7 Website Plugin Success Stories [2024]
A website plugin is a small piece of software that can be added to a website to enhance its functionality.
These plugins often serve specific purposes, such as improving SEO, adding social media buttons, or integrating e-commerce features.
Creating a website plugin business can be a lucrative opportunity as it meets the growing need for customizable and efficient online experiences. This enables website owners to enhance their sites without extensive coding knowledge.
As more businesses and individuals seek to establish and improve their online presence, providing valuable plugins can be a profitable venture in the digital market.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a website plugin:
1. Paid Memberships Pro ($1.2M/year)
After building various websites for clients, Jason and Kimberly Coleman realized the value of focusing on a niche and creating repeatable work. In 2010, they identified a need for a membership platform specifically for WordPress sites and developed Paid Memberships Pro. They launched the plugin in 2011, offering it for free with paid support plans, and eventually shifted to annual pricing to provide ongoing value to customers. The business steadily grew, reaching $100k per month in revenue by 2020.
How much they make: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
Current team size: 15
Learn how two entrepreneurs developed a successful open-source membership plugin for WordPress that brought in an average of $100k per month in revenue and grew to over 100,000 sites while offering premium add-ons and support services.
2. Boei ($30.4K/year)
Ruben, the founder of Boei, came up with the idea for his business after realizing the shortcomings of existing live chat solutions. He wanted to create a better alternative that would make it easier for customers to connect with companies through their preferred social channels. With his programming skills and marketing efforts, Ruben launched Boei and has seen success, including a gross profit of over $20,000 in just ten months.
How much they make: $30.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
Current team size: 0
Boei is a chat widget that integrates with social channels like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, which has made a gross profit of over $20,000 in just ten months and has over 2,088 customers and growing.
So... can you actually make money with a website plugin?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
So... can you actually make money with a website plugin?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. Beam Analytics ($240/year)
JR and Leng came up with the idea for Beam Analytics when they saw that Google Analytics was deemed not GDPR compliant. They wanted to create an affordable alternative that prioritized GDPR compliance and user privacy while offering valuable web analytics. After doing extensive research and drafting a product requirement, they launched Beam in January 2023 and have been steadily attracting and retaining customers through social media, blog posts, and partnerships.
How much they make: $240/year
How much did it cost to start: $3.5K
Current team size: 0
Beam Analytics offers GDPR-compliant web analytics including funnel analysis, cohort retention, and custom event tracking, with a generous free tier and pricing starting at just $11/month, attracting over 100 users within two weeks of launching.
4. WP Engine ($227M/year)
How much they make: $227M/year
Current team size: 1170
Find out how WP Engine became a market leader, with over 85,000 customers and generating more than $227 million in yearly revenue by providing digital solutions for businesses using key takeaways like automation and proper customer support.
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
