← Go BackFrom desktop app to cloud SaaS: MipMap's move to a subscription model
MipMap builds photogrammetry software for surveyors, architects, and construction teams — turning drone imagery into accurate 3D models. They had a functional desktop application, but the distribution model was a dead end: every customer required a full license purchase, installations had to be managed per machine, and there was no way to onboard users at scale.
- Project
- MipMap
- Year
- 2024
- Type
- 3D Modeling & Aerial Mapping
- Stack
- Frontend, Backend, Language, Cloud, DevOps
- Services used
What was in the way
- 01
Desktop-only, no trial or subscription
- 02
No self-serve onboarding
- 03
Desktop code couldn't run in a browser
- 04
Processing had to move server-side
- 05
Desktop product had to keep running
How we built it
- 01
Web frontend — replacing the desktop client
- React + Next.js web app
- Real-time job status
- No local installation
- 02
Backend API — moving processing to the cloud
- REST API
- Async job queue
- Pay-per-use cloud compute
- 03
Subscription model & user accounts
- User accounts
- Monthly subscriptions
- Self-serve onboarding
What changed
Desktop-only product successfully migrated to a web-based SaaS
Monthly subscription model live — replacing per-license sales
Self-serve onboarding enabled for the first time
Processing moved server-side — no installation required for end users
Foundation in place for MipMap to build a scalable acquisition funnel
