28 Dec

How to Protect App Ideas and Reduce the Risk of Theft?

Mahipal Nehra

Have you ever had a stroke of genius and thought of an incredible app idea but then got worried about someone stealing it? It's a common concern among many aspiring app creators.

More often than not, a phenomenal app idea gets stolen by someone and released in the market even before the original ideator can work on that. Even Apple has allegedly stolen ideas from small third-party apps.

In this blog, we will discover how to protect your app idea from the risks of theft. So, let’s get started!

How to Prevent the Theft of an App Idea

Once you have verified the worth of your idea, it is time to take ideal actions to protect it. Here are some ways you can do so:

Share Information Selectively
When to Sign NDA
When NDA’s Negatively Impacts
Get Your App Name Listed in the App Store
Document Everything
Take App Trademark

Before protecting your app idea ensure that it’s a good one. You can do so by evaluating the competition and understanding how your app will differ and be better than what’s already in the market.

1. Share Information Selectively

One of the simplest ways in which you can protect your app idea is by sharing it selectively. It is a human tendency to be over-excited and enthusiastically share something as crucial as your game-changing idea with others. However, the less you reveal about the details, the lower the chances of someone stealing it.

Remember it you will have to share details with the developers, investors, etc. but don’t share every bit of your brain child.

2. When to Sign NDA

A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) ensures that all your ideas and project rights are protected at all times. It needs to be done at the time you hire a software development company.

The NDA should entail the parties in the agreement, the time frame of the agreement, defining what information will be confidential, your rights on the project, remedies for the breaches, requirements and obligations, and more.

By signing the NDA, you will be confident to share the app idea freely without stressing about it getting stolen.

How to Protect App Ideas

When NDA’s Negatively Impacts

Although signing an NDA has proven to be fruitful before starting the project, it still shouldn’t be used in some scenarios. First, when you are at the fundraising stage.

Here you will have to share the details of your idea with the potential investors otherwise they will reject your proposal instantly. However, you only need to share the basic concept of the app, its market size, how it differentiates itself, and what problem it is going to solve.

Like the fundraising stage, it's unnecessary to involve non-disclosure agreements (NDA) during the hiring stage. At this stage, it's essential to inform the potential development partner about the work and tasks they will be handling.

This allows for discussions about the tools and technologies to be used. Just like the fundraising stage, it's not required to share every detail before finalizing everything and signing the cooperation treaty along with the NDA.

Get Your App Name Listed in the App Store

While Google’s Play Store can have multiple applications with the same name, the iOS App Store requires you to pre-register and reserve the name of the app, so that no one can have the same name of the app as yours.

All you have to do is go to itunesconnect.apple.com, enter your account information, log in to the account, open the “my app” section, select “add a new app”, enter the information about the app (you will need an app bundle for this step), click create to reserve the app name and upload the app bundle.

Also, there is no limit on the time for which you can reserve the app name as long as no guidelines are being violated.

Document Everything

Good documentation is crucial to avoid stealing and gain success after launching the app. It should cover everything from ideation to launch, including code, brainstorming sessions, meetings, blueprints, and design drafts. Record all conversations with your developer and keep them safe as evidence in case of any data leak.

Take App Trademark

After launching an app, it's essential to consider trademarking your logo, brand, and app. This approach will protect your intellectual property from being used by other entrepreneurs or developers without your permission.

By trademarking, you can also prevent competitors from using similar designs, logos, and brands, which could potentially attract your potential customers. Therefore, trademarking can become a valuable step to safeguard your app and its associated intellectual property.

Conclusion

Do not allow the fear of the idea being stolen by any competitors to stop you from converting your idea into reality. By keeping the above-mentioned considerations in mind and following them, it will become easier to protect the app idea and start making money through it.

Also, you should not forget to choose a reliable app development company that will sign the NDA without hesitation.

If you are seeking such a trustworthy company, then you don’t have to look any further. We at Decipher Zone will never hesitate to sign an NDA and protect your app data in every scenario. And to access our service all you need to do is contact our experts, share your requirements, interview our developers, and get a quote to get started with the project.

FAQs: How to Protect App Ideas

How do I keep my app idea from being stolen?

To protect the app idea from theft you should do the following:

Share Information Selectively
When to Sign NDA
When NDA’s Negatively Impacts
Get Your App Name Listed in the App Store
Document Everything
Take App Trademark

How do I copyright my software idea?

Without converting the software into tangible form it is impossible to copyright them. However, once the software is ready you can register with the Copyright Office, fill in the form, and submit it.

How do I protect my mobile apps?

To protect your mobile app from unauthorized access you can integrate multi-factor authentication, end-to-end encryption, and update the app regularly.

Posted by Mahipal Nehra | Posted at 28 Dec, 2023 Web

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