Yeah, it seems like we've identified similar problems and addressed them in reasonably similar ways. Likewise, I've went with SQLite as the project file format, with the files being compressed when saving so that users can transfer/share the project files easier.
Thanks for the insight on the pricing. I've been working under the assumption that if a few people on my team at work wanted to spend $100US each on tools, that they think would improve their productivity, it'd be a no-brainer and easy to justify.
I definitely think that more competition in this space is good for the industry as a whole, and likewise wish you the best of luck!