Providing that I have read that DAZ forum post correctly .....

To be fair you get the $995 back once you have generated that amount in the 50/50 commissions if selling via the DAZ store. So it is free.

Consider the two scenarios whereby the plug in developer either sells through DAZ or their own store. Having a more or less frequented site is immaterial, I am just going through the maths to show that the SDK is free.

Developer wants to create a plug in for DAZ Studio and pays out the $995

Once the total sales received by DAZ for the plug in reaches $1990 the developer gets their $995 back. If they do not achieve that level of sales they forfeit the SDK fee, they are out to the tune of $995

But if the developer were to sell via their own store and not have had to put up $995 they would have made $1990. Half the sales.... $1000. No sales zero ... but at no time can they expect a loss to the tune of $995

So you see the SDK is free...................
its just that it could end up costing you $995