WordPress is 12 years old and the official WordPress.org Plugin Directory has more than 30,000 plugins. They are all free. So, where do we go to find paid plugins? After more than a decade of WordPress, there are quite a few. And some really good ones at that.
Millions of dollars are transacted on commercial WordPress themes every year. Everybody knows themes have been a money maker for a lot of people. I’m fortunate to make a living selling themes myself. Now it is commercial plugins that are on the rise. Isn’t it interesting that big theme shops like WooThemes and iThemes are investing so much in commercial plugins? They’re theme shops… that have found plugins to be very profitable.
My point is that commercial plugins are a big deal but there is no central place to locate them. I usually search WordPress.org and find something free that meets my needs. But sometimes I don’t — and I’m willing to pay for a plugin that will do the trick. If you’re like me, there are times when you actually prefer to pay because you know that there is a business behind that plugin you rely on and that help and updates will be available to you.
Search Google for paid plugins? That works. Sometimes. Many times though you get a bunch of affiliate-made listicles made by people that know little of the plugins they are pushing and would like you to think each one is great, just as long as they get a commission somehow. Sure, there are quality commission-supported sites (and listicles) but many times premium plugin search results are a road with potholes.
Wouldn’t it be ideal if you could just go to WordPress.org and find paid plugins as easily as you do free plugins? Yes, but that’s not going to happen so I asked around and nobody seems to know of a plugin directory for commercial plugins. So here it is.
If you’re a commercial plugin author, please submit your plugin and let’s get this thing filled up. If you’re a plugin user, keep an eye on this project. Watch it grow. It just might become your go-to place after the official directory on WordPress.org.
Related: WP Tavern published an article covering the launch of Pro Plugin Directory
Wow Steven,
Nice work! So glad to see you continuing to create and invent and inspire! Always loved hostingreviews.io and still think it is a phenomenal idea. And this new idea? Every bit as imaginative and useful. Can’t wait to see how it evolves.
Thanks Eric, I hope it ends up being useful to many. I’m planning on giving HostingReviews.io a boost this summer with Mechanical Turk.
Excellent. Why didn’t I think of this already?
These days I rarely look at free plugins for a WordPress website’s core functionality. They just never get the job done.
For the heavy lifting, paid plugins are the way to go, and I really hope this grows and becomes the place to go for paid WordPress plugins.
Thanks Brian and also for the review you left on one of the plugins.
GREAT IDEA!
I am in the same situation… we need an hub for hi-quality plugins!
for example, today i spent a couple of hour to find a marketplace for Woocommerce (other the official extension)… two hours I could have done something else for my client.
wish you good luck!
Manolo
I hope this will help solve that. I’ve done similar, spending way too much time Googling before I compile enough options. It will be nice to have them in one place.
Have you seen Shop Plugins? It’s an unofficial marketplace for WooCommerce and EDD extensions: https://shopplugins.com/
Very nice initiative!
Would you also support a directory of developers who could help adjust or create a plugin for dedicated use?
You could link developers to listed plugins indicating the level of experience that developer has with that particular plugin.
I’m glad you like the idea. Please share it with others to help get things rolling.
A directory of developers would be an interesting idea. Maybe that is something that has been missing too? I can see how that could be integrated with this project but I think it’d be deserving of a site of its own and it’d be quite a different project altogether. My time is toast but maybe somebody can make it happen.
What I do personally is refer people to Codeable and jobs.wordpress.net. I know thats now exactly what you’re suggesting, so yeah, it would be cool to see happen directory-style.
Thanks for your reply.
The solution you mention was not really what I had in mind. I was thinking more like a list of “Trusted Consultants” per plugin. Similar to the listing at Easy Digital Downloads (see “https://easydigitaldownloads.com/consultants/”).
Preferrably, this list should be maintained by the plugin owner to ensure the quality of your directory I assume you are after.
Oh, I see what you mean. It would definitely make sense that the plugin seller maintains the list. It seems that sort of thing is best left to the seller on their website, being more authoritative than a third-party like this website.