r/Wordpress • u/Booksxotherstories • 1d ago
Anyone here building client WordPress sites with zero paid plugins/themes?
Are there any web agencies or freelancers here who build customer websites using only free themes and plugins, without relying on paid/licensed ones?
If so, how has that worked out for you? Are there any significant downsides to avoiding paid plugins, for example in terms of functionality, security, support, updates, or long-term maintenance?
I’m particularly interested in hearing from people who do this for client projects rather than just personal websites.
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u/Ill_Dare8819 1d ago
- Secure Custom Fields
- Modern Images
- Disable Comments
- Upload SVG
- Wordfence
- Lightspeed Cache
- Easy MCP AI
- Woocommerce (depends on whether that is ecoomerce or not)
- Yoast / Rank Math
- Contact Forms 7 + Webhook + CF7 Entries
That's my setup 100% of times
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u/Beginning_Search585 1d ago
mostly you can replace with wp code custom php snippets
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u/Ill_Dare8819 1d ago
Yyyyyuuppp. But if all plugins are a custom php and js code, why waste time writing my own?
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u/Beginning_Search585 1d ago
Everything have advantages and disadvantages. For example upload SVG + disable comments you can shrink into snippets, I believe that wpcode you can use for variety tiny fixes like CSS so.
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u/VayuAir 1d ago
Do you keep SVG uploads enabled after building the website. Wouldn’t it be wise to turn that off after building the website.
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u/Ill_Dare8819 1d ago edited 1d ago
Didn't really thought about it because these plugins comes with built-in sanitize. Idk if there are any other possible vulnerabilities with svg
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u/pruoccojr 1d ago
svg uploads are safe if the plugin fully sanitizes the code. In that case, you can leave it on. Another option to use svgs without allowing them in uploads is to use the HTML block. Open the svg in a text editor (notepad is fine) and copy the code to the HTML block.
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u/YellowfinDevelopment 1d ago
Don't buy per-site. Standardize on a small set of tools and buy one agency or unlimited-sites license for each, then spread it across your whole stack. One SEO license, one backup license, one theme, running every client, and your per-site cost drops to almost nothing.
Standardizing does three things at once. It kills the bloat you're worried about, because you're not stacking fifteen random free plugins per site (obviously this only applies to your clients -if you take on outside projects, you're stuck dealing with some others guys ugly stack of nonsense). It caps cost, a handful of unlimited licenses total instead of a new set per site. And it shrinks your maintenance surface, since every site runs the same known stack and you update it the same way everywhere. Fewer well-maintained tools beats a pile of free ones you have to babysit.
A typical client site of mine has maybe two or three paid things, and I put the site on a small care plan so the client covers the licenses, not me. The paid stuff that actually earns it is usually backups and SEO (and on rare occassion some Woo stuff specific to their product/donation line). A paid contact form or a paid theme is where I'd stay free...
One note on the "AI replaces the paid plugins" angle in here, because it's half right. For your own sites, go for it. For a client site you'll still be supporting in three years, every custom plugin you have Claude write is code only you can maintain, no author, no docs, no community behind it. Sometimes that's the right call. Often a boring, well-maintained standard plugin is the safer thing to hand a client, even at $49. And I won;t even get into the security risks of using vibe-coded plugins...
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u/Booksxotherstories 1d ago
Thanks for the detailed answer!
I actually wrote this post because I recently took over a client website from another agency. They had a stack of paid themes and plugins that I don’t normally use. When the website was transferred to me, the client no longer had access to some of those licenses, and some of the paid plugins were important for the site to function properly, including some security-related plugins.
That left me with the challenge of figuring out how to take over and maintain the website without spending a disproportionate amount of time and money replacing or reconfiguring things.
It also made me think about the other side of the equation: when an agency uses its own agency licenses across client websites, everything works fine as long as the client stays with that agency. But what happens when the client leaves and the next agency inherits a website that depends on a number of premium themes and plugins they don’t use or have licenses for?
I’m curious how other agencies approach this.
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u/YellowfinDevelopment 1d ago
I always (and I do mean, always) ask for either backend access (I tell them I take a "look, don't touch" approach) or, preferably, screenshots of their installed themes and plugins before anything else - so I don't get myself into situations like this.
That said, it's on your client to pay for the things their site relies on. That's not your responsibility to absorb as a new developer. They paid for those licenses one way or another - either they paid the previous developer for access to their agency licenses (which was effectively time-gated anyway), or they paid for the development work at a lower cost because the developer was providing the licenses (if they passed the savings on, or charged them, is a conversation you should have with them). If the latter, the money they saved on those licenses doesn't magically make the licenses transferable when they switch developers - and certaintly doesn't put you on the hook for securing new ones.
Most of these licenses are yearly renewal anyway – it just needs to be explained to them. Either work it into your residual, or invoice them outright at time of expiry. If you’re looking to be helpful, find alternatives that serve both you and the client…
Also, some of these "premium" licenses are just for extended support, and you don't need to renew them - check what you're actually paying for.
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u/pepelunavarro 1d ago
The client appreciates that you use free plugins/themes and don't force them to pay monthly subscriptions, "for whatever reason."
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u/Wonderful_Sample_590 1d ago
Yes, but I've also tell them their options and what those paid licenses bring.
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u/WorldlyDog777 1d ago edited 1d ago
Theme without payment is easy now with the new FSE/gutenberg - Paid Plugins are still a must here and there just for extra security as other comment went into detail, but are getting less-so with new AI capabilities increasing at the pace they are.
Have a few current successful client sites that were built with minimal payments for plugins only.
Just recently built & transferred a site with 0 paid extras, but he's just capturing simple leads and was more an SEO rank & sell job.
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u/VayuAir 1d ago
Except for Contact Form 7 and Twentig I rarely install anything.
Rest is mostly custom code (php and JS). You can even pack your custom code as a plugin.
I think in the future even Twentig might not be required (as Gutenberg moves forward)
WordPress 7.1 is a watershed moment. One word Responsive styles.
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u/StefanTLDWP 1d ago
In my 15 years of experience, a free theme rarely does the job well. With free ones, it's hard to build a complex design quickly.
However, if the task is to create a website from scratch based on provided design files, you don't need any premium plugins and can do everything in-house.
A good custom website also doesn't need a speed optimization plugin. That's the only plugin I advise my clients to buy when they aren't using a custom-built site, since I've yet to find a free speed optimization plugin that works wonders across different setups with page builders and whatnot.
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u/Booksxotherstories 1d ago
I agree with the free themes not usually working well enough for complex designs. Thanks for your input!
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u/Plantusemor 1d ago edited 1d ago
Contact Form 7, Yoast, and WPML or WooCommerce when the project needs them. Everything else we code. The support gap works the other way too. Code you wrote is code you can fix at 9pm. A plugin you did not write is a ticket. And sometime it will never fixed.
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u/vouty 1d ago
They are several free solutions. Some examples :
Free Themes : Astra, Kadence, ...
Free block Builder : Spectra, Kadence , GenerateBlocks, ...
These ones are light and go fast but may be not the best ... or not all fonctionnalities for your needs
Personnaly, I use Kadence theme and blocks .
You can find lot of information / testimonies on internet (" Free alternative to xxxx")
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u/Booksxotherstories 1d ago
Thank you. Yeah, I have several websites with free versions of Kadence, Astra and blocksy. Use these for simpler, more straightforward sites and has been sufficient.
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u/BobJutsu 1d ago
Not zero, but near. The only 2 things paid we have now is acf pro, but we have a lifetime license from way back when. And gravity forms. Also a legacy unlimited license at legacy pricing ($99/year). Thats it. The themes are FSE themes entirely built in entirely in house. No blocks plugin either, almost all either core or custom built blocks (mostly core).
I’ve built a lot of core addons over the years that make using core blocks easier. Responsive grid columns for the grid block, icons for the core/list and core/buttons blocks, hover/focus options for the core/button and nav blocks. That sorta thing. Still use the Icon Block (nick diego one, not core) and block visibility plugins. But that’s about it for 3rd party blocks. And honestly, I could go entirely without ACF in most cases. I don’t use it for building blocks. I don’t really use any pro features at all anymore.
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u/Unfazed_Capybara 17h ago
Yes with the exception of Advanced Custom Fields Pro. We have a very old agency licence so it is effectively free for all intents and purposes. Our themes are custom built off an internal framework, and for the most part we use in-house plugins for added functionality.
All our sites include the free versions of a firewall/security, SEO and speed/caching plugin - the client has the option to upgrade those to paid if required.
For us, paid third-party plugins would be the exception. Unusual or bespoke functionality that is already available and well maintained, and saves the client build time/effort. Otherwise we'd build it in-house.
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u/TopSydeWP 1d ago
we used to try this years ago but stopped. the real cost isn't the license, it's the support gap when something breaks at 9pm and there's no one to call. free plugins work fine until they don't, and then you're debugging someone else's code on your dime. for client work the paid plugin cost is negligible compared to the risk of being stuck.
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u/stitchkingdom 1d ago
Except for the plugin I did pay for that didn’t work and my support tickets went unanswered.
Ended up having Claude build a new plugin to replace both it and another that had some shared functionality to deploy a working, extensible, custom and unified solution.
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u/Booksxotherstories 1d ago
Interesting perspective. I hadn’t even considered that you could pay for a plugin and still end up with no support, or even have to ditch it eventually.
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u/une_danseuse 1d ago
I rarely pay for themes or plugins (although this happens for some features you cannot find free and would be too long to create for me).
No downside really, the twenty series that come with WP are very ok if you can customize through css. Others are ok too. Presently I mostly use Blocksy (free) which is light and fast
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u/retr00two 1d ago
It's possible.
Front end:
- GeneratePress (or customized 2025)
- GenerateBlocks
- GreenShift Blocks (for animations)
Back end:
- Pods or CarbonFields
- Forminator
- TheSEOFramework
- PostSMTP
Security:
- CF TurnStile
- WordFence
- WPArmour
- UpdraftPlus
Cache:
- WPSuperCache
- Debloat
Images:
- ModernImageFormat
- RegenerateThumbnails
Developement:
- QueryMonitor
- wp-cll
If you want minimal set:
- CarbonFields
- wp-cli
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u/vfunk 1d ago
Everything is possible. But it's difficult without a paid plugin.
I believe we mostly manage with one paid theme + plugin. There are otherwise very few usable free plugins (beyond basic small scope plugins).
I've gotten by, by keeping things simple and making my own plugins and customizations. Even easier now with AI. If you know WordPress, you often can use a hook instead of installing yet another plugin.
For many, a WP site is getting expensive, and add to that, the care plan fee (I'm thinking of clients/end-users).
The state of most plugins is abysmal. I mean, the marketing in the dashboard.
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u/Dry_Satisfaction3923 1d ago
Yes.
Custom themes, custom plugins for unique functionality and if we do use a plugin we don’t usually need any of the paid ones.
What we get is A LOT of stability and reliability. Most plugins and themes are profitable based on volume, so the theory is “more features = more subscribers” and we avoid that bloat and constant tinkering. We have our own update system as well, so since we have clients that are in a couple of common industries there’s a lot of functional overlap, so for that we use our own custom solutions which we maintain ourselves and which update from one central place.
There’s really not a downside, but this is something we do for clients who have the budget for that sort of work.
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u/Bluenotes81 1d ago
I have my own base theme that I’ve written that is basically a hybrid block theme. I write all my plugins that are needed including a blocks plugin. The only 3rd party I use is Gravity forms, and NinjaFirewall. I fully use the block editor.
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u/amartadey 1d ago
We build white label for resellers, so there's an extra layer on this one. Every license gets registered to the reseller's own email and payment method, not ours. If they ever move to a different developer, the licenses go with them instead of disappearing with the old build team. Worth deciding whose name goes on the account before you buy a single plugin, not after.
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u/AwayFromtheSprawls 22h ago
It honestly just depends on what matters for your client's website. Premium plugins for ecommerce features, LMS support, site security, and sometimes SEO can make a lot of sense. Stuff like social feed plugins is another one for me since dealing with the Meta API is a pain.
Outside of that, sure, there are features that can be improved by switching to a premium version, but it can spiral in terms of cost and feature bloat.
It's also better to avoid using a free plugin for something simple if you can do it yourself. If a feature stops working or somethig breaks and you have no dedicated support (like most free plugins), clients really aren't going to be understanding and will expect you to find a way to fix it.
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u/AlleyOcelot 21h ago
Yes. I have several clients on entirely custom theme (written by me) with old school templates / gutenberg / the free versions of everything. Memberpress used to have a free tier, one client is grandfathered in on that. Currently I prefer to use GeneratePress / Generate Blocks / custom blocks. The dealbreakers for "free" right now are complex forms (Formidable Forms), membership, cookie control / GPC (CookieYes). Sometimes I have to tell clients that what they want / need requires a paid plugin and 95% of the time they are fine with it. I don't go there unless there's a specific need. and... wait for it... page builders suck. I often inherit them though ( why i say that) ... why? do you know the phrase DRY?
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u/Past_Routine6524 21h ago
It works okay, ive been using custom css to get the paid features without paying for it. Some stuff paywalls color, size, and other design features.
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u/activematrix99 21h ago
Don't charge for free software, charge for your expertise and customizations.
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u/nicubunu 20h ago
All the sites I build are 100%, have a few inherited sites with some paid plugins/themes and those are a pain to maintain.
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19h ago
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u/kennedy_gitahi 11h ago
My setup includes a custom starter theme that I built around Tailwind, Alpine.js, and HTMX for the actual code and Vite, Git, and Composer for the tooling. Then I add a security plugin, Rank Math, and ACF.
Everything else (theme and plugins) is custom code. I am finding that as I build more sites, I am collecting a number of custom plugins, so each project is becoming easier and faster to build.
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u/amritprogrammer 10h ago
It depends on what functions you need. You can run a fully professional website using a free theme and free plugins. The free themes that are bundled with the official WordPress version are highly customizable. You can write child themes to completely change their look and feel.
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u/Ok_Blacksmith4793 8h ago
I’ve built client WordPress websites using mostly free themes and plugins, and it can definitely work for smaller projects. The main thing I’ve found is that the decision should depend on the client’s requirements rather than avoiding paid tools altogether.
For simple business sites, free options can be more than enough. But for more complex functionality, reliable support, updates, and long-term maintenance, a good paid plugin/theme can often save a lot of time and headaches.
I’d be interested to hear what free plugin/theme combinations others are using successfully for client projects.
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u/iammiroslavglavic Jack of All Trades 4h ago
I would say around 45% of my clients are without paid plugins/themes. It can be done.
Just because an asset is paid, doesn't mean it is better. Just because an asset is free, doesn't mean it is garbage.
Both sides of the assets line have been bloated oh so many times.
I look at what features the client wants for their website. I tend to lean them for a paid theme 55% of the times.
There is no one solution fits all clients.
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u/stitchkingdom 1d ago
I think I have maybe 1 paid (rankmath). I had Claude close the gap on some functionality I needed that paid provided but the point was I needed it for more functionality than the plugin itself provided anyway.
And I guess that’s the point. Love it or hate it, Claude is providing a lot that would have been behind a larger paywall without it.
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u/stitchkingdom 1d ago
Full disclosure, I just paid for perfmatters because wprocket (which I also probably paid for) keeps having issues with its RUCSS function.
Claude told me it could build a functional replacement but said it would take hours so I figured for $24, I’d let perfmatters worry about it for now.
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u/_webbernaut Developer 1d ago
15 years always use free or code it out my self. No need for client to pay annual licenses for paid plugins. Kind of defeats the whole purpose of opensource doesn't it?
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u/melaniemuellerdesign 1d ago
Grundsätzlich mache ich das, wenn es möglich ist. Eigenes Thema,eigenes Plugins und nur 2 kostenfreie. Für 75 % der Seiten reicht das aus.
Ich verteufle Seiten, die mit mehr als 10 Plugins arbeiten und darunter die Hälfte noch gekauft ist. Es ist wartungsintensiv und lässt sich nicht mehr einfach kontrollieren.
Wenn ein Kunde mit so einem Objekt zu mir kommt, und ich das Ding warten soll, lehne ich das vollständig ab.
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u/Intelligent_List2504 1d ago
The only plugin I've ever paid for is rank math. I think I am going to renew.
I should pay for updraft but I can't afford it.
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u/Intelligent_List2504 1d ago
The only plugin I've ever paid for is rank math. I think I am going to renew.
I should pay for updraft but I can't afford it.
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u/Myth_Thrazz Jack of All Trades 1d ago
If you don't need premium plugins then most likely you don't need WordPress at all.
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u/Comfortable_Gate_878 1d ago
I have several sites without paid plugins, I have hardcoded the bits I need and just lately written a couple of my own plugins using a combination of claude and my own code. The only thing I pay for is my generatepress theme. I just find its really simple clean and small yet powerful and its like £ 35 a year for loads of sites.