I’m sure you’re probably using nulled WordPress Themes and Plugins to save some money. But have you ever wondered why someone would give you a premium plugin for free? What’s in it for them? Well, you should. Because these canceled WordPress plugins and themes may not cost you money, but they will cost you a lot of valuable things related to your website.
And this is why you should avoid using nulled WordPress themes and plugins. To learn more about what are nulled themes and plugins and why you should never use wp nulled themes and plugins, keep reading.
What is WordPress nulled plugins and themes?
WordPress nulled the plugin and theme pirated version. Generally, WordPress plugins and themes come in free or premium versions. Sometimes premium plugins also provide a free version of the same plugin with limited features. In such cases, plugins are called freemium plugins.
But some people distribute a cracked premium version of WordPress plugins for free. These premium plugins and themes that are available for free (often at very minimal cost) on third-party sites are considered WordPress Nulled plugins and themes.
Basically, if a premium plugin you get from a website/owner that is not an authorized developer or affiliate seller of that plugin is considered null.
The idea seems a bit illegal and harmful, doesn’t it? Because that’s it. Go to the next section to find out why you shouldn’t use WordPress nulled plugins and themes.
Does the GPL License Make WordPress Nulled Plugins and Themes Legal?
To understand this better, first, let’s learn a bit about what a GPL license is. The GPL is a software license for free software that allows end users to run, study, modify, and share the software It is designed to ensure the following four freedoms for the end user:
- Use the program for any purpose
- Study how the program works and modify it to get the output you want
- Redistribute and make copies to help others
- Improve the program and release new improvements
Since WordPress uses the GPL license, WordPress plugins and themes also use the GPL. The GLP uses a copyleft approach where you can modify software but you must publish and distribute it for free under the same GPL license.
At this point, you should understand that the GPL allows the use and modification of the code but not the use of brand names, logos, and such copyrighted features.
So, while using and distributing the code is legal, using brand names and other copyrighted property is actually illegal. And, if, someone sells a canceled version of a premium plugin for a cost (even if it is a small amount), then it is definitely illegal.
Now, when you can get tons of plugins and themes for free from WordPress.org, why would you download from any source other than a trusted WordPress site, right? There is no reason.
Finally, to answer your question, yes it is legal to modify free WordPress plugins and themes as long as you distribute them under the same terms, but this does not apply to premium plugins and themes.
Why you should avoid nulled WordPress Themes & Plugins
The reasons not to use nulled WordPress plugins are too numerous to cover in one article. So, I am going to mention the most significant things that you must know about.
Security risk
The most important reason why you should say “no” to zero plugins and themes is security. The moment you install a wp nulled plugin or theme on your site, you put your site at risk of being hacked.
Because there is a high probability that the null plugin has been injected with malicious code to make it available for free. These codes can compromise your WordPress security.
While the free aspect makes it profitable, it puts your website and site data at risk. As a result, in the hope of saving some money, you can actually lose your entire website.
SEO issue
Since deprecated wp plugins and themes carry spam or malicious links, it can adversely affect your SERP rank. Spam and malicious links will reduce your site’s domain authority and as a result, you will lose your chances of ranking high in the SERPs. And if you already have highly ranked pages, you will likely lose them.
Because search engines focus on providing the best user experience and spammy websites are proven to provide a poor user experience.
Compromise privacy
A successful business is built by gaining and maintaining customer trust in your brand. You may lose your customer’s trust in your site if you compromise customers’ personal information.
When you use a deprecated wp plugin or theme, you are compromising the privacy of your customer’s sensitive data such as usernames, passwords, personal profile information, etc.
And the worst part is that you cannot tell when your customer’s personal information has been accessed by others. You know this after you start getting angry emails from your customers. But by then, it may be too late to restore your consumer’s trust.
Any update may cause an incompatibility issue
Since there is no paid subscription associated with canceled WP plugins or themes, you will not receive any new updates and the latest features. However, the thing that can cause more problems is that your software might be incompatible with the latest technology and WordPress. This will lead to a poor user experience for your customers. Also, it can sometimes cause critical errors.
No support
With a premium license, you get official support from the development team that created the plugin. In the long process of building and maintaining a WordPress website, you will need the support of the dev team.
But with a nulled plugin, this option will not be available to you. Because people who sell nulled wp plugins and themes have no incentive to help you with bugs and errors. On the other hand, a premium product provides support as part of a subscription.
Since the team that developed the product is making money by providing you with package support, it also benefits them. So, if you don’t want to be stuck with a technical problem where there is no one to help you, you should avoid deprecated WordPress themes and plugins.
Legal issues
Premium plugins are protected by copyright law. So, if the plugin owners don’t give you access or you haven’t purchased a license, it’s illegal to use that plugin. And if your luck doesn’t favor you, using a null WordPress plugin could lead to legal action.
As a result of using an illegal product that you have no legal right to use, you could end up losing a lot more money than you could ever hope to save by using nulled plugins.
Bad user experience
I know I mentioned that using the wp nulled plugin can result in a poor user experience. But this is worth mentioning as a separate point. Because, if your site cannot provide good UX, then your website will not retain traffic and you will not be able to sell from your website.
In short, a bad user experience will not only waste your consumer’s time but also waste all your efforts as you will get no results. So, to ensure that you achieve the goals you want with a successful WordPress site, you must avoid wp null plugins.
Discourage developers
The growing use of zero plugins must discourage hardworking developers who spend hours on end coming up with new innovative plugins to make your life better. Because developers work hard to create premium plugins so that they can earn a good amount of money to live a good life.
But, when someone uses a free canceled version of their product, they don’t get any financial benefit. As a result, credible developers will be discouraged and will not put effort into creating innovative plugins. And it will hinder the entire WordPress community along with WordPress site owners.
Now, do you understand the dangers of using nulled WordPress plugins and themes? It’s more harmful than it sounds! Hence, it is always recommended to avoid nulled WordPress plugins and themes.
Dealing with WordPress themes and plugins?
Now you know how harmful it is to use nulled WordPress themes and plugins on a website. But if you’re already using a nulled plugin or theme? Is there any way to fix this mistake and secure your WordPress site?
Well, there are two ways you can deal with new WordPress themes and plugins. Here are those methods:
System 1: Choose alternative free WordPress themes and plugins
WordPress has more than 59,874 plugins and more than 9,916 free themes. So, even if you don’t have the budget to buy a premium plugin, you can get a similar theme or plugin for free on WordPress.org. Choosing free WordPress themes and plugins can be the best option you can deal with canceled WordPress products.
System 2: Identify and get rid of malicious code
If you are already using a discontinued theme or plugin and unfortunately cannot find a suitable alternative on WordPress.org, you can choose this option. Try to identify malicious codes and get rid of them. You can use malware detector plugins, such as Wordfence Security, MalCare WordPress Security, Sucuri Security, etc. to detect malware for free.
Benefits of using licensed WordPress premium plugins
Now that you know how you should avoid deprecated products, let’s take a look at all the benefits of using WordPress premium plugins:
- You will have access to the latest updates and features
- 24×7 support’s available if you need help
- Your website data will be kept confidential
- Don’t worry about the security of your site
- Since you will be using an authorized plugin, you won’t face any copyright issues
- You can request new features to be added to plugins
- From time to time, you’ll also get discounts on their related plugins.
Speaking of discounts, let’s move on to the next section to find out how you can enjoy some discounts on premium WordPress plugins. Buy WordPress Hosting for your website.
