How does one manage the stop/start of subscriptions/billing, when the product is selfhosted by the buyer?
If the user must access the product's server, it's a no brainer. But any ideas/examples on how to bill users monthly and have the ability to end their registration if they don't choose to continue the subscription, if the product is selfhosted?
You can add in some licence key with an activation process, or make some elements of the service hosted centrally. Or you can host some API functions centrally and make the local clients dependable on that.
Or you can just decide to only offer support to members.
For recurring billing I use chargify with authorize.net gateway & various merchant accounts.
1. Most people would encode the product and manage usage restrictions with a licensing server. However that can still be reversed.
2. Making some functions necessary only by way of an API and charging is a good method, however will that server be online most of the time. You could have people complaining.
What i would do is charge for support as tijn mentioned.
for billing you can join any mediators. thats the best way i think.
Adding the key-gain license code to active the product is another option. I think most of the self hosted products use this process.
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