Pricing models, as options
This page is for designers deciding how to charge. It lists models, not prices: your costs, market and country decide the numbers.
The models
| Model | You charge | Rewards | Risks |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-time price for a theme | Once per buyer | Selling many copies | Support without income later; the GPL allows resale by others |
| Free theme, paid services | Only for support, setup, customization | A large user base | Income depends on how many users need help |
| Subscription | Per month or year, for updates and support | Steady income | You must deliver every period |
| Fixed price per project | Per agreed scope | Predictable for the client | Underestimating (Estimating theme work) |
| Hourly or daily rate | Time spent | Fair for unclear work | Clients fear open bills; needs reporting |
| Retainer | A fixed amount for reserved time | Planning for both sides | Unused hours become a debate |
| Pay what you want / donations | What users choose | Goodwill, community | Unpredictable (Funding an open source theme) |
Step by step
- Write your costs per month (time, tools, hosting, insurance).
- Choose one model for products and one for services.
- Write down what each price includes (What buyers receive).
- Publish the model clearly; hidden conditions damage trust.
- Review after a few months with real numbers.
Good practice
- Keep the free tier truly useful; it is your marketing.
- Say what happens when a subscription ends (the code stays theirs under the GPL; updates and support stop).
- Do not compare your prices with named competitors on your pages.
Related pages
- Pricing a custom theme project
- Support tiers
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
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