The Mac App Store is a distribution channel completely separate from our web site, and this results in some key differences between the version of the app that you download directly from our site and the version that you download from the Mac App Store.
First, you may download directly from us without first making a purchase. Our apps will operate in a demo or evaluation mode with some restrictions when unlicensed, but this allows you to evaluate an app before committing to a purchase. When you are ready to purchase, you can purchase a license from within the app to activate it and enable all its features. The Mac App Store does not currently offer this functionality and instead requires us to produce two versions - one free version for evaluation and one paid version with all enabled features. Because we are a small developer, we cannot handle this burden and our direct version must suffice as the evaluation version for the Mac App Store.
Second, if you download from the Mac App Store, you will only receive notifications and updates via the Mac App Store. The version that you download directly from us utilizes a built-in update mechanism, so you will get notifications of updates from within the app whenever you use the app.
Third, the Mac App Store version is subject to Apple's sandboxing restrictions, so the features of the Mac App Store version may not be identical to the version that you download directly from us. For example, sandboxing may prevent us from implementing a particular feature on the Mac App Store version, while another feature like iCloud access may only be available to apps that are sandboxed.
Fourth, the release dates for the Mac App Store version may be different than the direct version due to the approval process required by the Mac App Store.
Lastly, the Mac App Store does not currently provide a discounted upgrade path for existing customers to the next major version, and instead requires us to temporarily reduce the price for all customers and hopefully get all existing customers to upgrade within that short timeframe. In contrast, our e-commerce solution built into the direct version allows us to offer upgrade coupons and incentives for existing customers for an indefinite period of time.
First, you may download directly from us without first making a purchase. Our apps will operate in a demo or evaluation mode with some restrictions when unlicensed, but this allows you to evaluate an app before committing to a purchase. When you are ready to purchase, you can purchase a license from within the app to activate it and enable all its features. The Mac App Store does not currently offer this functionality and instead requires us to produce two versions - one free version for evaluation and one paid version with all enabled features. Because we are a small developer, we cannot handle this burden and our direct version must suffice as the evaluation version for the Mac App Store.
Second, if you download from the Mac App Store, you will only receive notifications and updates via the Mac App Store. The version that you download directly from us utilizes a built-in update mechanism, so you will get notifications of updates from within the app whenever you use the app.
Third, the Mac App Store version is subject to Apple's sandboxing restrictions, so the features of the Mac App Store version may not be identical to the version that you download directly from us. For example, sandboxing may prevent us from implementing a particular feature on the Mac App Store version, while another feature like iCloud access may only be available to apps that are sandboxed.
Fourth, the release dates for the Mac App Store version may be different than the direct version due to the approval process required by the Mac App Store.
Lastly, the Mac App Store does not currently provide a discounted upgrade path for existing customers to the next major version, and instead requires us to temporarily reduce the price for all customers and hopefully get all existing customers to upgrade within that short timeframe. In contrast, our e-commerce solution built into the direct version allows us to offer upgrade coupons and incentives for existing customers for an indefinite period of time.