As a website designer, I always strive to provide the most value to my clients while maintaining a sustainable business model myself. One area where this balance is often misunderstood is the use of premium licenses for plugins and themes.
While it might seem generous to include the use of license keys as a courtesy during a website build, if the client opts out of a management plan, using my license keys can create risks and challenges for both me and my clients.
In this post, I’ll explore a few reasons why I only include the use of premium licenses for clients on management plans.
Terms of Service Violations
A lot of the premium plugins and themes explicitly prohibit sharing license keys in their terms of service, except on websites the designer manages. For example, the Kadence TOS say:
“We grant you a limited, nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and use the Services you order from us pursuant to one or more orders…”
And their FAQ state:
“You can use your license for client’s sites where you are building, developing, and managing a website for that client.”
“Setting up a website by only installing and activating Kadence for someone is not allowed as well and all other forms of sharing the license key with any third party are not allowed.”
This is just one example, but most, if not all, plugin/theme developers include something similar, as they should. Using your license on a website you do not manage for a client can breach these terms, potentially leading to the license being revoked.
Not to mention, doing this undermines trust between developers and designers, as well as the broader design community.
Lack of Access to Developer Support
If a non-care plan client relies on my license, the client doesn’t have their own account, in turn losing direct access to plugin/theme support. The client may experience:
- Delayed resolutions for critical issues – without access to developer support, clients are unable to address urgent issues directly. If a critical plugin fails or conflicts with other website elements, the client has no immediate recourse, leading to prolonged downtime or loss of key functions.
- Difficulty troubleshooting plugin conflicts – plugins and themes can encounter conflicts with other plugin updates or hosting environments. Developer support is super-important to help diagnose and resolve these conflicts.
- Security vulnerabilities left unaddressed – If a plugin or theme developer releases a security patch to address a vulnerability, clients without support or active licenses may not be notified. This leaves their website exposed to potential security issues.
It’s far better for clients who choose to maintain their own websites to have their own licenses, ensuring they are notified of software issues and can get help directly if and when a problem occurs.
Client Dependency and Responsibility Issues
When a client isn’t on a management plan, I don’t necessarily have control over plugin/theme updates or maintenance, meaning the client is responsible to make any required updates for continued security and functionality, and I think we all know that failure to make the updates could cause a world of problems on the website.
Unfortunately, if a client is using a premium plugin license without a website management plan in place, there may still be an expectation of support or troubleshooting if there is a failure in the features or the license renewal. This might cause confusion and strained relationships if the client assumes the license guarantees indefinite functionality.
Premium licenses are more than just tools—they’re investments that I make as a designer to provide more robust website features and to help ensure long-term website success. By including these licenses as part of a website management plan, I can better ensure that my clients receive the ongoing care and support they need through timely updates and being a support liaison with developers and their teams.
Plus, this is really the ethical way to support the developers who build and maintain their plugins and themes.
Is your website covered with appropriate premium licenses? If you’re ready to simplify your business and learn more about how other features of a website management plan can benefit your business, let’s connect and make it happen.
DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may get a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through my links here. I only recommend products that I personally use and that help grow and streamline my business. You can read my full disclosure here.