The Mac App Store is simple to use, but it may not be suitable for all products. In this article, we follow the perspective of Zipic creator Shili to solve the distribution and sales problems of a macOS indie app.

Fatbobman

Building an independent distribution system for macOS apps outside the App Store requires solving packaging (DMG Canvas), notarization, automatic updates (Sparkle framework), licensing (self-hosted Keygen.sh), and global payment collection (Stripe with US company registration). The process involves significant infrastructure work including DMG packaging with notarization, implementing Sparkle for auto-updates with CloudFlare R2 hosting, deploying a self-hosted licensing system, navigating complex payment provider registration (especially for Chinese developers), and building webhook services to automate license generation and delivery after purchase.

Building a Distribution and Sales System for Indie Apps from Scratch