How to Own Your Software: A Founder's Protection Guide

You paid for an app. But do you actually own it? Too many Bangladeshi founders find out the hard way — when the developer disappears, holds the domain hostage, or there's no source code and no backups. Protect yourself before you pay the final invoice.

The ownership checklist

• Domain registered in YOUR name and account.
• Hosting account owned by you (you hold the login).
• GitHub repository under your organization.
• Full source code handed over — not just a built/compiled version.
• Database and its automated backups accessible to you.
• Admin and deployment access in your hands.
• All API keys and third-party accounts are yours.
• Basic documentation and a written handover.

Red flags to watch for

• The developer owns your domain or hosting account.
• You have no GitHub access to the source code.
• No documentation and no handover plan.
• No backup strategy — one crash and it's all gone.
• "Just trust me" instead of written agreements and access.

None of this means distrust — it means professionalism. A good developer or agency will hand everything over gladly. Run your project through the free Software Project Planner to get this checklist tailored to your build.