I think rent is a good analogy, particularly for mission-critical apps (as Sprintly was for me at the time). Looking at non-mission-critical apps like Gliffy t

I think rent is a good analogy, particularly for mission-critical apps (as Sprintly was for me at the time). Looking at non-mission-critical apps like Gliffy though, I only really wanted to enter a contract for one-month's worth (actually, just one diagram's worth), but I didn't have the option. I didn't want an apartment, I wanted a hotel room. After paying for the empty apartment for too long, I realized I wasn't getting my money's worth and bailed. Next time I needed a diagram tool, I chose a different hotel (LucidCharts), and they got a few months rent from me when I needed an extended stay. I'd probably still be using Gliffy if they offered a hotel room option. Now that the rent analogy is beat to death...