Hello,
I have an Android app and some company is interested in using part of it and rebranding it for its customers. One of the options would involve licensing the code to them for use in this specific case.
Would you recommend doing that as a good option? What is the cost of licensing code in comparison to the cost of the original development. Should the license be for any use of the code, for using the codebase/year?
Any recommendation would be welcome.
The lifespan of these apps is pretty short, a few years at best before platform updates all but require some refresh of the library code, either because underlying system library calls are deprecated, or new platforms require slightly different handling of UI elements (I'm looking at you, iPad), or user expectations demand additional features be added.
This short lifespan makes it easy to relicense an updated version every few years, so a one-time license fee for the static library (no source) per distinct app is reasonable, easy to manage for both parties, and allows the buyer the ability to release bug fixes and some enhancements for their apps without getting bogged down in license issues.
Of course, you should keep on adding features to the library and offer the updated versions at an upgrade price, plus professional services and support at an annual subscription rate.