugins mate. If you find any issues caused by plugins, upgrade your hosting pack. 🙂
My opinion on this matter is that if you take blogging seriously, want to attract a lot of readers to it and generate some money, then you need premium account that will help you in managing the site. If it’s just your hobby then a free account is enough. Speaking about plugins – surely, premium ones are more reliable. Though among the free ones there’re really great plugins as well.
when it comes to plugins i always opt for premium plugins..although some free plugins are so popular that we just cant live without such as yoast seo and total cache 🙂
Hello Raaj
I have used the premium WordPress plugin Easy WP seo. It is great plug in. It has some awesome features. But Now I am using Yoast SEO plugin for WordPress and Believe me ! It is not that bad though it is free. In fact it works great. So there are some plug ins which are free but the quality is like premium ones. Thanks for the post.
Investing on a blog is certainly a good thing. But as mentioned in on of the comments above, there are free alternatives for almost all the paid plugins and as far as I see, the free plugins just work fine. However, if the WordPress site is made for an eCommerce or any other business website, it is better to go with an authentic and paid plugin so that your data would be safe!
Yes you are right, I agree with this blog. It is true reason of premium plug-ins is charged. In premium plug-ins you can download the whole functionality.
Thank You
Hey Raaj.
great info mate.. can you suggest some must have premium plugin. One that I know is comment luv.
yes, you are right, professional developers are built Premium plugging. and Premium plugging are better that free plugging because free plugins is only a part of the functions of premium plugins.
your post is really nice.
A premium plugin means that there is some one behind that plugin who is always willing to stand by it,,for free plugins if we run into any trouble we have no idea who to contact or even if we can contact them they would not be interested ,, experienced myself
I use both paid and free plugins on my blog. It all depends on the quality of the plugin. WordPress itself is free software and it’s quality is excellent. The same is with plugins.
Well of course that should be the case. BUt this article was more likely meant for users who don’t believe in purchasing plugin – at all.
Hey yes ofcourse me to prefer premium wordpress plugin. I recently bought premium plugin of all in one seo and ofcouse there have lots of feature over the free one.
i Think free plugins are more vulnerable then Premium one ! There is always some risk of getting hacked if using free plugin !
Oh yah! I’ve actually experienced that Salman.
Hi,
Well this was the first question in my mind when i first started a blog using wordpress as a blogging platform. First i used free wordpress themes later i realised that premium themes are best for great use and good outcome.
Nice to hear that Kevin. All the best!
When you want to know more about plug-ins then this is the nice option to use these series on your work which could give you great lesson to learn.
Very nice post Raaj bro, but this rule is not applied to all plugins. Free plugins like SEO by Yoast are very useful, but user have to install free plugins carefully, because some plugins can harm blogs.
Exactly Kulwinder. All I could say is that if there are some better features available in premium version of ANY plugin, then one should go for the same.
Kulwinder Sir If we use All in One SEO pack is it Ok or we need to go to SEO by yoast, I mean whic SEO Plugin is more effective ?