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Ask HN: How would you monetize software that runs mostly offline?

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Re: Ask HN: How would you monetize software that runs mostly offline?

#11
post #3

Sell it like a normal product. This was the way commercial software worked for decades. They buy a license. They download it and register it while connected to the internet. They then take it offsite. Then, have an option to be paid to be on call for support when a meet is happening. That way nobody is surprised if something doesn't work.

When you say normal product, do you mean users will have to buy the next version? We should be responsible developers with the ability to patch insecurities in the software we sell. You're also going to have feature requests you'd like to publish to your users. As a sole developer one evergreen version seems much easier to maintain for both these concerns. And I think a subscription model or some recurring payment mo…

Sure, patch your software, but you can keep accumulated feature requests on a separate branch. Then, as time goes on, decide whether you should rather monetize on an updated and more feature rich version, or just push updates and make people happy. I'd say there is more money in the first option, while the second makes me feel better. It's the developer's choice. Check https://www.holdemmanager.com/ how they do it.

For OP's kind of software, I'd say one time license purchase would be the most user friendly. So yeah, sell it like people did in the good old days, before the cancer that is SaaS took over the world.

Re: Ask HN: How would you monetize software that runs mostly offline?

#13

I'm writing an Electron app too: https://getpolarized.io/ We're pretty far ahead so you could probably look at the source code repo if you want to look for ideas. Anyway. Do this... Create a public/private key pair. Require the user to enter a 'key'. The key is just ascii armoured encrypted data from the private key. Just make sure the key validates. They're competitive body builders not alpha hackers. Just obscure i…

I'm a bodybuilder and an alpha hacker. There are more of us than you'd think.

Re: Ask HN: How would you monetize software that runs mostly offline?

#14

I'm writing an Electron app too: https://getpolarized.io/ We're pretty far ahead so you could probably look at the source code repo if you want to look for ideas. Anyway. Do this... Create a public/private key pair. Require the user to enter a 'key'. The key is just ascii armoured encrypted data from the private key. Just make sure the key validates. They're competitive body builders not alpha hackers. Just obscure i…

Related: I recently wrote an article about license key generation and validation. The code examples are in Python, but are equally applicable in JS: https://build-system.fman.io/generating-license-keys

Re: Ask HN: How would you monetize software that runs mostly offline?

#15

I should think a standard license key should be fine. Sublime Text isn’t a bad model.

For how many people I know who depend on Sublime Text, I'm shocked at how few have paid for it.

You get work to pay for it eventually.

Re: Ask HN: How would you monetize software that runs mostly offline?

#18
post #17

JetBrains style - pay for a license to use the software forever, and get a year's worth of updates. Buy a new licence after a year if they want the next update. Maybe offer a discount for renewal.

In case it's not common knowledge, make sure license key requires a server-side verification.

Re: Ask HN: How would you monetize software that runs mostly offline?

#19
post #3

Sell it like a normal product. This was the way commercial software worked for decades. They buy a license. They download it and register it while connected to the internet. They then take it offsite. Then, have an option to be paid to be on call for support when a meet is happening. That way nobody is surprised if something doesn't work.

When you say normal product, do you mean users will have to buy the next version? We should be responsible developers with the ability to patch insecurities in the software we sell. You're also going to have feature requests you'd like to publish to your users. As a sole developer one evergreen version seems much easier to maintain for both these concerns. And I think a subscription model or some recurring payment mo…

How many insecurities are there going to be in software that doesn't connect to the internet or process input from untrusted users?
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