The idea of getting access to the premium features of your desired template and extension, which doesn’t cost a dime, may always seem tempting to most of us. But have you ever given thought to the dark side behind such cracked products? In our misguided effort to save money on building websites, we may be inadvertently burdening and weighing down on the negative aspects of using nulled templates and extensions.
So what are these nulled templates and extensions and why the fuss about using them? Let us clean the air for you here. In today’s article, you will get a comprehensive guide on what nulled Joomla templates and extensions are and why you should get rid of them right away if you are serious about your site.
What are Nulled Joomla Templates and Extensions?
Let's start with getting to know what nulled templates and extensions are. When you look closely, the term “nulled” already sounds skeptical. And indeed, nulled Joomla templates and extensions are modified versions of the original premium templates and extensions that have been cracked or hacked in order to remove licensing restrictions. Not just that, these nulled extensions and templates might have been modified to include harmful code that can make way for hackers to intrude on your website. Although these cracked or pirated Joomla products apparently come free of cost, in the long run, you may end up paying twice the price.
Are Nulled Joomla Products Illegal?
Joomla and most of the premium Joomla products like templates and extensions are GPL licensed. That means, any software under GPL license allows its user to run, study, share and modify the software however they like. So if a GPL-licensed template or extension is put up on a site for free download that's technically not illegal. However, this does not mean that you should fill your website with nulled extensions. Because such pirated products have more reasons not to be considered as an option when it comes to crafting your website. Let's look at the reasons why.
Reasons to Avoid Nulled Joomla Extensions and Templates
Now that we have learned about what nulled templates and extensions are, let's take a quick glance at why you should avoid using them. Here are some of the significant issues that you may face with nulled templates and extensions.
Security Issues
Using nulled extensions and templates on Joomla can have serious security and privacy implications that can put your website and its visitors at risk. Because nulled extensions and templates are often modified versions of the original plugin and have been cracked to get rid of the licensing restrictions, they may contain malicious code that can compromise the security of your website. This code can be used to steal sensitive information, such as login credentials and financial data, from your website and its visitors.
Consequently, using nulled extensions or templates can also put your website at risk of being hacked or taken over by cybercriminals. Since you won't receive any security updates, attackers may use the security vulnerabilities in the nulled plugin to gain access to your website and use it for their own purposes, such as distributing malware or spamming.
Can Damage Your Reputation
If you are a developer and have just started working for your clients, you might want to slash the cost by using the nulled templates and extensions for the site. That's where you are compromising your reputation. You have to remember that these nulled products will be deprived of future updates. So basically you are offering your clients a low-quality website that cannot be maintained with future updated versions of the templates and extensions resulting in a massive decline in your reputation.
As mentioned earlier, since the nulled extensions and templates may contain malicious codes, they can penetrate into the privacy of your website visitors. Some nulled Extensions and Templates may collect and transmit personal information without your knowledge or consent, violating the privacy rights of your visitors. This can lead to legal consequences and can potentially damage your reputation.
Negative SEO Impact
Among all the drawbacks of using pirated extensions and templates on Joomla, imposing a negative impact on your website's search engine optimization (SEO) is a significant one. Search engines like Google use complex algorithms to determine the relevance and quality of a website, and using nulled extensions and templates can signal to these algorithms that your website is of low quality. This can result in your website being ranked lower in search results, which can lead to reduced traffic and revenue.
Also, using nulled Joomla products can also lead to your website being penalized by search engines. If a search engine detects that you are using nulled extensions and templates on your website, it may flag your website and decrease its visibility in search results. This can be difficult to recover from, and it can take a long time for your website to appear in the search results.
Therefore it's only wise to use the original, adequately licensed versions to ensure that your website is optimized for search engines and has the best chance of ranking highly in search results.
No Access To New Features
Extensions and templates, particularly extensions, may have bugs when first released. Over time, these issues are usually addressed through updates that fix the bugs and sometimes add new features or maintain compatibility with others. Because nulled templates and extensions are obtained illegally, they do not have the same auto-update feature as legally obtained versions. This means that you are stuck with the version you have and will not receive updates unless you also obtain the updated nulled version and install it.
Try Free Versions Before Investing
If you're skeptical about buying a Joomla extension, why not try the free version first if available instead of the nulled version? Many Joomla templates and extensions creators offer free versions of their software that allow you to test out the products before investing.
JoomShaper offers numerous great Joomla products that are completely free of cost. Even the mighty Helix Ultimate won't cost you a single bean! We also have SP Page Builder Lite that allows you to try the leading Joomla page builder free of cost. Check out the website to find out more.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are a number of reasons why you should not incline toward nulled templates and extensions. Always get your Joomla templates and extensions from reliable sources to ensure the safety and security of your website. Don't leave your site vulnerable to attacks by using spammy techniques and products. If you use nulled templates and extensions on your site, it may cost you a lot in the long run in terms of lost revenue and even damaged reputation.
What are your thoughts regarding such risky products? Let us know in the comments!
Sreema
