I recently worked with a developer from Fiverr who created a custom post layout for my GeneratePress website. They needed to add a specialized sidebar navigation menu for my content.
The freelancer utilized their own GenerateBlocks Pro developer license to build these features. Everything functions properly and I received all the custom code they wrote.
However, I’m worried about what might happen down the road:
- The premium plugin license belongs to the developer, not me, so I can’t get official updates or technical support.
- I’m concerned that without regular GenerateBlocks Pro updates, my site could run into problems when WordPress core gets updated, my theme gets new versions, or other plugins change. This might mess up my site design or create security holes.
I have two main questions:
- Do freelancers commonly use their own premium licenses for client projects without giving the client ownership?
- Should I actually be worried about these potential issues with updates and security?
I’d really appreciate any guidance on how to handle this situation with my developer or tips for dealing with it moving forward.
From a business perspective, this creates an unnecessary dependency that could cause problems later. I’ve seen situations where clients lose access to critical functionality when freelancers change their licensing arrangements or simply become unreachable. The real issue isn’t just about updates - it’s about having control over your own website infrastructure. GenerateBlocks Pro does receive regular updates for security and compatibility, and being locked out of those updates puts your site at risk over time. I would recommend negotiating with the developer to either transfer the license properly or provide you with the funds to purchase your own license. Most professional developers understand this concern and should be willing to work with you on a solution. The custom code they provided is yours, but the underlying plugin functionality remains tied to their account, which isn’t sustainable long-term.
yeah this is pretty sketchy tbh. most decent freelancers will either use your license or buy one for you and bill it separately. the fact they didnt mention this upfront is a red flag. you’re basically renting functionality through them now which puts you in a weird dependant position. i’d definitely push back and ask them to sort out a proper license transfer
This happened to me about two years ago with a different premium plugin. The freelancer was upfront about using their license but I didn’t think much of it at the time. Fast forward six months and the plugin stopped working properly after a WordPress update. When I contacted support they couldn’t help me since I wasn’t the license holder, and reaching out to the original developer was a nightmare since they had moved on to other projects. I ended up having to purchase my own license and essentially rebuild parts of the functionality. The code itself was fine but without being able to update the plugin, compatibility issues became a real headache. My advice would be to ask the developer to transfer a proper license to you or at minimum get detailed documentation about what customizations were made so you can recreate them later if needed.