Distributing a free edition outside the Marketplace — does the non-exclusive channel still apply?

UXP
1

I have a paid Photoshop UXP plugin approved for the Adobe Marketplace, and I would like to also offer a free, feature-limited edition as a direct .ccx download from my own website, under a separate plugin ID.

The developer documentation seems clear on this: independent distribution requires no review or approval, the Marketplace channel is described as non-exclusive, and cloning under a separate plugin ID is recommended precisely for developers who distribute through both channels.

What makes me hesitate is the Developer Terms of Use of 18 June 2024. Article 5.2 reserves the right to restrict distribution to the Marketplace, and article 4.1(A)(2) refers to approved Developer Software. Read strictly, that seems to sit awkwardly with the documentation.

Has anyone here distributed a free edition alongside a paid Marketplace listing? And is there any guidance on how the documentation and the terms relate on this point?

Thanks in advance.

2

Hi,

Different setup than yours, but a relevant data point: I run a free version on the Marketplace and a Pro version directly from my own site, same plugin, separate plugin IDs. Zero issues.

Adobe clearly isn’t enforcing exclusivity here, the two channels coexist fine. I read Article 5.2 as a reserved right rather than an active restriction, and nothing in practice has contradicted that. I’m confident this isn’t a problem for Adobe.