Types Plugin Is Moving to Be a Part of the Complete Toolset Package

   Amir

Announcements

November 19, 2017
48

Types project started in 2011, with a clear goal – to allow using WordPress as a complete CMS. In part, we accomplished our goal, but there’s still room for more.

Seven years forward, with over 200K active sites and a global community, Types is evolving. In order to get Types to where we want to it go, we need to invest more. We want to give you not just “a plugin that works”, but rather a mind-blowing experience.

To accomplish our ambitious plans, we’re moving Types into the complete (paid) Toolset package. Types will enjoy much greater development resources, made available by payments.

We don’t want to rely on ads or nags. We want to be able to create the best product possible, for WordPress professionals who need it and rely on it for their work.

New major versions of Types will only be available with a Toolset account

For the last year, we’ve been working on Types 2.3. Even though this is just a 0.1 version increase, it’s actually a major rewrite for Types. Types 2.3 will include power features that allow you to build sites easier than ever before.

Repeating and nested field groups

In addition to regular fields, you can add groups of repeating fields with infinite nesting

Conveniently add repeating fields when editing posts

Post reference fields

Post reference fields make it easy to link between different content items and types

Many-to-many post relationships

Free Types updates will continue to be available through 2018

We know that not everyone can afford to pay for plugins and we’re not going to leave anyone hanging.

The free Types will continue to exist on WPORG and will receive bug fixes, security updates and compatibility updates until the end of 2018.

If you built client sites with Types and you’re not planning to upgrade to the full Toolset package, we’ll make sure that your sites work perfectly smooth without running into any problems. Updates for Types will continue normally (without payment or registration) through 2018.

Types 2.3 release schedule

We are still working on Types 2.3, which will include these major new features. Beta versions are available already and we’re planning for a first production release in the coming weeks.

Not just Types, but the full Toolset package

People who upgrade to the full Toolset package are getting a lot more than new features in Types. You will receive a complete WordPress development framework, which allows you to build advanced sites without programming.

Learn more about Toolset   |   Toolset showcase

 

Comments 48 Responses

  1. i will say this is a shocking but good move amir.
    Others might think otherwise. we need to differentiate from the normal wp plugins, toolset is way above than a normal plugin can do.
    btw do consider creating an api/framework for other plugin dev to hookup and create toolset compatible/add for their plugins. This will take the toolset for another level.I am already using admin col pro with toolset addon that make the backend viewing breeze !

    i hope the upcoming major update is a smooth one .

    • Thank you for your support. I appreciate it very much.

      Actually, Toolset plugins each has its API, but there’s nothing ‘united’. If you have something specific in mind, which needs an API, let me know and I’ll look up what we already have.

      • hi amir, you might want to study the case of “jreviews” as sample case. they removed themselves from WPORG end up loosing big chunk of potential customers. its a very good review plugin no doubt abt it but not many wordpress users will know them just because they are not in WPORG .

        btw any estimation when the production release ? beta cant find too. thanks.

  2. This makes me want to drop ACF from my workflow and fully invest in Types and Toolset.

    This is a very welcome development.

  3. I always thought that having Types in the WordPress directory probably helped promote Toolset and attract customers. Why not a Types and a Types Pro? There are a lot of themes and plugins offered that way.

    • That’s what we were hoping for too, but we’ve learned that the vast majority of people downloading free plugins from WPORG are never going to take any interest in anything that costs money. Most of Toolset sales are coming from other sources than WPORG.

      • “Never” is not the right word, I think. I often look for free plugins and often buy commercial ones too. Also, WPORG review messages are full of comments from those who bought paid versions pf plugins.

        It’s your decision though, I do not want to question it. I just wanted to point out that never say never 🙂

        • Of course, “never” is not the right work. Our stats, coming from Google Analytics, show that most of our clients come from other sources than WPORG or Types from WPORG. There are still sales from Types.

  4. I really appreciate all of the hard work the Toolset team puts in on such a great product! I very excited to start using these new features!

  5. I invested in the lifetime license quite a while ago and by far it’s the best spent money when it comes down to buying wordpress resources, in terms of both creativity and personal growth. In fact working with the Toolset suite pushed me to want to learn more and more about coding and programming. Even tho I still have a long way to go, I am happy with the purchase and I encourage anyone who has even a tiny doubt to dive right in because you won’t regret it!

    • Thank you for your support. In fact, Lifetime accounts will be discontinued in the near future (for both Toolset and WPML). We will continue honoring existing Lifetime accounts, but will not be selling new ones.

      • As part of this whole move to sunset Types from WPORG, perhaps you could make an offer to current users of free Types that if its proven its usefulness over time to get a lifetime license before they are gone? It would certainly be a classy move 🙂

        • I’m not trying to run a bait-and-switch scheme on people who use Types for free from WPORG. We’re disclosing our plans, so that if it doesn’t fit into anyone’s agenda or philosophies, they can arrange alternatives for themselves. We’re also going to drop Lifetime accounts for Toolset, so we’re not going to offer it to people coming from Types. People who buy our Lifetime accounts, while they are available will get Lifetime accounts and we’ll never ask them for more money. However, in the near future, we’ll stop selling them.

          • Whoa now, I don’t understand this about ‘bait-and-switch’ – my suggestion was meant in good faith. Personally, I bought a lifetime Toolset license years ago and think it was a fantastic investment. I don’t know all the rules/etiquette of making offers to WPORG plugin users, and of course you should run your business as you feel is best. Kind Regards, Max

  6. If revenue does become an issue after moving types. I’d be happy to pay $20 annually to keep Toolset going (I have lifetime membership). Tailor page builder is folding, and although we are talking about different platforms I think most people would continue to support a product in a small way than to see it go and then have to find a replacement and all the work involved in switching over. I understand it might not be in the original spirit but I’d rather have it than loose it for the sake of a small annual fee. I am switching from Divi to Generate Press (Divi has become too bloated IMO). So although there is a one off for GP Pro, I’d still be happy to pay a small fee and know it’s good for the next 10 years or so… The same applies for Toolset.

  8. Hi Amir,

    Just to have you state this again… We can definitely hold you to your statement that you will continue honoring your existing Lifetime account customers that have been with you for years?

    • Yes, we already got paid from people who bought Lifetime accounts and we’re not going to charge anything from them.

      In the future, we MAY try to offer ADDITIONAL services that are outside of the current Toolset package, which will cost more money. All Toolset plugins and our support is included without additional charge for Lifetime accounts.

  10. Have you considered keeping Types free, maintained and available in the WordPress directory, but no longer adding additional functionality beyond, and re-branding Types 2.3 as Types Pro or Types+?

    It seems shortsighted to remove Types from the wordpress directory (after 2018).

    Have you considered keeping Types in the directory indefinitely but only maintaining it for bug fixes, security fixes, and wordpress compatibility. That way the directory route from types to toolset would be maintained.

    Many plugins in the directory have a “Pro” version, and the 2.3 upgrade is an obvious choice for making that distinction.

    • Agreed. You had previously said (back when entering the registration key was added and free users freaked out) you would always keep the free version. Many don’t need all the bells and whistles and have several sites that would need retro fixing if moving to a new plugin.

      Please consider this. Thanks.

    • I completely agree with this. I use this on many sites and prefer to build my own pages and archives for it. I have used it on many client sites who did not expect to ever have to pay for it, not once but every year. I’ll have to go back to them all and ask for money. I thought the deal was that if you want the advanced functionality, you pay for it. It is a great plugin, but I am not prepared for this change. My clients are small businesses and non-profits.

      • We posted this announcement one year in advance and not at the last moment, so if this change doesn’t fit your business model, it’s easy to make changes and avoid using Types on new projects. I hope that it helps.

  12. Hope it won’t affect the popularity of Types, but for me, who have a lifetime account, this is a welcomed upgrade… though I wouldn’t have mind if it would have stayed free (but if you make more money out of it, since it’s the goal, perfect)…
    I do agree, though, that Types (free) should stay on wp.org and have a pro paid version, but if it brings more work and isn’t worth it, you know better than I do…
    Looking forward for the new version!

    • Thanks for the feedback. Maybe my post wasn’t clear. We’re leaving the current version of Types on WPORG and will continue providing bug-fixes, security fixes and compatibility updates, at least through 2018. We’ll know a lot better what’s best for us after one year of running on this mode.

  13. Too much money for me.

    I would pay $149 for a lifetime version. But 399 is crazy and renewals aren’t going to work for me.

    Bummed.

    Any other suggestions for plugins that I can switch to?

    • Types plugin will keep getting updates on WPORG through 2018. After that, we’ll re-evaluate and see where we are. So, if you’ve built sites with Types you have plenty of time to evaluate other plugins and see what works best for you. An alternative depends really on what you need and what’s important for you. BTW, we’re dropping the Lifetime accounts too. Turns out that Lifetime accounts make it very difficult to build a sustainable product. I understand how it feels good for clients, but try to think about it from the author’s point of view for a sec.

      When you pay a yearly fee, you give a very strong incentive for the author to keep development and support top notch. When you buy Lifetime products, there’s a chance that the author will not want to invest that much in the future development of the product (because the author got all the future revenue already). You can see a lot of this happening in the themes business. Many themes that came with “lifetime” support and updates are now abandoned.

      For this ecosystem to succeed, we need to find an arrangement that works both for site-builders (our clients) and authors. I can’t say that we have the perfect arrangement, but that’s what we’re working on. If it doesn’t make sense for clients or not sustainable for authors, sooner or later it will fail.

    • Chris, thank you for leaving this feedback. You probably build websites for a living. We develop plugins for a living. I respect the fact that you prefer to use only free stuff. Please respect our need to make a living from our work.

  15. I was initially disappointed in this move as I generally prefer to support business models where a small set of basic functions are offered for free and advanced features are paid. However, I understand that this is my preference as a power user and the maths might not work for the plugin developer this way. What drove me to leave any feedback at all is the very no-nonsense, down to earth approach Amir exhibits in all his replies in this thread. I can’t help but respect such an honest explanation of why things need to go this way. I will hope that you change your mind and by the end of 2018 Types remains a free portion of all that Toolset offers and you re-assess but at the same time I want to express my support for your handling of this change. For me, getting off Types might be a welcome opportunity to extend my WP knowledge and code what I need myself; but I might just as well decide that I don’t want to spend the time necessary to emulate what’s proven and working. So there 🙂

  17. What will be required to transition an existing site using the Types plugin to the Toolset package?

    I wouldnt want to rebuild the custom posts and fields within a new plugin for a site that is already using them.

    We currently have 100+ sites using the custom fields and posts powered by types. It would be a massive undertaking to update them all to a new plugin.

    • You will not need to do any work on existing sites. We make double sure that new versions are fully backward compatible. New Types versions will include nice features that help you build sites faster. All previous features are still supported, so you don’t need to go back to sites that you previously built and modify them. I wouldn’t want to modify old sites and I wouldn’t ask clients to do that with their work.

  18. Big mistake Amir on the pricing part. Killing lifetime updates is another MAJOR shot in own leg. I respect the free not converting part but look at woof for example. Lifetime updates for 50 bucks and free version. He made enough money to last a lifetime vs his competitor (s) who do not offer lifetime or higher prices. The numbers are all there!

    Sooner or later someone will compete with you. I know you are targeting a different segment but if you lose a years worth of project (during testing) and tons and tons more due to upcoming competition then wow. As part of my company policy, we only buy lifetime products unless absolutely needed. (And this trend will only continue). I would highly recommend you to re-consider the lifetime plan and positively re-consider the pricing. Just how you lost sales, we planned to use the free version to grow and buy the premium views during expansion. This news just blew us off and now we are thinking of other solutions. We are not the first nor the last and honestly your issue will be competition as sooner or later someone will identify the GAP and rush to fill in.

    In short, revise pricing as $399 is way too much. Even big shots don’t dare ask such prices unless VERY VERY niche. Think $50 and 20k sales vs $399 and 1k sales.

    Finally, please consider releasing bug fixes beyond 2018 for existing WPORG. I have multiple contacts using free version without being geeks. They will be in bad waters without security fix etc. Am sure it won’t be much pain to maintain the fixes 🙂

    Please let me know what you feel about the points as honestly, this came as major surprise! (We missed the post a year back).

    Btw, I have worked in IT and managerial exp 😉 Please do not think my post is to hurt your aspirations. I said only what I felt is best for toolset and its 3am here 😉

    Best,

    • Sorry, but I’m not familiar with a product called Woof. Do you have a link to it?

      I understand that some clients will only buy Lifetime accounts. Our stats teach us that it’s not 100% of the clients. Some clients actually prefer to pay for what they get and what they use. When you pay a small yearly fee, you make sure that the author (us) is still highly motivated to support you and develop the product. We’ve also seen plenty of cases where people sold “Lifetime” accounts and then vanished. As Toolset is a long-term investment for us, we’re looking for clients who will want to use it as part of their development kit and will be happy to keep paying for the value that they keep receiving.

      If others can sustain a team the size of Toolset on $50 Lifetime accounts, that’s great for them.

      When we get closer to the end of 2018 (which hasn’t started yet), we’ll definitely be reviewing where we are and how things are going.

  19. For what it’s worth, I found Toolset thanks to wordpress.org. I purchased a one-year licence, then extended to Lifetime and I am a happy customer. I think the presence of a plugin (or a simplified version of it) in the repository gives many people more confidence to purchase the paid version. I am sure Toolset/Types has great quality control, but being in the repository means that also unrelated experts check it. Also, seeing the number of users and being able to read real reviews from real people at wordpress.org is a big advantage, in my opinion.

    I am happy to have invested in a Lifetime licence soon enough. But I was also wondering if at some point you would run into sustainability issues, since this might well be the most complex plugin in the WP world. All in all, Toolset is an excellent package, and it is important that you are able to continue to develop it while staying profitable.

    Cheers
    Tom

    • Thanks Tom. Yes, this helps. For sure, the WPORG repository gives authors (like us) very valuable exposure. Unfortunately, the percentages are not as promising as you might imagine. Only a handful of people who try plugins on WPORG proceed to take interest in paid addons. From what we’ve seen, the vast majority of these look for low-cost Lifetime accounts.

      On the other hand, traffic that we get from other sources turns much more easily into paying clients who don’t mind paying recurring fees. Recurring fees are actually important both for the developer AND the client. When we get paid on a regular basis, it helps sustain long-term development and support. When clients pay small chunks annually, it helps them demand high quality from the author.

      Which option do you prefer?

      1. Buying a Lifetime account and later discovering that service and quality levels degrade
      2. Paying a smaller annual fee and seeing service and quality maintained and improve

  20. I’m sorry I am not good at English and I am using google translation

    I have a question about the paid version of “toolset”
    Where is “toolset” becoming a paid version, will the free version become completely usable?
    Is it appropriate action to deal with other plug-ins as a way to deal with cases in which money can not be paid due to various circumstances and can not be transferred to the paid version?
    Do you have any other good countermeasures?

    • The free Toolset Types plugin, on wordpress.org, is still fully maintained and updated until the end of 2018. Then, we’ll see what next. This depends a lot on how things will go during 2018. In any case, the plugin will not just stop working. Even if the plugin doesn’t receive frequent updates, it continues to work. Plugins don’t just stop working by themselves.

      Alternatives to Types depend on what you are doing with it. You can create custom post types using PHP code and using other plugins. You can set-up custom fields with different plugins. Types has a number of unique features, like the parent/child relationship that are less frequently available in other plugins. The new version of Types 2.3 (which will be available only on our site and not in wordpress.org) will have many unique features that are not available on other plugins.

      I hope that this helps.

    • Toolset Types on WPORG is still there. It will continue getting all necessary updates at least until the end of 2018. So yes, you can definitely keep using Types for your projects now and you don’t need to pay anything for it.

  22. Good work, Amir and the Toolset team!

    As a paying customer, the development of this plugin has been one of the best in the WordPress repository.

    Looking forward to future updates.

    Speed and reliability are the two things that are important to me as I build big websites.

  23. I’m a developer and Types has been my “go to” plugin when I needed to develop a site that requires a custom post type. I don’t use the full suite of products available from Toolset nor am I interested in purchasing a bundle of products I don’t use. I do appreciate your need to earn a living and you’ve created a nice product that I’m sure a lot of people benefit from. Unfortunately, paying for the ability to create custom post types is difficult to justify. I guess I have a year to migrate to a new solution. Best wishes to you. Thank you.

    • This makes sense. The ability to create CPTs is a relatively small feature in Toolset. There are other plugins that can do exactly this for you. Like I explained in the post, Types will continue receiving necessary updates on WPORG through 2018, so migrating to something else shouldn’t be urgent.