If you have been a reader on TechGarage, you would have noticed that we write not just about iPhone or cameras, but also on WordPress and its ecosystem. Being avid users of WordPress, we have to say that it has its strengths and weaknesses. Premium plugins, which is meant to be the cream of the crop for the WordPress ecosystem sometimes fall short. Read on as we describe on the problem with premium WordPress plugins
Problem with Premium WordPress Plugins : Lack Of Updates
The major issue we have with premium plugins, is the lack of updates. Take a look at WooCommerce’s official extensions for that matter, and you will find a number of premium plugins without updates that run for months or worse, a year plus. Having said that, with a yearly renewal price of 50% and a hefty startup price, it is indeed frustrating to find your premium plugin not working with the latest version of WordPress
Problem with Premium WordPress Plugins : Fatal Errors
Another major issue with premium WordPress plugins are fatal errors that then require you to debug the source. And it becomes frustrating when the source of the error is the plugin itself. Having spoken that, as a WordPress user, it is crucial that you contact the author of the plugin and tell them about the issue.
Problem with Premium WordPress Plugins : Abandoned Plugins
Even worse than a lack of updates or a hastily rolled out plugin without prior testing, are abandoned plugins. This is especially crucial if you are planning to purchase your plugin via CodeCanyon. While hugely popular plugins like Visual Composer, Slider Revolution and Uber Menu gets frequent updates, some plugin authors tend to drop their plugin if the sales does not make financial sense to them.
However, the process of having dropped plugins will affect you especially if it deals with crucial data, like Woocommerce color attributes or tables. In that sense, it might be better to invest in a premium plugin from developers like Woothemes themselves, which helps ensure your data is safe.
Problem with Premium WordPress Plugins : Cost
If you are on a budget, you might have to find alternatives to plugins that sells various extensions. For example, to run an ecommerce store with WooCommerce, you might need to fork out about four to eight thousand ringgit for extensions itself. In comparison, WP Easycart gives you an all in one ecommerce plugin for only eighty US dollars.
Similarly, while Ninja Forms is free, if you find that the cost of extensions go beyond USD 199 yearly, you might prefer to get yourself Gravity Forms, which gives you all the essential features of Ninja Forms and more. Nevertheless, competition between different plugin developers can only benefit the community.
Problem with Premium WordPress Plugins : The Conclusion
Here at TechGarage, we have bought and tested thousands of dollars worth of WordPress themes and plugins. As such, though our main focus is on the Mac, iPhone and camera, you would find our recommended WordPress solutions that will save you hours of searching and testing.