5508 is too much for a single developer

[Goddard]

I would like to release an app I have been working on in my free time, but after looking at the cost for a closed source application it is too much.

I love the Qt framework and the fact I can write once and basically have it work every where, but for a solo developer $460 dollars a month or 5500 dollars a year is a lot of money especially for an application that may or may not make any money at all.

How can any solo developer justify the cost of developing a Qt application vs another platform when the cost is so much greater in all instances I have looked at.

Am I missing something here?

Thanks and I really love Qt.

[jsulm]

@Goddard Can you use LGPLv3 Qt? Or do you really need commercial license for some reason? If LGPLv3 is fine for you you don't have to pay anything.

[kshegunov]

@Goddard said in 5508 is too much for a single developer:

Am I missing something here?

Yes, the minefield that is the licensing ... if you've worked with LGPL up until now it's not at all easy to switch to a commercial license, so you either stick to the OSS, or you need to contact the QtC sales and backpay licenses as per your agreement with them. Otherwise there's the "small business package" now, which as a solo dev you're probably eligible for, however you still need to go through the above to get that ironed out. Realistically, you need to talk to your lawyer, as per the advice of the QtC, which I assume you, just as me, don't have nor could afford to pay ...

[KroMignon]

@Goddard said in 5508 is too much for a single developer:

$460 dollars a month

Just wondering where do you find this? As far as I know, Qt for Small Business licence cost are 500$/year ==> https://www.qt.io/blog/available-now-qt-for-small-businesses

[kshegunov]

@KroMignon said in 5508 is too much for a single developer:

Just wondering where do you find this?

Here's the place he saw the figure, it's a reliable source too: https://www.qt.io/buy-product/

[jsulm]

@kshegunov If you check "We are a small business with <$250K annual revenue/funding (am I eligible?)" you get $499 per year license.

[JonB]

@jsulm
Absolutely right --- note that the actual checkbox next to the line is almost invisible on the page color scheme...! ;-)

@Goddard
Just to say, in case you are not aware: LGPL does allow you keep your own source "closed", as well as being allowed to charge for your product.

[kshegunov]

@jsulm said in 5508 is too much for a single developer:

@kshegunov If you check "We are a small business with <$250K annual revenue/funding (am I eligible?)" you get $499 per year license.

I know and I acknowledged that already. I simply provided the original source of the information in good faith. My major point was a different one - whatever the license, since development has already started with the LGPL, then the only way forward is to contact the QtC and work out the switch with them, you can't do that freely and on your own, as I mentioned.

@JonB said in 5508 is too much for a single developer:

Absolutely right --- note that the actual checkbox next to the line is almost invisible on the page color scheme...! ;-)

Don't push it, the checkbox is visible enough.

[Goddard]

I didn't see that small business option. That is much more affordable thanks for pointing that out!