I’ve spent the last few years consulting on software licensing and entitlement systems. The current state of indie macOS dev is frustrating: you either lose 30% to the Mac App Store or you roll your own licensing implementation that usually gets cracked by a simple bool flip or API mock.
I've been building MacShip to offer a middle ground: a distribution stack that actually protects revenue without the MAS tax.
It handles the security side: I packaged the techniques I use in consulting into a drop-in SDK. It’s not just a server check; it handles offline validation and attempts to prevent common bypasses like binary patching and memory editing. (I know nothing is uncrackable, but this raises the bar significantly).
It handles the boring ops side: I hated the notarytool dance, so I wrote a zero-config GitHub Action that handles signing, notarizing, stapling, DMG creation, and generating your Sparkle feed.
I’m pre-selling v1 (shipping Feb 22).
Link: https://macship.dev