How do you charge clients for your apps

[Riki_Armstrong]

I created an app that tracks notes and do to items per category for my husband to easier manage his projects. He loves it and showed it to his colleagues from other companies today. They also love it and want it for their companies with minor customization.

There are about 10 companies, each with 5-10 different projects and 10-20 users per project. I usually do everything for free as I like to help people out but this seems like an avenue to earn a bit of pocket money Also, I (or someone) will need to pay Appsheet per month.

What would you recommend I charge for app customization and setup for these companies? How would the monthly fee to Appsheet be handled?

They have also expressed great interest in having other apps developed beyond the notes app and as all companies are in the same Fitout / construction industry they would be the same apps sold 10 times. How do you normally recoup costs with a bit a profit?

As a side note, I am in Mauritius where the average office staff wage is about $500 per month and high skilled workers about $2800 per month.

Any advise or article links would be appreciated.

[Aleksi]

Great to hear! This is how it normally start:)

Start first with the one company so you could see all the feaures and requests. When you find out that the app is in good stage, then start to sell it. If those other companies will have lot of data, I believe the best option would be to copy the app for other companies. How much to charge in your country, I believe you know it better than others.

[Gerald_Kariuki]

Would it be a quick fix (forgive my presumption), to add a third access level ie App User, App Owner and say Data Owner
This would allow an app creator to get access and control over his app app via the App owners credentials.
This way the app users can access the app using Data owners access even when the app owner has no access.
I am writing from Kenya where most small scale users will not afford to buy an App outright. Most applications can therefore only be deployed by subscription.
Direct access exposes the app creator to liability over the clients data (especially when deploying to competitors), while apps created under clients accounts can be very easily replicated to cut out thr author.
I hope you can look into this.

I was able to create an amazing ERP for construction sites using Appsheet but I’m finding difficulties deploying it under current limitations.
Best regards

[Aleksi]

If you need more user levels, you could create your own users table and then control the usage from that table.

[Chuks]

I have been facing same issue with Appsheet. For you, I will suggest outright sale because now there can't be subscription small scale users. To calculate what you charge them. Consider the importance of the App, your hours of work and cost of living. If skilled workers earn 2,800 per month, I will advice you charge 3,000 for the to do App. If the app have more features, then you increase in that order. The more the features, the more the cost. 

Pls anyone with better understanding on how to earn with Appsheet App development especially for small businesses, help out. And the use of database is another issue. Google sheet has a limit, community how do you do it?