Creating a software business model with Glide

[Nick_C]

Hi all,

Can Glide really be used to build a SaaS business? As I see it right now, the main issues are:

• Security: Keeping data properly segregated between customers. You can use private users, but then you only get 50 on Pro and 100 on Business plan, so that does not really scale.

• Security: If you want to integrate the app with external services via Zapier (for example), then to bring data back to Glide (right now) you need to use Google Sheets (for example), rather than Glide Tables. Is it really safe to keep mixed client data in one Google Sheet, even if row owners or roles is used?

• Rows per project and updates: For the kind of app I’m thinking of, 25k rows shared between customers just isn’t enough, so scalability isn’t there. Big table may be the solution here, but then it depends on the price per row - my understanding is this would be available on Business and Enterprise plans. Updates - I have not managed (or tried) to work out if 10k or 25k per month would be enough as yet.

Assuming a SaaS type offering with Glide just doesn’t quite make sense yet (TBD), what other business models could be pursued successfully?

• Sell the app as a Glide Template? Do enough people know about Glide, or care enough, to make this viable?

• Sell the app as a white labelled service on a per company basis? I.e. use the template and create an instance per customer (hooking with their Google Sheets / Zapier) and offer custom updates as a service.

Has anyone done either of these options successfully? Am I missing another business model? Examples would be super helpful!

Final thought: Glide is a great product in my experience and I hope in future they have the bandwidth to consider supporting the SaaS use case fully!

Thanks,
Nick

[Jeff_Hager]

@Nick_C

If you want to integrate the app with external services via Zapier (for example), then to bring data back to Glide (right now) you need to use Google Sheets (for example), rather than Glide Tables

Glide has an API to access glide tables. You are not forces to rely on google sheets.

Glide • Glide Tables API

@Nick_C

I have not managed (or tried) to work out if 10k or 25k per month would be enough as yet

It’s not 10k or 25k rows per month. It’s rows per project. Months do not factor into row count.

[Nick_C]

Thanks @Jeff_Hager

@Jeff_Hager

Glide has an API to access glide tables. You are not forces to rely on google sheets.

Glide • Glide Tables API

Good point! As far as I saw this API has not been added as an option in Zapier yet for some reason, but I suppose it’s probably straight forward to add it there or use make.com instead.

@Jeff_Hager

It’s not 10k or 25k rows per month. It’s rows per project.

That part was referring to the updates, which I understood is reset each month.

[Jeff_Hager]

You don’t need a direct integration in Zapier to use the API. APIs can be called from anywhere using anything.

Glide API: Connect any platform to your Glide App!

[How to Use the @Glide Tables API (Getting Started in 2022)] If you are looking for another example, check out this tutorial! In this video, I share an example of creating a custom integration with the Glide Tables API. You learn how to create a row, update a row, and delete a row. Though there is an API involved, there is little to no code because I am using Zapier to make the API calls. And if APIs scare you… Check…

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[Darren_Murphy]

@Nick_C

Security: Keeping data properly segregated between customers. You can use private users, but then you only get 50 on Pro and 100 on Business plan, so that does not really scale.

Private Users on its own doesn’t help with data segregation, it just restricts who can sign into your App. To get data segregation you need to use Row Owners (which are free), and for your use case probably Roles as Row Owners (which are not free).

But yes, private user limits would be an issue. For any sort of scale you’d need to be on an Enterprise Plan.

[nathanaelb]

Glide has come a long way in the past 2-3 years. Still, this post might give you ideas:

How to monetize your Glide app or expertise

Your SaaS model idea is point 3. in the list.