It would be up to the developer to value their app to a point where they could optimize their revenue, if they’re coding for cash that is. But to be fair, developing apps for homey, even with an app store model, probably will not come close to a fair payment for time invested. But with heimdall, you can spread the costs over a ton of users, as is generally the case for utility apps.
Perhaps both.
And something like this:
Make the donation button blue if no donation has been done
Green, after donation, for a year.
After that year, the color changes in orange, as a “remembering”.
Anyway, more visible and perhaps with some explanation, with, more or less the expected (min.) amount, would be good.
New users often have no idea what it’s about and what is +/- expected of them. 1 Euro? 15 Euro?
I imagine that a lot of the users have no problem with 1 Euro, if this was considered as a normal amount and indicated somewhere.
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I like this idea, but how will Athom/The-Store know that someone has donated?
Mentioned this about a year ago, needs to be an appstore model, but it was called out as not enough people to buy the apps. Depends on the success of Homey I suppose, without apps it is nothing, same as iOS and Android. Chicken and egg scenario.
Personally I have offered to pay to have apps developed or donate, for example Heatmiser was SDK1 with Athom, it got discontinued, if anyone wanted to write this and add a small piece of functionality I will pay 100 euros, but I doubt I will get any offers, and will try and soldier on myself, piece by piece with my numerous learn Node.JS books.
Same with MySmartBlinds/Tilt - I have a homebridge plugin downloaded from GitHub and a similar Homey app, I’m trying to piece together, already I have spent 4+ hours and not got very far - I understand it isn’t a simple process - but for developers who know the structure and have built many apps before, it may be a lot quicker/easier. Again I would pay 100 euros for this.
Perhaps if there were a way to pledge money for apps (like a kickstarter approach) more devs may be interested - I understand 100 euros is not a lot for a developer, but if 10 people wanted the app and pledged 50 euros each, 500 euros is a decent amount.
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As for monetising apps, I’d happily pay up to 10 euros per app, but to developers only. I think it is unfair for Athom to charge for apps, when they are selling the hardware.
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I bet it fails often that the developer doesn’t have the device. Like I’m currently programming a VeSync app for the Homey. My own devices are working fine now but when you have to add devices that you don’t own, debugging is quite hard.
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I’m a Fibaro user and this discussion never came up on the Fibaro forum. For the people who don’t know Sankotronic, he made a bundle of app’s. He worked years on it. Price for this = 0€. This the strength of a community, help each other but don’t do it for the money … it’s a hobby. Not everyone has the knowledge to make app’s. I agree that you can give a beer or coffee … but if apps are payable … a lot of users will leave.
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I was wondering why developers have to pay to make their app work with Homey Bridge?
I e-mailed a couple of them if they where planning to make an app available for the Homey Bridge and the response was:
I do not plan do that, because it requires certification I have to pay.
I do this for free, in my free time, so, I can´t invest more money to do that.
Doesn’t seem encouraging to even develop an app at all.
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Well, this certification is not made for Community devs. Brands shall build their own apps instead (perhaps they hire a community dev). The certification payment is used for deeper app validations.
It seems the brands have to be ‘angled’ in with a little help 
But no provisioning appearantly 
https://homey.app/nl-nl/app/com.tuya/
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So if I understand correctly, a community dev shouldn’t (or at least can’t for free) develop an app for a particular brand for Homey (Bridge)? I get it that Athom wants to make money, but this is also a “good” way to kill community development.
That’s actually the exact reason why Athom added the “you have to pay for Homey (cloud) support”.
They only want Brand made apps on Homey (cloud), that are maintained, until the end of time, and not be abandoned if there is some disagreement between Athom and the developer, or the developer looses interests (as example).
99 euro per year is nothing for a brand/manufacturer if it gets more sales of their products by doing so.
Though not every brands so far do the proper maintenance, so I guess we will see if anything changes somewhere in the future if more brands start not maintaining their app.
pretty much no brands are actively working on adding drivers to homey, there are a few that asked community dev’s to do it in trade for some free devices.
i wonder why Athom even bothers with drivers.
The flow system is genius and i happily pay for it. but feeling the need to support 1000+ devices without even lifting a finger is nuts.
take Zigbee. there is a great open source Zigbee device manager called zigbee2mqtt its based on docker and has almost all Zigbee devices supported right out of the box.
meanwhile @TedTolboom is doing his best in trying to get all the xiaomi devices running in Homey.
by re-inventing the wheel because its already there out in the open.
i completely understand that dev’s get tired after a while of the sluggish Athom that doesn’t listen the its developers (Slack is almost dead silent, no support for developers its all just… a shame)
one after the other gets drawn away by software like Home Assistant. and more and more apps are ready for the graveyard.
in my humble opinion. you should let the drivers be. i use Home Assistant for all my devices and bridge it by using the community Home Assistant app and the Atom Home Assistant app. It’s rock solid and a joy to work with using the advanced flow system (node-red sucks) i simply add a device to zigbee2mqtt reload the plugin and i have a new sensor ready to go. (and thanks to @RonnyW it will keep working on SDK3 
)
Homey for me is pure apps and boy do we have great ones. from Heimdall, Chronograph (@Arie_J_Godschalk is just pulling apps out of his pants by now) to Alexa support all the way from down under.
and now for the conclusion. Tools need to be paid, a driver you need and you just want your device to work when you buy a Homey. You don’t think to pay for your Hue lights to go on. But Tools on the other hand are really Apps. Just $0.99 a piece should be normal…
Your Homey works without the tools but the tools make it more fun.
I just don’t think Atom can make an money based App-store because you are in a completely different game with European law’s etc… instead they should make an API to generate keys that you could directly get from the developer when you pay/donate (this is just a thought and not worked out but i can understand they don’t want to monetize the store for that reason).
tldr; drivers should be eliminated use other software instead and tools need to be payed
Ps. if anyone wants to create a Home Asisstant based setup and need help i’m happy to help.
Ps Ps. this is just my opinion i love everyone and i think you all do great work.
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Old subject
As a user and non developer my 10c on this topic: I think there is a difference on what driver/app should be for free and what users is willing to pay for. Let me explain:
I bought the Homey a couple of years ago as it was able to integrate several items I had in the domotica world like early X10 devices, Kaku units, Wifi switches and lately also ZigBee units. Using the Homey it helped me to understand the possibility and impossibilities to integrate new items. If I now buy a new item like a security device or a solar unit related device, I always check if there are already Homey related interfaces or programs available to do the integration.
Another example: I am using a Growatt solar converter and I noticed that the existing Growatt app only support a certain model. The request to the developper to see if my Growatt model can be included was turned down as the developper stated he do not have the facilities to test this, which for me was a fair and a valid reason. Using other general (solar) apps I create my own environment using flows to create the functionality I wanted.
So here is in my opinion also the key for the solution:
- as stated by several a developer started to create something as he was in need and was willing to share this to others. If indeed another users can use it, great and giving his appreciation though a donation or a bear should be sufficient
- if the user need additional functionality (like adding a new device or model) he has 2 options. Either the user can do it himself and use the code/logic already devellop (if needed for a small fee to the original developper) or request the developper to do it for him. Based on the market potential (few users vs multiple users) the developper can then determine his price and the user can agree or disagree on this.
So to summarize: basic/initial interface/app for free and pay for additional functionality/support.
Last but not least the company selling the HW, weather it is Athom or in my above example Growatt: in most cases they have also an interest in being able to integrate their devices with other environments. Seems to me fair that they contribute/stimulate the development of the “basic” interface so their device can be integrated through Homey with other devices. As stated in several cases I did not buy a brand/device as at that time the integration with homey did not exists. Athom should support the developper in the discussion with the vendor and provide some basic rules/facilities, especially to create the initial basic interface between the devices.
Is this making sense?
