Modding Guides
How to Earn Money From ETS2 Mods (Guide for Mod Creators)
Learn how to earn money from ETS2 mods using Patreon, premium mods, and recurring subscriptions. Discover how Modsy helps creators monetize their work.
How to Earn Money From ETS2 Mods
Creating high-quality Euro Truck Simulator 2 mods takes time.
Whether you're building trucks, tuning physics, creating sounds, designing accessories, or maintaining a large map project, the work doesn't end when you publish the first version. New ETS2 updates arrive, bugs need fixing, players ask for support, and your mod needs to keep evolving.
For many modders, the question eventually becomes:
How can I earn money from my ETS2 mods and make all that work sustainable?
One of the best approaches is to build a community around your mods and give players the option to support your work through recurring subscriptions.
And you don't need thousands of downloads or a huge following to get started.
Why Monetize Your ETS2 Mods?
A player might download a mod in seconds, but creating that mod could have taken you days, weeks, or even months.
Then comes the ongoing work:
Updating the mod for new ETS2 versions
Fixing bugs and compatibility problems
Responding to player feedback
Adding new features
Creating screenshots and documentation
Testing different trucks, trailers, maps, or configurations
Providing support to your community
For hobby projects, doing all of this for free may be perfectly fine.
But if you want to dedicate more time to modding, build larger projects, or simply get something back for the work you're already doing, monetization can help make continued development possible.
The important part is choosing a model that works for both you and your players.
Recurring Subscriptions Can Make Modding More Sustainable
There are several ways to make money from ETS2 mods.
You can accept donations, use download-based advertising, sell individual products, or offer premium content.
But these approaches don't always provide predictable income.
A subscription model works differently.
Instead of earning money only when someone makes a one-time purchase, players can subscribe to support your work and receive access to premium mods or other benefits while their subscription remains active.
For example, you might continue publishing some mods for free while offering supporters:
Premium versions of your mods
Additional features or content
Early access to upcoming releases
Subscriber-only mods
Continued updates to premium projects
Even a relatively small group of regular supporters can create a more predictable source of income than relying entirely on downloads or occasional donations.
Sell Premium ETS2 Mod Access With Patreon or Lemon Squeezy
This is where Modsy can help.
Modsy allows approved modders to publish both free and premium ETS2 mods while connecting their own Patreon or Lemon Squeezy account.
Your supporters can then unlock premium mods through the subscription provider you choose. Patreon memberships can be connected to specific campaigns or tiers, while Lemon Squeezy can provide recurring subscription checkout, including credit card and PayPal options where available.
You can even make both options available.
That means a player could discover your mod on Modsy, choose their preferred subscription method, subscribe, and then access the premium content through their Modsy account.
Instead of manually sending download links to every new supporter, you can keep your releases and premium access together in one place.
You Don't Have to Put Everything Behind a Paywall
Monetizing your work doesn't mean every mod needs to become paid.
In fact, free mods can be an important part of growing your audience.
You might publish several useful mods for everyone while reserving your most advanced projects, additional versions, or premium features for subscribers.
A simple strategy could look like this:
Free mods → More players discover your work → Some become followers → Your biggest fans subscribe → Subscription revenue helps fund future mods
Free content helps people discover what you can create.
Premium content gives the people who want more a way to support you.
The two can work together.
How Modsy's Creator Membership Works
You don't need to build your own website, subscription system, or premium download infrastructure to start experimenting with this model.
After becoming an approved modder on Modsy, you can activate a Creator Membership and connect your preferred monetization provider.
The process is straightforward:
Create your Modsy account
Become an approved modder
Activate a Creator Membership
Connect Patreon and/or Lemon Squeezy
Publish your free and premium ETS2 mods
Define which subscriptions unlock your premium content
Start building recurring income from your audience
Modsy checks premium access when a supporter attempts to download protected content, so you don't have to manually distribute files to every subscriber.
Start Selling Premium Mods for Free
You don't need to pay for an expensive creator plan before you've earned your first dollar.
Modsy's Launch Creator Membership is free.
It currently includes:
$0 membership cost
5 GB of storage
Up to 3 premium offerings
Basic creator analytics
Patreon and Lemon Squeezy integration
That makes Launch particularly useful for new modders who want to test premium subscriptions without committing to a monthly platform cost first.
As your catalog and audience grow, paid Creator Membership plans provide additional storage, more premium offerings, scheduled publishing, and more advanced analytics depending on the plan.
In other words, you can start small and upgrade when your creator business actually needs more capacity.
Patreon or Lemon Squeezy: Which Should You Use?
You don't necessarily have to choose only one.
Patreon
Patreon is a good fit if you already have a Patreon community or want to build membership tiers around your work.
You can connect your Patreon campaign and use active membership tiers to determine who receives access to specific premium mods on Modsy.
For example, you could create a membership tier that gives subscribers access to your complete premium ETS2 mod collection.
Lemon Squeezy
Lemon Squeezy provides another way to sell recurring access.
You can connect your own Lemon Squeezy store and map subscription products to premium content on Modsy. Supporters can then subscribe through the payment methods available from the provider, including credit cards and PayPal where supported.
Or Offer Both
Offering both gives your audience more choice.
Some players may already use Patreon and prefer keeping their mod subscriptions there. Others may simply want to subscribe directly with a credit card or PayPal.
If you support both methods, players can choose whichever option works better for them.
Turn Downloads Into a Community
Making money from mods isn't only about putting a price on a download.
The strongest subscription model gives players a reason to stay.
Supporters can become the people who:
Test new releases
Report bugs
Suggest improvements
Give feedback on upcoming features
Follow your development
Support future projects
Instead of thinking only about how many times a mod was downloaded, you can start building an audience around your work.
That relationship can be much more valuable over time than a single download.
What Kind of ETS2 Mods Can You Monetize?
A subscription model can work for many types of original ETS2 content, including:
Truck mods
Trailer mods
Physics mods
Sound mods
Tuning and accessory packs
Graphics and visual improvements
Gameplay modifications
Maps
Vehicle modifications
Other original ETS2 projects
What matters most isn't necessarily the category.
It's whether your work provides enough ongoing value that players want to support its continued development.
A smaller, highly engaged audience can sometimes be more valuable than thousands of players who download once and never return.
Start Building Income From Your ETS2 Mods
You don't need to wait until you're one of the biggest ETS2 modders.
If you're already creating useful mods, you can start building your audience now.
Publish free mods. Build a reputation. Listen to your players. Create better releases. And when you have something worth supporting, give your community an easy way to support your work.
With Modsy, you can start with the free Launch Creator Membership, connect Patreon or Lemon Squeezy, publish premium content, and begin experimenting with recurring subscriptions without paying for a creator plan upfront.
As your mods, audience, and premium catalog grow, your setup can grow with you.
Your mods already take real work to create. Give that work the opportunity to become a sustainable source of income.
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