There's something I don't understand when creating an app. After creating the app on BT, I download the code and import it in eclipse or xcode. Then I compile the code and it creates a file that i will upload to the apple store or google play. What I don't understand: does the app needs to be hosted somewhere? The fact of being in the apple store isn't enough?

Nope, posting to store is enough. You might have a link to the dynamic info/data that looks to the BT server for your up to date detail etc. Otherwise when you self host your control panel will be on that server so to speak. Hope that helps ;)

Let's say if I want an app that can be updated without having to resubmit it to the app store, then I should use a dynamic link that will be on a server (wether mine or BT's). But if also can create a "simple" app, and in that case, I don't need any server. But if I want to update the app, I would have to resubmit it. And the fact of using BT's also lets me send Push Notifications. Is that right ? But in that case, if I become a member, I will kind of "install" BT's control panel on my server. So why do member have to pay each year ? Once it's installed, why do we have to pay ? Don't misunderstand me: I'm not saying I don't want to pay, but I just want to understand why. Thanks a lot.

It all depends on what sort of updating you want to do. The great thing about buzztouch is you CAN update your app without submitting an update to the store, so long as (1) you're not adding actual content to the app package itself, and (2) you're not adding a plugin that uses code you haven't already included in the package. Assuming it's neither of those, any changes you make in your control panel, and make Live, will automatically be reflected on your customer's phones. Pretty awesome stuff! Yes, BT lets you send Push Notifications. If you set up your own self-hosted server...which you don't have to do, even you're a member (you can just use the buzztouch.com control panel), you need to pay for your API calls. Each API call happens when you download your source code. Plus, and possibly most importantly, becoming a member and paying shows your support for the amazing amount of awesomeness going on around here! Mark

Welcome vDesjardins! Mark is absolutely right. Self-hosted is when you need to "'install' BT's control panel on my server", as you said. But many Buzztouch members do not run self-hosted version of Buzztouch. There are two primary reasons for using the self-hosted option: 1) Creating plugins to sell on the market 2) Creating apps for clients that need access to a control panel to update their apps Buzztouch obviously wants people to become members (as opposed to free guests), as it helps support their business model. And, of course, many of us want Buzztouch to stay around for a long time, so we encourage people to become members. :) Being a member doesn't just give you the option to go self-hosted, though. Other reasons include: 1) Being able to create more than 3 apps 2) Having access to member-only webinars (such as the fantastic android training webinars) 3) Push Notifications 4) Showing support for the awesome community known as Buzztouch :)

Strictly speaking, you do not need BuzzTouch at all. Neither do you need any other so called "app builders". You can all do it on your own. The way to do it on your own is to study free sites, buy books and/or dedicated courses for, say Android development, spending in a couple of months to learn Java, if you haven't already. If you like programming, enormous new challenges, learning all the new stuff... then that's the way to go. You don't even have to start everything all over, you can scavenge lots of code from GitHub and have your starting point there. If you are already "in", so to speak, GitHub can really help you start flying in the app world. After all, why use Microsoft Word when you can easily write your own Notepad with Delphi or Visual Basic? But if you just need to write one page and print it, I'd bet a farm that you would use Word and be done with it. You can put a good old HTML site edited in Notepad++, or you can install WordPress with three clicks and have both the content and the site up and running. If you just want to put that one page of content into an app, then site builders are the way to go. BuzzTouch is just one of many (I have a site called BestAppBuilders.com and there are many other listed over there.) The unique advantage of using BuzzTouch is that they give you the source code, just like WordPress or Joomla would, for sites. If you just want to publish, you use the system as it is - add screens, link them into menus and you have an app. But BUT! BUT!!! Having source code on your computer means that you really own your own app. That is just not so with other sites that are app builders. In my case, I created six apps with iBuildApp.com. It was very easy to use it from the technical standpoint of view, and for a beginner such as I used to be a year and a half ago, it was the easiest point of entrance. All good and well. However, later on, they introduced a paying service, and I did not want to pay them anything at all. In return, they cut off my apps, literally. You can see what they did here https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appbuilder.u44374p158720 When you download the app, only the splash screen is shown, with a link to their own site. My app and its place in the Google Play market, serves only to link to their site. When I asked them to give me the certificate so that I can upload a new version of the app, they just said that they would not do it. I was left with nothing. Well, that's where BuzzTouch comes into play, being the exact opposite of the iBuildApp approach. With BuzzTouch, my code is my own; my certificates are my own, and my notifications are my own. That is why I'm here and not somewhere else. This is not to say that BuzzTouch is the only such service. There may be others, I couldn't say. And many people coming from a programming background just do not need BuzzTouch at all. I am a programmer since 1976 and certainly can use that route, but when I think of how much code should I write and test on my own just to have an HTML document in an app, I hasten to return to BuzzTouch, which does all that for me already. You can see my all new and shiny app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.operamusic It is written with BuzzTouch and not only that. You may notice that I have four similar apps, all of them pulling videos from YouTube, amongst other sources. Well, it was a pain to write the first one. For the other three, I used the JSON Snippet Keeper plugin and just copied two thirds of each app. All that I needed to do was to pick the videos and put them into the app -- the hardest part was actually creating icons for the Menu with Image plug in. Now I not only have a speedy system for creating new apps, I have it all under my control. And that's why I am here, at BuzzTouch.com, and not somewhere else.

I'm a Buzztouch member because Buzztouch gives me good value. I'm sure you will come to the same conclusion. Cheers! -- Smug

Yes Dusko, I know what you're talking about because I created an app with Seattle clouds and never got to publih it. I paid during several months and didn't publish the app because my site wasn't ready. So I stopped paying. But now if I want to publish this app, I'll have to pay each month to have it published... And I can't afford it. That's one of the reasons why I'd like to use BT. The other reason is I love the BT community, it's very different from the other app builders sites. I used to be a programmer, like you, but I learned Java at school, a long time ago, and never learned Apple programming. It would take me a lot of time to learn these languages and I'd rather use BT so that I don't have to start from scratch. My fear is that I'm not sure I'll be able to create the app I have to create - I don't have a lot of time and no money. I started to try but I'm facing issues, I'm feeling lost and lonely - even if the BT people are very nice and helpful. I'm willing to become a BT member, so I hope I'll earn some money to become a member. In the meantime, I'll see if I'm able to create my app with BT, but I'll start a new topic. Thanks to all for your answers.