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I don't like subscriptions either, but what is the sustainable alternative income source for app developers?

stanmancan 4y ago
I like Jetbrains licensing. Essentially you pay for updates and once you stop paying you’re locked in at that specific version, but you can use it indefinitely.
- Jcowell 4y ago
  How does support work for this? Are non-paying customers no longer eligible for support? App wise would this lock features since developers would have no means of shipping X versions of an app I wonder , once the EU opens up the App Store will devs have to deal with cracked apps. Probably the full end of offline apps
  - throwaway2037 4y ago
    Are non-paying customers no longer eligible for support? Yeah, basically. "If you pay nothing, you get nothing." The last paragraph is brilliant foresight. I guess apps will need to move towards the AAA gaming market where Internet connection is required to verify license, plus a bunch amazing anti-cheat/-hack stuff. Assuming EU does crack open the app stores (pun intended), it sounds like a great small business to offer some libraries that mobile app devs can use for these new needs.
manuelmoreale 4y ago
Honest question, and I'm asking because I want to know your take, not because I'm trying to be a dick: why should an app developer have a sustainable income stream from a single app no matter what? Isn't it possible that an app is simple enough that doesn't justify getting a full salary out of it? Again, I'm not trying to be a dick here, I'm just trying to figure out what is the reasoning behind the subscription model. I'm a freelance web developer. When I'm done with a project I have to move to something else. Is it unreasonable to expect app developers to do the same? And I know, not all apps are created equal, some apps require constant work. I get that. For some apps is reasonable to expect a subscription. But for all apps? I'd say no. And this developer, from what I can see, is doing the "right thing" by working on multiple products. Which is great.
- lockhouse 4y ago
  I completely agree, many apps don’t justify being a subscription. It depends on the complexity, the frequency of expected updates and new features. Also if there is a cloud storage or paid API component to the app, then a subscription model is practically essential to keep an app running due to the developer’s own recurring costs. I think like many things it’s not one size fits all. In this particular case, I think that keeping a firewall utility up to date with changes to macOS and emerging threats would require a modest sustainable income source to make it worthwhile for the developer.
  - manuelmoreale 4y ago
    Well, I was looking at the change log of the non mini version of this app and the releases are dated - October 12, 2022 - May 2, 2022 - April 25, 2022 - November 17, 2021 Just to grab the most recent. Reading the change notes a solid % is bug fixes which is expected. This looks like a “traditional” piece of software. Doesn’t require constant new features that could be eventually bundled in a major paid release and the updates are primarily big fixes. And in fact the non mini version of little snitch is not a subscription. As it should. I agree with you that if an app has running costs (cloud storage or other services) or it requires constant work then a subscription is justified. But these days developers are trying to convert everything into a subscription. Every minor utility app wants to be a subscription. Which is just insane.
newaccount74 4y ago
"Pay once" is sustainable as long as people keep buying your app. Which works out just fine, since you are never going to saturate the market as a small app developer. There's always going to be new people who buy your app. I've made a living from non-subscription app sales for a decade, and revenue is pretty constant. As long as your app stays useful, people will continue to buy it.

I like Jetbrains licensing. Essentially you pay for updates and once you stop paying you’re locked in at that specific version, but you can use it indefinitely.

Jcowell 4y ago
How does support work for this? Are non-paying customers no longer eligible for support? App wise would this lock features since developers would have no means of shipping X versions of an app I wonder , once the EU opens up the App Store will devs have to deal with cracked apps. Probably the full end of offline apps
- throwaway2037 4y ago
  Are non-paying customers no longer eligible for support? Yeah, basically. "If you pay nothing, you get nothing." The last paragraph is brilliant foresight. I guess apps will need to move towards the AAA gaming market where Internet connection is required to verify license, plus a bunch amazing anti-cheat/-hack stuff. Assuming EU does crack open the app stores (pun intended), it sounds like a great small business to offer some libraries that mobile app devs can use for these new needs.

manuelmoreale 4y ago

Honest question, and I'm asking because I want to know your take, not because I'm trying to be a dick: why should an app developer have a sustainable income stream from a single app no matter what? Isn't it possible that an app is simple enough that doesn't justify getting a full salary out of it? Again, I'm not trying to be a dick here, I'm just trying to figure out what is the reasoning behind the subscription model. I'm a freelance web developer. When I'm done with a project I have to move to something else. Is it unreasonable to expect app developers to do the same? And I know, not all apps are created equal, some apps require constant work. I get that. For some apps is reasonable to expect a subscription. But for all apps? I'd say no. And this developer, from what I can see, is doing the "right thing" by working on multiple products. Which is great.

lockhouse 4y ago
I completely agree, many apps don’t justify being a subscription. It depends on the complexity, the frequency of expected updates and new features. Also if there is a cloud storage or paid API component to the app, then a subscription model is practically essential to keep an app running due to the developer’s own recurring costs. I think like many things it’s not one size fits all. In this particular case, I think that keeping a firewall utility up to date with changes to macOS and emerging threats would require a modest sustainable income source to make it worthwhile for the developer.
- manuelmoreale 4y ago
  Well, I was looking at the change log of the non mini version of this app and the releases are dated - October 12, 2022 - May 2, 2022 - April 25, 2022 - November 17, 2021 Just to grab the most recent. Reading the change notes a solid % is bug fixes which is expected. This looks like a “traditional” piece of software. Doesn’t require constant new features that could be eventually bundled in a major paid release and the updates are primarily big fixes. And in fact the non mini version of little snitch is not a subscription. As it should. I agree with you that if an app has running costs (cloud storage or other services) or it requires constant work then a subscription is justified. But these days developers are trying to convert everything into a subscription. Every minor utility app wants to be a subscription. Which is just insane.

newaccount74 4y ago

"Pay once" is sustainable as long as people keep buying your app. Which works out just fine, since you are never going to saturate the market as a small app developer. There's always going to be new people who buy your app. I've made a living from non-subscription app sales for a decade, and revenue is pretty constant. As long as your app stays useful, people will continue to buy it.