I know that the apps in the Mac App Store are sandboxed. I trust Apple to handle my financial information. I know I can download the app on as many computers as

I know that the apps in the Mac App Store are sandboxed. I trust Apple to handle my financial information. I know I can download the app on as many computers as I want, and share the purchase with my family. I can see reviews before I buy. Unfortunately, most apps that I use aren't distributed through the Store, and I sympathize with developers who try to avoid it. Most of the apps that do get published tend to be really low quality, often repackaged open source software. I don't think it's likely that an App Store-only future will come to pass. As Apple has locked down macOS over the past decade, they've always left an escape hatch for advanced users. And iOS has been loosening up little by little.