Re:Ask HN: Monetizing a Web Browser Extension
by purple-leafy on Tuesday July 16, 2024 @04:10AM
(#40974494)
Hey I’m a browser extension developer so I can answer this! I’ve built and sold (a) browser extension (by accident), and I make them in my spare time.
For monetisation, free tier + premium tier with extra/killer features is the main way to do this.
How do you protect your work? You can’t. Well, it’s hazy. Browser extension code is easy to exfiltrate. Unless a portion of the code is server side or a database, which you can protect. Don’t bother with a lawyer, you can’t afford to charge the copycats.
So how can you make money? Be first; Market better than the copycats; Be trustworthy; Do freemium to grow your user base.
Most importantly, how do you know this will be useful to people? Have you done market research? Talked to users?
For monetisation, free tier + premium tier with extra/killer features is the main way to do this.
How do you protect your work? You can’t. Well, it’s hazy. Browser extension code is easy to exfiltrate. Unless a portion of the code is server side or a database, which you can protect. Don’t bother with a lawyer, you can’t afford to charge the copycats.
So how can you make money? Be first; Market better than the copycats; Be trustworthy; Do freemium to grow your user base.
Most importantly, how do you know this will be useful to people? Have you done market research? Talked to users?