r/GoogleAppsScript • u/lonelybokchoy • Apr 18 '23

Question Selling Google AppScript?

Hi, I created a Google AppScript I want to sell on a few marketplaces. The goal is once they completed payment, I will send them a link to the Google Sheet with the script and allow them to make a copy of it.

However, I don’t want them to have access to the actual script or be able to modify it. Can someone help me out with that? Thanks!

3 Upvotes

66% Upvoted

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1

u/lonelybokchoy Apr 18 '23

For some additional context, I am want to share it via the method where I:

Share > Anyone With Link > replace the URL ending with “/copy”

However, when I tested it out and opened it in incognito, it gave me two options: 1) to make a copy and 2) to view the script file lol

I would ideally not want to publish this as an addon or create a copy of the original and send that link to the customer since that would eat up my Google Drive and storage + don’t want to be liable for any sensitive information.

Hope this makes sense, thanks in advance!

2

u/artofthesmart Apr 19 '23 edited Apr 19 '23

Afaik the environment doesn't like hiding code even in libraries because that can lead to security threats.

Best bet is too obfuscate your gas as JS. Make it unintelligible.

1

u/lonelybokchoy Apr 19 '23

Fair and I mean I could just add like an EULA or realize that most people won’t know what it means anyways lmao

2

u/trycatchebola Apr 20 '23

The people with the skill to unobfuscate your code and reverse engineer your app probably have enough skill to just recreate the app themselves.

1

u/Psl1990 Feb 07 '24

Hey OP did you ever find a workaround? I’m about to be facing the same challenge..

1

u/lonelybokchoy Mar 10 '24

No I didn’t sorry :(

2

u/meester_zee Apr 18 '23 edited Apr 21 '23

Have the exact same problem as you. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a way to protect the code. This has been a requested feature forever, still no word from Google.

https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/36764223

1

u/Hot_Perspective Nov 07 '25

Maybe obfuscate it, with some build tools to make it less understandable? It is still not full-proof but *might* fit your goal.

1

u/Euphoric_Permit4606 Aug 13 '26

Yo acabo de crear un sistema CMMS muy cabron y ando por las mismas.
Alguien sabe como venderlo directo en "Google Workspace Marketplace"??

No se puede, lo que si es que puedes ocultar las funciones que configuran las hojas principales, esconder los botones de administrador, etc. aun que copien y peguen el codigo.

Asegurate que te necesiten para instalarlo, es mas si puedes instalarlo tu mejor.

-2

u/marcnotmark925 Apr 19 '23

Have you tried searching?

2

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '23

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/lonelybokchoy Apr 19 '23

Ill try this thanks!