Hey developers! I am currently working on a plugin, and an idea for monetizing it occuring to me, which I want to make sure is allowed, if I go with the idea (I want to comply with TOS by all means).
Heres the main issue. I want to provide an accessible plugin, that is mostly free. However, I am making a plugin, and this plugin has taken way longer, and would want to monetize it a little bit, so I can provide the necessary support it needs.
My idea was that I would make the plugin free, and extra features would be behind a gamepass. This allows anyone to buy the plugin, and they can buy the additional features, with the usage of buying the gamepass, to provide some monetization.
I want to make sure that this gamepass idea is allowed, especially since there isn’t any “support” for a feature like this. I looked in certain places, like this doc and I haven’t found anything that say it is or isn’t allowed.
Any help is much appreciated!
Note: I was unsure where to put this post, if this is the wrong category, please correct me and provide where to put this topic!
I don’t see this being an issue as long as you clearly label what is behind a paywall and what isn’t. I would also suggest not making a top-feature of the plugin blocked behind a paywall because of advertisement issues. Don’t advertise the features that are behind a paywall is my suggestion. Clearly label additional features in a UI element or in the plugin description.
Another thing Roblox developers typically do is by creating a monetized version and free version directly. For example, AutoScale Plus costs money, but AutoScale Free does not. This is something else you could do.
Overall, as long as you clearly label- it shouldn’t be an issue. However, I would make two plugins instead of one plugin with features blocked behind a paywall.
Goodluck on your plugin by the way!
Edit: I just remembered that plugins do not cost Robux anymore and are real life currency. I understand more clearly why you are trying to do this. Again, I don’t see this as an issue as long as you clearly label!
I was considering this as an option. The main issue I have with this, is the items I am considering to paid, are tied with the free options. This is mainly because some features take a significant amount of resources, and will need to consider limiting certain things, and so opening those limits more loosely is the goal.
And your spot on with this, as another reason:
This is the major reason that makes me scared to do this idea, as they are pushing for real life currency; something I don’t agree with doing for my plugin.
How about creating a “Pro” or “+” version of the plugin? Many developers choose this path if they want to create a free plugin but with additional paid benefits. AutoScale, for example, does this.
This is kinda what the “gamepass” idea does, and what it will do, but works all within 1 plugin, instead of having a second one. The issue is that most features are free, and this “+” version, doesn’t really add anything new, other then allowing more advance options and features within the plugin. Because it doesn’t really do anything extremely new, for me atleast, it doesn’t make sense to make a second plugin, which is why I wondering if a gamepass would be allowed to fullfill this need.
Heres an example with a game. I am currently playing pet catchers, and they have an AFK mode. Anyone can AFK, and they offer features and settings. However, you can buy the “Super AFK” gamepass, which is a build-on to the AFK mode that already pre-exists. This same concept is kinda what I am doing with my plugin, Nothing really “new” is added.
Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t do it like that:
Plugins are technically open-source, once you release it for free on the Roblox marketplace. Users can download the source code and modify it so that they will not have to pay for the paid side of the plugin. They can, for example, change the gamepass id to their own gamepass or remove that payment code altogether so they can gain access to the rest of the features.
Making it paid on the Roblox marketplace or in a place like itch.io will give you more compensation as Robux with taxes does not really give you much.
Yeah, it is a big bummer that Roblox requires the monetization to be real world currency payment compared to Robux. I honestly do not agree with it either.
