Sell a WordPress Plugin

Plugins sell on active installs and, if you have a pro version, on the renewal rate of paying licenses. A free plugin with 50,000 active installs and no pro tier is priced on the upsell a buyer believes they can build.

The WordPress.org directory allows committer changes and ownership transfer, and buyers know the process. What they check is support load and how many versions of WordPress and PHP you are chasing.

What buyers pay

Pro licenses trade like SaaS; free plugins trade on installs

Annual licenses with a decent renewal rate are priced at 2 to 3.5 times annual revenue. Lifetime licenses are worth less to a buyer because the support obligation continues and the revenue doesn't.

Free plugins are priced by active installs in a niche a buyer can monetise, typically $0.10 to $0.50 per active install.

Ranges reflect small-deal marketplaces in 2026 and move with the market. Your buyer decides the price; these numbers tell you where the conversation starts.

Before you list

1. Active install count and growth from the directory stats, plus the pro customer count and renewal rate.
2. Support volume per week and where it lives.
3. The license server, update server and how they are hosted.
4. Compatibility matrix and the last three changelogs.
5. Any marketplace accounts and their transfer rules.

What moves at closing

The buyer pays Tool Index once you've both signed. Then, in this order:

1. WordPress.org plugin ownership transfer and committer changes.
2. Repository, build and release process.
3. License and update servers, domains, and the payment provider migration.
4. Support desk and knowledge base.
5. Marketplace accounts where allowed, or a documented re-listing plan.

You mark the deal delivered with a note of what moved. The buyer confirms inside the inspection window and the money is released to you, minus 1 percent (minimum $19, maximum $199) and the card processor's fee. If they open a dispute, a person reviews the delivery evidence before anything moves.

What kills deals

• GPL violations in bundled code.
• A pro version that depends on a freelancer who is not part of the sale.
• Support load the revenue does not cover.
• Reviews that mention broken updates and no fix.

Questions

Can WordPress.org plugins be sold?

Yes. Ownership transfers through the plugin directory team, and it happens regularly. The buyer takes over commit access and the listing.

What about themes?

Same process on the theme directory, and marketplace themes follow the marketplace's own rules. List which channel each version lives on.

Do lifetime customers matter?

They are a support cost for the buyer with no revenue attached. Disclose the count so the price reflects it.