What is the best Licensing Model for SecureAPlus Paid Version?

Discussion in 'polls' started by sinlam, Feb 6, 2014.

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What is the best Licensing Model for SecureAPlus Paid Version?

Poll closed Mar 8, 2014.
  1. Annual Subscription

    17.2%
  2. Perpetual license with upgrade fees

    41.4%
  3. To provide both of the above options

    41.4%
  1. sinlam

    sinlam Registered Member

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    Hi,

    I am sinlam, the developer of SecureAPlus. SecureAPlus is an anti-malware solution that combines application whitelisting and av capabilities to protect your computer from known and unknown malware. You can find out more by reading this thread at https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=350914.

    We currently have a freemium version that comes with a one year free user license. You can join the referral program to extend your user license. We will be coming up with a paid version soon and we would like to hear what is the most preferred licensing model. Please feel free to vote and it will be great if you can also post an explanation of your vote here.

    Hope to hear from all of you.

    Cheers,
    sinlam
     
  2. KaptainBug

    KaptainBug Registered Member

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    I am with perpetual license with upgrade fee. Most of them will agree to pay to support the developer. I can easily restore an image/format instead of paying every year. Just my thoughts.
     
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2014
  3. ExtremeGamerBR

    ExtremeGamerBR Registered Member

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    Perpetual license with upgrade fees or To provide both of the above options. Both are good, since perpetual license exist. :)
     
  4. mattdocs12345

    mattdocs12345 Registered Member

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    Im glad you posted here. While I understand you have to make money, I cannot stand rentware. I am willing to pay 5x times what you would charge for your annual fee but get a lifetime license. Alternatively I wouldn't mind paying for major version upgrades every 2 years. The Bat! email program has that kind of license, Microsoft has that kind of license for Windows and it's Office products. Im sure you can make it work too.
     
  5. KaptainBug

    KaptainBug Registered Member

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    If you are going to have two versions, one AV+Whitelisting and other only Whitelisting then you can charge yearly subscription for the first and perpetual license with upgrade fee for the second. That's the most logical option I can think of.
     
  6. Houley456

    Houley456 Registered Member

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    I say annual....this keeps money rolling in and helps in the perpetuity of the product...
     
  7. clubhouse1

    clubhouse1 Registered Member

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    Perpetual license with upgrade fees would suit me....However if a yearly renewal would be the best model for ensuring continuing development, so be it...do it.
     
  8. ams963

    ams963 Registered Member

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    I'd go with perpetual license with upgrade fees.
     
  9. Tarnak

    Tarnak Registered Member

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    I would like after the initial purchase for a year, an annual renewal cost of say, 25% of the full cost. ;) Am I being realistic? I don't know.
     
  10. sinlam

    sinlam Registered Member

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    Thanks for all your comments and votes so far :) Hope to see more...
     
  11. Minimalist

    Minimalist Registered Member

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    Most AV companies use annual fee model. I think that way they get best financial result. So for your company annual fee would be IMO the best model. Of course it wouldn't be the best for your users ;)

    hqsec
     
  12. mattdocs12345

    mattdocs12345 Registered Member

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    But it could be made okay. For example $32 initial license, next upgrade $16, after that $8 and then $4 per year and finally after 5 years, $2 per year.
     
  13. guest

    guest Guest

    Whatever but make it cheap ;)
    Maybe an cheaper option or free without local AV?
     
  14. Austerity

    Austerity Registered Member

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    Option C. Lifetime license.
     
  15. Brocke

    Brocke Registered Member

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    Agree
     
  16. sinlam

    sinlam Registered Member

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    Lifetime license without upgrade fees may be a bit tough... hmm... we shall see....

    More votes and comments are most welcome :)

    Cheers,
    sinlam
     
  17. kupo

    kupo Registered Member

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    My view is DO NOT offer lifetime license. Look at Malwarebytes, even one of the well known anti-malware will remove it due to lack of income. If you want to stay in business, DO NOT offer lifetime license. I voted for both option.
     
  18. safeguy

    safeguy Registered Member

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    Freemium license for your product with reduced-feature set. Applicable for home users only.

    Lifetime license for current major version.
    Upgrade fees for next major version.

    No need for annual license. Release new major version annually or when ready.

    Set different pricing for home use, non-commercial use (libraries, schools) and enterprise use.

    You please the customers wallets. You keep your business sustainable. Best of both worlds.
     
  19. KaptainBug

    KaptainBug Registered Member

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    Lifetime license with upgrade fee is ok provided you don't release major updates every year. That will be yearly subscription model then. Definitely don't prefer that.
     
  20. jwcca

    jwcca Registered Member

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    I voted for Both because:

    There are two components of this type of application:
    1) the program, with an initial fee, and subject to an Upgrade fee only if significant new features are added or the program has to be made compatible with a new version of the OS (W9?), which does not have a set repetitive schedule.

    2) the data, i.e. the maintenance of AV sigs and White Lists, which is a continual process throughout the year, which should be an Annual fee.

    The actual fees should be proportionate to other, similar, offerings of the same usefulness to customers, i.e. influenced by the Ease of Use, the UI and the frequency and accuracy of updates for AV sigs and the White list. If your UI is more intuitive or pretty or has some other characteristic that is more appealing, you can charge more. Obviously the opposite applies....

    You can modify the fees according to the number of customers. If your cost to supply sigs and white list is $X, and your target income is $Y then you could reduce the annual fee as the number of customers increases, taking into account that you may want to increase $Y and the cost $X may also increase from year-to-year, meaning if the number of customers doubles, you reduce the fee by 30% rather than 50%.

    J

    Edit: no free version, instead offer a Trial with full features for a limited period of 30-60 days. You'll need a licence server to make sure that no one can run the trial in 'perpetual mode' by restoring images, etc. You can allow a few re-installs within a short period of time to cover a situation where someone really does need to restore an image, etc. due to reasons not related to your product.
     
    Last edited: Feb 10, 2014
  21. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    Answers by tech savvy people are unreliable.
    We are inherently ***** ********.
    Mrk
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 10, 2014
  22. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    ROFL. You are correct, but it's worse that that.

    Please understand Simlan, I wish the best for you, but this poll indicates you didn't and still don't have a business model. If you did you would never ask this.

    You need to develop a model and business for your company, and figure out what you need to charge. Then the issue is will the market sustain it.

    The problem with some vendors here is they have technical skills, and come to Wilders to enhance their product, but they have no business savvy. We see them come and go. Just look in the archives.

    Sorry to be blunt.

    Pete
     
  23. jwcca

    jwcca Registered Member

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    Pete,

    I'd like to think that he's asking for help in learning about 'business models' in general and his best choice in particular. It may be that he's never heard the words 'business model' before.

    No reason that we can't try to help... after all, we all 'knew nothing' at some point in our lives and benefited from a mentor (although some don't and never will :))

    J
     
  24. safeguy

    safeguy Registered Member

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    Going by Mrk and Pete's logic, my answer would be reliable. I did study business admin after all :p

    Actually, what sinlam did is right. It's part of what we call market survey/research. The objective is to get a general idea of what your target market wants. That does not mean you bow down to customer demands. Rather you gain insight, acknowledge their expectations and then form a plan to accomodate and balance the needs of your users and yourself.

    Another tip: Look at what your competition is doing. You want to offer value to entice users to consider your products/service over the competitors. Price is a sensitive subject but it is not the the sole factor. More often than not, perception of quality and brand positioning plays a bigger role.

    As for people being "cheap", actually the more you take that into account, the better. Do not underestimate the power of free. People can be illogical when the price tag is zero. Freemium model always get the crowd going and serves as an alternative path to advertisement. That is how Avast, Piriform works for e.g. Not to mention the 'free' apps and games on Android with in-app purchases. Of course, it is not the only option. But as a way to gain attention and userbase, it can serve as a good start.
     
  25. sinlam

    sinlam Registered Member

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    Hi Safeguy, you speak my mind :) This is exactly what we are doing!

    Feedback from the users is the most valuable information and a good reference point to our business plan, instead of going by what we think is the best intuition. A lot of members here are either the existing or potential SecureAPlus users.

    Frankly speaking, we have initially decided on an annual subscription until one user suggested having a perpetual license with annual upgrades for major update. Then a few users supported this licensing model. That is why we have decided to create a poll and understand the market preference of most users. We always gain great insight after hearing users' comments.

    One thing I love about Wilders Security Forum is because its members come from all walks of life with various specialties and knowledge. We have gained tremendous insight from several Wilders members' feedback since our very first beta last year. Kudos to those who have given us valuable comment :thumb: Kudos to the Forum Founder, Paul Wilders and his team for starting and managing such excellent forum :thumb:

    Excellent points :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
     
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