As a Joomla developer, I’m often asked why I release my extensions—like System - X Autopost, System - Link Canonical, and Fields - XMLForm - for free. In an industry where paid software is common, it’s a fair question. My reasons come down to three things: financial stability, lessons from a failed freemium experiment, and a passion for championing Joomla, a CMS that’s technically stellar but faces adoption hurdles.
Financial Stability Fuels Open Source
I work full-time on a Joomla-based SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) product (contractual obligations keep details under wraps), which provides a comfortable income. This means I don’t need to monetize my extensions to pay the bills. Joomla’s robust framework has been key to my professional success, powering complex solutions for clients with its flexibility and efficiency. For example, its modular architecture has allowed me to build scalable systems without heavy custom coding. Releasing free extensions is my way of giving back to the community that’s supported my career. It’s a cycle: Joomla helped me grow, I help Joomla grow, and its ecosystem benefits everyone, including my day job.
Freemium Was a Headache
Years ago, I tried the freemium model—offering free versions of extensions alongside paid “pro” upgrades. It seemed like a good idea, but it doubled my workload. Maintaining two codebases meant twice the updates, bug fixes, and support queries. For instance, if I fixed a bug in the free version of an extension like System - AdminExile, I had to replicate it in the pro version, then handle separate user complaints for each. Most users stuck with the free versions, which were already functional enough for core tasks like SEO tweaks or form handling. If I limited the free tier further, it became too restrictive to attract users, making the pro version a tough sell. I scrapped freemium for simplicity: fully free extensions, high quality, and no extra hassle. This keeps development manageable and aligns with Joomla users’ expectations for accessible tools.
Joomla’s Brilliance vs. Its Challenges
Joomla is a technical powerhouse, and the awards prove it. In 2025, it won the FOSS Award for Best CMS, the CMS Critic People’s Choice Award for Best Open Source CMS, and the FOSS Awards CMS Winner category. These accolades highlight its speed, security, and flexibility—qualities that shine in complex sites like multilingual portals or e-commerce platforms. For example, Joomla’s built-in multilingual support and advanced access control lists (ACL) make it ideal for enterprise-grade projects without needing a slew of plugins.
Joomla is Technically Superior
Yet, Joomla powers only 1.7-2.7% of CMS-based websites, compared to WordPress’s 60% dominance. Why? Joomla’s learning curve is steeper. Its components, modules, and access controls offer unmatched control but require more upfront effort than WordPress’s plug-and-play simplicity. WordPress’s ease comes at a cost, though—a 2022 study by Sucuri named it the most hacked CMS, with 96.2% of infections tied to its sprawling plugin ecosystem. Joomla’s tighter architecture and proactive security reduce these risks, making it a safer bet for those who master its curve.
Where WordPress Beats Joomla: Free Extensions
The extension ecosystems of Joomla and WordPress are vastly different as well. WP boasts nearly 90% of their extensions are free - compared to 40% of Joomla extensions (compatible with the currently supported releases). That's a huge disparity and is likely a contributing factor to the popularity of WordPress over Joomla - basic functionality doesn't take a bite out of your wallet with WP.
Free Extensions are the Key
This is why I release free extensions. By solving real problems like social sharing, SEO, custom forms, /administrator security - I aim to make Joomla more approachable, showing its power to new users and encouraging them to embrace its potential.
My goal is to rebuild Joomla’s fanbase, one useful FREE tool at a time.
How You Can Help
I don't want to take anything from anyone. I have been blessed with the means and ability to do this for free. I don’t ask for donations - my reward is Joomla’s growth. What Joomla really needs is...
Joomla Evangelists
I can't be the only person who feels this way about Joomla. I know Tim Davis over at Basic Joomla Tutorials shows love every week. I want to create new fans and hopefully they'll become evangelists for the platform.
If you feel that I have blessed you, then you can bless me
If you use my extensions, please leave a review on the Joomla Extensions Directory. Your feedback highlights Joomla’s strengths and spreads the word about my custom development services for tailored Joomla solutions, like migrations, optimizations, or bespoke features. As Joomla marks its 20th anniversary in 2025, let’s make it the choice for builders who value quality and security.
Thanks for joining me in this mission. Download an extension, share a review, and let’s keep Joomla thriving!
