An invitation — SDS2 community

You built the tool.
Now build the income.

bim-plugins.com is a dedicated marketplace for structural steel detailing plugins — the first of its kind for the SDS2 community. We are inviting 10 developers to help shape it from the ground up and lock in terms that standard developers will never receive.

If you have built a script, plugin, or tool that saves other SDS2 detailers time — and you have been asked "where can I buy that?" — this page is for you.

25%
Founding fee — permanent and locked in. Standard rate will be 30%.
10
Maximum founding developers. Once filled, this offer closes permanently.
$0
Cost to list. You pay nothing until you make a sale.
Why it matters financially

Five points is real money over time.

The difference between 25% and 30% compounds every single month. Here is what that looks like on a single plugin with a modest subscriber base — and it only grows as your catalogue and customer count do.

Standard developer (30% fee)
Founding developer (25% fee)
Subscribers
30 users @ $100/mo
30 users @ $100/mo
Monthly GMV
$3,000
$3,000
Marketplace fee
$900 (30%)
$750 (25%)
Your monthly take-home
$2,100
$2,250 ↑ $150/mo
Your annual take-home
$25,200
$27,000 ↑ $1,800/yr

Illustrative. Based on 1 plugin, 30 subscribers, $100/mo avg. Your numbers will vary. Fee advantage applies to every plugin, every subscriber, every month — forever.

Who this is for

You do not need to be a software company.

The best founding developers are often the people closest to the detailing workflow — the ones who built something because the alternative was wasting another hour on a task that shouldn't take that long.

SDS2 API developers (Python or .NET)

You have built parametric scripts, connection tools, drawing automation, or reporting plugins using SDS2's open API. You have shared a tool with a colleague and heard "I would pay for that." Now there is somewhere to sell it.

Independent developers already selling direct

You sell today — through your own site, a PayPal link, or word of mouth. You want a professional storefront, automated billing, and an audience that is already looking for what you build, without maintaining a software business on the side.

SDS2 Toolbox integration partners

Your plugin is already approved and listed through SDS2, but you want subscription revenue and discovery beyond the tools page. bim-plugins.com is the commercial layer your existing integration is missing.

Steel detailers with internal tools

You are a working detailer or fabricator who built automation your team relies on every day. You have never thought of it as a product. We can help you scope it, price it, and start generating revenue from something you already own.

What founding developers actually influence

This is not honorary.
Your input builds the product.

Founding Developers participate in quarterly roundtables where platform decisions are made — not announced. Your experience as a practitioner is the most valuable data source we have.

01

Plugin category structure

You decide how plugins are organized and discovered — by workflow type, platform, price tier, or something else. The categories that matter to a working detailer, not a product manager.

02

Developer tooling and listing workflow

How easy is it to publish a plugin, set pricing, and manage versions? You experience this firsthand and your feedback goes directly into the next release cycle.

03

Quality and trust standards

What should a buyer be able to expect from any plugin on the platform? Trial periods, compatibility guarantees, refund policies — founding developers set the standard others are measured against.

04

Platform expansion sequencing

SDS2 first, then Tekla. But what comes after that? Advance Steel, Revit interop, fabrication software? Founding developers have a direct voice in the expansion roadmap.

Common questions

The things people ask first.

No. You retain full ownership of everything you have built — the code, the brand, the IP. bim-plugins.com is a distribution and commerce channel. We never take co-ownership, exclusive rights, or any claim on your product. You can list it elsewhere simultaneously if you choose.
It means the marketplace keeps 25% of your sales revenue — permanently, for as long as your account is active. When standard rates are set at 30% (or adjusted in the future), your founding rate never changes. It is locked in writing, not a promotional rate that expires.
Yes. Many founding developers will start with one plugin. Your founding terms apply to every plugin you ever add to the platform — so the advantage compounds as your catalogue grows. A single strong plugin with 20–30 subscribers generates meaningful recurring income, and the founding fee structure applies to all of it.
This is exactly the profile we are most interested in. If your team relies on something you built, and you have shared it with a peer who responded with "where can I buy this" — that is a product. We can help you scope it, price it, and list it. The storefront, payment processing, and billing infrastructure are entirely on us.
We follow up within 2 business days to schedule a 20-minute conversation. No pitch deck, no panel review. Just a conversation about your plugin, your users, and your goals. If it is a good fit, we confirm your founding status and help you get your first listing live — typically within a week of that call.
The Founding Developer Circle closes permanently. Developers who join after that point will be on standard terms — 30% fee, no advisory role. There is no waitlist, no second round, and no exceptions once all spots are confirmed.
Founding Developer application

Reserve your spot.

Takes three minutes. No commitment at this stage — we will follow up to schedule a conversation before anything is confirmed.

We reply within 2 business days.
Your information is never shared or sold.