[nado]

hi

I'm going to be developing a web browser extension soon (initially for firefox, then ie)

However I will most likely be releasing it as a free download. If I did release it requiring a purchase it will most likely die and someone else will release something similar for free.

So I'm wondering what ways are there to monetize a web browser extension?

Do you know of any browser extensions that have made money while still offering the toolbar/extension as a free download? If so, how?

Do firefox pay money in some form or another to extensions which they decide to include as a feature in the standard firefox release?

cheers

[akula]

Originally Posted by nado

hi

I'm going to be developing a web browser extension soon (initially for firefox, then ie)

However I will most likely be releasing it as a free download. If I did release it requiring a purchase it will most likely die and someone else will release something similar for free.

So I'm wondering what ways are there to monetize a web browser extension?

Do you know of any browser extensions that have made money while still offering the toolbar/extension as a free download? If so, how?

Do firefox pay money in some form or another to extensions which they decide to include as a feature in the standard firefox release?

cheers

Very interesting.

1) Firefox it self makes money because when people use fireforx to search on Google, FF gets a cut for any ads these ppl click on. It's like Google Sitesearch on steroids.

2) One extention, BetterSearch, make money by altering the appearance of what my search engine results page (SERP) looks like. If I search for a product, and an Amazon icon appears on my SERP because of BetterSearch, if I click on the icon and buy the product, BetterSearch gets paid. It's like inserting your Amazon affiliate link into search results.

hmmmmm.....so the top of my head answer is.....somehow integrate GOOG Siteserach or Ebay/Amazon/Whatever affiliate links into your extention.

There must be smthg else though...let me think about this...

[nado]

hmm, yeah an affiliate system of some sort seems the most feasible, although I'm not sure it would work with my idea... oh, hang on (spark)... it may be possible

The problem is that the extension will need to be completely free to download and use for the user. When I first thought of the idea I was thinking it could perhaps end-up like Skype (i.e. being bought out by some company)... although I'm not sure this would work so much in this case, though it may be possible.

How do you think users would respond to advertisements in the extension/toolbar? Too obtrusive?

It'd be a delicate balance though since you would need to keep the users happy otherwise it would be very simple for someone to reverse engineer the extension, remove or add a feature (such as removing advertisements) and then releasing it under a different name. I might have to look into the copyright placed on firefox extensions, as I think they may be open source (or similar)?

Affiliate
Advertising
Selling
... other options?

cheers

[nado]

bumpidy bump

[tshesse]

what about a donations page:

"You can help ensure future enhancements by donating today"

don't know if you have one setup but start an enhancements board to take requests etc ...

good luck

[nado]

yeah donations would be an idea, but very rarely do you actually make a decent, steady income from just donations.

I'm blank, I've got about 3 ideas that could work to monetize it, but surely there must be a few more?