Add-on How do you feel about branding and branding removal in XenForo add-ons?

[CrazyChef]

I’m curious how other XenForo forum owners and add-on developers feel about visible branding in add-ons.

I’m not talking about anything large, aggressive, or intrusive. I mean something small and tasteful in the public-facing output of an add-on, such as a simple “by developer name” style link.

From the developer side, I can understand why branding exists. Even smaller utility add-ons can take a lot of time to plan, build, test, document, support, and maintain. A small branding link can help people discover the developer behind the add-on, especially when the add-on is free, low-cost, or very niche.

From the forum owner side, I can also understand why some people may not want visible branding on their site. If someone is paying for an add-on, or if the add-on appears in a highly visible public area, they may prefer the output to look completely native to their own site.

One model I’ve seen, and have also been using myself, is to include small public-facing branding by default and offer branding removal separately as an optional add-on patch. The idea is to give users a choice: leave the small branding in place if they do not mind it, or remove it if they want a cleaner public-facing look.

I’m interested in honest opinions from both sides.

For forum owners:

• Do small branding links affect whether you install or buy an add-on?
• Do you feel differently about branding on free add-ons compared to paid add-ons?
• If an add-on is paid, do you expect branding removal to be included?
• Would you be okay with branding removal being offered separately if the branding itself is small and tasteful
• Does the placement matter more than the branding itself?

For developers:

• Have you used visible branding in your own add-ons?
• Has it helped with visibility or referrals?
• Has it caused complaints or friction with buyers?
• Do you think separate branding removal companion add-ons or patches are reasonable?
• Or do you think it is better to include branding removal automatically with paid licenses?

I’m not trying to start an argument or promote anything specific. I’m just trying to get a better feel for what the XenForo community considers fair and reasonable when it comes to add-on branding, branding removal, and how those options are handled.

 

[smallwheels]

I’m curious how other XenForo forum owners and add-on developers feel about visible branding in add-ons.

Have you seen this recent thread?

Thread 'Bugger Off with your Branding'

May 18, 2026

I charge people £600 a month to advertise on my forum, and yet someone sells me a $40 add-on and wants a free advert. I'm not buying your add-on. All you developers that charge extortionate branding free fees, feel my hate

• JamesBrown
• Replies: 40
• Forum: Off topic

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[CrazyChef]

Thanks, I hadn’t seen that thread yet.

That is exactly the kind of discussion I was hoping to read through. I’m not trying to argue for or against branding, or convince anyone that one model is the right one. I’m honestly just trying to get a better feel for how other forum owners and developers look at it.

For full disclosure, some of my own add-ons do include small public-facing branding, and I currently offer separate branding removal patches for those add-ons, usually around $15. So this is not just a theoretical question for me. I’m asking because I genuinely want honest feedback on whether that model feels reasonable, off-putting, or somewhere in between.

The part I’m especially curious about is how people view the structure of it.

For example, one way to handle it would be to have two versions of the same add-on: a standard branding-free version at one price, and a lower-cost branded version for people who do not mind the small branding.

Another way is to have the main add-on include small branding and offer branding removal separately as an optional companion add-on or patch.

I’m not saying either approach is better. I’m just curious whether people see those as basically the same idea handled differently, or whether one feels more reasonable than the other.

I can definitely understand why some forum owners do not want public-facing branding on their sites. I can also understand why some developers use it, especially on free, low-cost, or niche add-ons.

Mostly I’m trying to figure out where people feel the fair line is: branding itself, placement, disclosure, free versus paid add-ons, and whether separate branding removal feels reasonable or off-putting.

 

[smallwheels]

The part I’m especially curious about is how people view the structure of it.
For example, one way to handle it would be to have two versions of the same add-on: a standard branding-free version at one price, and a lower-cost branded version for people who do not mind the small branding.
Another way is to have the main add-on include small branding and offer branding removal separately as an optional companion add-on or patch.

I’m not saying either approach is better. I’m just curious whether people see those as basically the same idea handled differently, or whether one feels more reasonable than the other.

In principle I like the first idea (having two versions) more, as it seems more logical and straightforward. However: It is probably more troublesome to advertise and sell (two resources within the XF resource section?), so at least a clear naming of the product would probably important.

The other thing is: If you declare the branding free version as "the standard" and the one with branding as the "sponsored" or "el cheapo" version people will reasonably judge the value of the add on against the price of the branding free version. Depending from the price this may work well or not.

I did not buy branding free for a single of the add ons that I use b/c I consider the extra money not worth it (and probably would not have bought said add ons at the higher price or license plus branding free, if no other version would have been available as for the plain product this would have been too steep in my opinion). If the increase would be moderate (like 10-25%) I would probably judge differently, even if this increase would also affect yearly maintenance (instead of a one time fee like now).

It really comes down to the concrete add on what could work or be of interest - and sadly what people say or believe how they would handle it might be vastly different from how it would really turn out in the end. So w/o trying out various ways barely possible to gain safety what works and what not.

In general, as most, I think branding is overrated in both: positive effects for the developer and negative effects for a forum. It should not be annoying and I'd prefer no branding (but am not willing to pay huge sums for that).

 

[zappaDPJ]

I read through the multiple poll options and couldn’t find one that seemed to fit. For the most part branding would not be appropriate for the forums I run and I'm happy, or more correctly the forum owners are happy to pay to remove it.

For the forums I own I generally don't mind displaying the forum brand but I'd pay to remove branding from themes and add-ones

 

[CrazyChef]

Well, from what I've read here and from the poll results, I've decided to remove branding from all of my add-ons. Well, there are only four of them so far, but I've removed it from them and won't be using it for any other add-ons I make in the furure.