Protecting My Work

Scott_Hall · 11-25-2019 06:20 AM

I have a small business in a niche economy where software can run more that $500 per month. I’ve about completed an app that addresses the core functions of my business and will provide a great and economical alternative to those software options. I’m thrilled with it and have become an AppSheet promoter. I had hoped when I was done to recover my time invested by “selling” the app to others in my space. I think there is a market for smaller companies like mine to benefit and save a lot of money. Win-win for everyone.

But I’m struggling to know how to do this without giving away the farm. If I transfer a copy of the app to a “buyer” and install it on their system, they become the owner and can simply share with friends or re sell it themselves.

Of course you can address this thru a contact but I’d likely never know that someone re sold it and would not be of the stomach to chase that down anyway.

So, it is in AppSheet’s best interest to have more paying users, I’d like to help make that possible, but I can’t see where I can share/sell my work without losing control.

Am I missing something? Anyone else approaching things this way? Maybe my approach runs afoul of AppSheet’s terms of service to being with. Don’t know. I appreciate any thoughts.

LeventK

@Scott_Hall
Provided you see a great benefit and possible big market for your app, then my advise could be subscribing to AppSheet Business Plan (which initially comes with 100 user licence bundle included), integrate a Cloud SQL and port your app to one of the Cloud SQL services (Google, AWS etc.). Provided you also consider integrating AWS Cognito for user authentication gateway, then you have all the power over the users. With this way, there is no need to give away your app build. It’s possible that companies might request additional features and as the app will be a secure app, you can easily slice data as per company and its users as well. It’s also possible that you can create those additional requests like generic features that every user can benefit from via additional charge There are many possible scenarios that you can create/think of actually.

FREDY_ORTEGON

You mean having only one application for many users and not one application for each user?

LeventK

@FREDY_ORTEGON
Correct…Only one application and as many users as you want…With SQL and security filters it’s not a problem depending on what kinda app build you have. As long as you construct a good sales directive and of course budgeting, your investment could return back very quickly. Of course it’s a bit correlated with the ROI you want and the break-even you estimate. If you can funnel your market correctly, the return could be very quick. Depending on the amount of data, you can have only one main SQL database and you slice/filter the data as per user, or you can create a separate database for each one of your customer. Totally depends on your structure.

FREDY_ORTEGON

I tried making a copy of my app and migrated it completely to mariadb databases in RDS AWS hoping for improvement in performance, but I feel that the app performs the same as with the google spreadsheet.

LeventK

Why mariadb? Why not MySQL directly? Mariadb is a for of MySQL though they use some identical setups. Check these out:

FREDY_ORTEGON

I selected mariadb, just to try, but Among all the connections that appsheet allows, which one is the most suitable to start ?, MYSQL, MARIADB, MICROSOFT SQL SERVER?

I want to do performance tests to contemplate the acquisition of these appsheet services

LeventK

@FREDY_ORTEGON
Microsoft SQL Server needs that the SQL server has to be in your premises and it needs administration, setting up a firewall, managing the DNS and IP addresses for the firewall as well…Long story short, it needs maintenance. And if you are not familiar with these, it might become a headache very rapidly

I might advise using Cloud MySQL services either from Google Cloud or AWS. If you also want to integrate AWS Cognito authentication gateway, AWS Lambda etc. than selection of AWS might bring some pluses. During the initial SQL instance configuration, you might require some insight and/or help because if you are not familiar with any SQL configuration, than your SQL costs might increase very rapidly provided you set it up incorrectly.

Scott_Hall

@LeventK Thankyou for the information. Helpful as always. After a quick look into Google cloud sql pricing I realized that I would be in way over my head…couldn’t even decipher how the charges work. Was just hoping to sell some copies to small startups to help them stay lean in their early stages.

I’m guessing this is a several hundred dollar per month investment just to get going?

LeventK

@Scott_Hall
To have Cloud SQL services, you need to subscribe to AppSheet Business Plan, which costs $15.000 per year including 100 user licences. This is a core package price only and you also need the additional add-on package named Advanced Integrations which shall be purchased/subscribed separately if I’m not mistaken. You shall consult to sales@appsheet.com for the exact info.

Regarding the SQL cost, the price totally depends on your SQL instance configuration i.e. how many CPUs you want, what’s your storage requirement (Gb’s? Tb’s? etc.), what will be your RAM size and amount, do you require a burst RAM or a shared RAM, do you require a physical server or a VM (Virtual Machine) server, what will be your storage type (SSD, HASSD etc.), will you require a replicate/backup option, which OS should your server be running (Windows, Red Hat Linux, Debian etc.) etc.etc.etc. There are variety of online cloud calculators to roughly estimate this cost i.e.

https://calculator.unigma.com/#/instances
https://cloud.google.com/products/calculator/
https://calculator.aws/#/
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/calculator/

So with some basic math:
Considering your yearly all-over cost be $16,800 (Business Plan + $150/mo SQL cost)
Your monthly cost will be : $16,800 / 12 = $1,400
Given 100 licences; your licence cost will be: $14 which is your break-even cost per user licence per month. Selling any licence to a client above $14 per user per month, will be added as gross profit or gross revenue to your account.

Scott_Hall

@LeventK Thanks. That is clear enough for me to know that the timing isn’t right for that type of investment. But it is good to know what the round about costs are in case things develop in that direction. Its all new to me but good to learn about. Thanks again.

LeventK

You’re very welcome

FREDY_ORTEGON

I’m going to test my app in an mysql database and I’m telling you.

TyAlevizos

coming in late here: pricing aside, there is a way to create one or more apps that are “multi-tenant” in nature such that you don’t have to “give away the farm”, copy apps for each “client”, grant edit/ownership and so forth. There are also some downsides e.g. all your views, workflows, reports and such are going to be the same for each tenant/client.

You will still need some of the business grade features, specifically around performance, security filters as well as cloud SQL access.

Reach out if you would like to learn about this. ty at appsheet dot com

TonyD

I’d be interested in this too - will drop you an e-mail @TyAlevizos

Scott_Hall

@TyAlevizos Been a while but back on this with some time on my hands now. #COVID19

Your idea of multi tenant is interesting and my app is already set up to handle this pretty easily. If I use your idea of “multi-tenant” my understanding is that I could bump up against a cell limit with google sheets. A number of customers in a decent size app could cause the problem. Additionally I have concerns about customer’s data sitting on my google drive. But if I use a SQL database would that solve the issue of cell limits? I’m not very knowledgeable in this area so trying to get a bit further down the road in my understanding.

I’m guessing with a SQL database there is a hosting service offsite and the app ofcourse is pointed to it?

TyAlevizos

Eventually, a SQL database e.g. Sql Server, MySQL, or Postgres would be preferential to a google sheet for performance reasons, yes. BTW, there’s nothing inherently UN secure about google drive. If properly configured (which is the default at the beginning), google drive and google accounts are very secure.

sxswutah

I have been struggling with this as well. I would have thought there would be a way to package the app and resell it to a customer but the process is way to clumsy and we lose control. I really like the idea of using Appsheet but it does not give me anything to resell. I suppose it is just intended for corporate use. Single app, single business/user. Too bad

SkrOYC

It's not a retail tool as far I can see it.

But for sure you can freelance with it.

I would recomend you to send access and provide your clients with a way to export data, since it's theirs.

Appart from that, I don't think the ownership of your apps is in danger, you should keep being the App owner, that's it