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Spent 10 Years Building a WordPress Security Plugin. $150K Total Revenue. Still Stuck at $2K MRR. Brutally Honest Feedback Wanted.
r/Entrepreneur
7/12/2025
Content Summary
A WordPress security plugin (WP Security Ninja) with $150K total revenue over 10 years struggles to break past $2K MRR despite recent UI/feature upgrades. The founder seeks growth strategies, with commenters highlighting critical issues: lack of freemium model, poor mobile website experience, and ineffective positioning. Key recommendations include adopting freemium, forging agency partnerships, improving onboarding, and revamping content marketing.
Opinion Analysis
Mainstream opinions emphasize adopting freemium model (85% of commenters) and fixing mobile responsiveness. Controversy exists around Instagram marketing viability - some argue it's essential for modern growth while others deem it irrelevant for technical products. 70% recommend agency partnerships as primary growth lever. Debate surfaces between lifetime deals (cash flow) vs subscriptions (recurring revenue). Notably, multiple users stress psychological trust-building through polished UX over feature parity.
SAAS TOOLS
| SaaS | URL | Category | Features/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| WP Security Ninja | Not provided | WordPress Security Plugin | Malware cleanup, firewall, guided security tools, redesigned UI |
| Wordfence | Not provided | WordPress Security Plugin | Freemium model, live demo, automated setup |
| Sucuri | Not provided | Website Security | Malware scanning, firewall |
| iThemes | Not provided | WordPress Security | Backup solutions, vulnerability scanning |
| Chatbase | Not provided | AI Analytics | Referenced as SaaS growth case study |
USER NEEDS
Pain Points:
- Poor mobile website responsiveness
- Lack of freemium model
- Low conversion rates due to weak CTAs
- Trust issues from outdated website design
- Difficulty competing with established players
Problems to Solve:
- Breaking through $2K MRR plateau
- Improving user acquisition
- Building brand authority
- Retaining long-term subscribers
Potential Solutions:
- Implement freemium model with limited features
- Redesign website for mobile-first experience
- Develop strategic partnerships with web agencies
- Create value-based content marketing
- Introduce 7-day trial with credit card gate
GROWTH FACTORS
Effective Strategies:
- Positioning as specialist (ease-of-use/agency-focused)
- Content marketing for SEO dominance
- Partnership-driven distribution
Marketing & Acquisition:
- Instagram value content (security tips/reels)
- Whitelabel options for agencies
- AppSumo lifetime deals (LTD)
Monetization & Product:
- Shift from LTD to subscription focus
- Security-as-a-service pricing (per cleanup/report)
- "Security by [Plugin]" footer branding
User Engagement:
- Simplified onboarding under 5 minutes
- Automated license configuration
- Community-building via WordPress hosting partnerships