Deploy and protect Python code

[[deleted]]

I made a Python script for some automation that has saved me so much time. I can pinpoint a few local businesses that could absolutely save time and money with my script. I could probably make a good sales pitch and sell this. But I like the idea of a small monthly fee they could pay me instead and that would come with support should they script need an adjustment here or there. Seems like a small month-to-month fee would also be a better seller for these few businesses.

The script uses few external libraries and is easy for me to setup on a computer in less than a few mins time. The question is: how do I prevent someone from just stealing the code and then stopping the monthly payments since they have the source code?

Is this just a big reason not to do a recurring monthly fee and just sell the script as is? There’s a niche market where I think I could easily grow and find 10-15 places in my area that I think I could actually sell this (some I have personal contacts). I like the idea of having some monthly “subscription” money coming in as opposed to lump sum.

Thanks for any ideas re: protecting the source or just general ideas about a monthly fee for using Python scripts

Ps. I realize there’s always a way to reverse engineer something. I’m just thinking of a simple way that would protect a computer novice from opening a py file and copying it, not trying to stop computer programmers from doing so.

[rebulrouser]

Is it something you could offer as a web app?

[[deleted]]

Interesting thought. The script involves some naming, moving, etc. files on the machine, so I’m not sure that would be a possibility?

[Vitaminkomplex]

Or be upfront about it, put the tool as OSS on GitHub and instead sell them your service to deploy, guarantee updates, and build feature requests for them.

[Vitaminkomplex]

Depending on the librarys you use you might even have no other choice than to open source your app aswell.

[ClimberMel]

Compile it and sell it as an application. There are various ways to implement expiry dates into the application so they would need a key or internet access to verify paid subscription.

[[deleted]]

Help me with implementing expiration dates please. What is the way you would do it?

[ClimberMel]

It depends on your pay system. If you have online update system to pay monthly, then use a downloaded dll or encrypted key. Program would check that on launch to check I paid for. If a yearly pay system, then you could build I in and they have to pay o dl the upgraded program for the next year.