Mac – Why are some Mac apps not available on AppStore

dmgmac-appstore

One example is CheatSheet. I searched it on the AppStore but couldn't find it.

Best Answer

There are a number of reasons developers may not want to go through the Mac App Store:

  • Apple Developer account is required with paid annual subscription of $99
  • Apple review process may block certain features or APIs
  • Apple determines that the app does not follow other guidelines (ui, content, etc)
  • Apple requires some features to be implemented or will not pass review (example, 64bit compatibility)
  • Apps on the App Store run in Sandbox, and do not have access to other parts of the system except through Public APIs
  • Pricing... Apple takes 30% of the purchase price
  • Users are insulated from the developer... its like buying an electronic widget from a big box store but never turning in the warranty... the developer has no idea who is using their product.
  • Time limited demos are not allowed (developers get around this by doing In-App Purchases for "Pro" features)
  • They (the developer) has malicious intent (rare, but can happen... more often with free software though)

But there are also a number advantages for developers too:

  • A great place to get exposure for your App
  • Don't need to deal with purchases or refunds
  • Support is limited to technical details and feature requests only
  • Don't need to build in copy protection (serial numbers, activation, etc) because authorization is handled by the Mac App Store
  • App is downloaded from Apples network, so don't need to worry about hosting bandwidth (an issue for popular software)