What is the most useless app that you have seen being given as a subscription?

For me, I tried a ‘minimalist’ launcher app for Android that had a 7 day trial or something and they had a yearly subscription based model for it. I was aghast. I would literally expect the app to blow my mind and do everything one can assume to go that way. In a world, where Nova Launcher (Yes, I know it has been acquired by Branch folks but it still is a sturdy one) or Niagara exist plus many alternatives including minimalist ones on F Droid, the dev must be releasing revolutionary stuff to factor in a subscription service.

Second, is a controversial choice, since it’s free tier is quite good and people like it so much. But, Pocketcasts. I checked it’s yearly price the other day, and boy, in my country, I can subscribe to Google Play Pass, YouTube Premium and Spotify and still have money left before I hit the ceiling what Pocketcasts is asking for paid upgrade.

Also, what are your views on one time purchase vs subscriptions? Personally, I find it much easier to purchase, if it’s good enough even if it was piratable, something if it is a one time purchase rather than repetitive.

  • Reddfugee42@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    11 months ago

    It’s not like the entire foundation of software and computing and essentially all of Silicon Valley was built upon a non-subscription model. It’s completely unsustainable.

    • jol
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      11 months ago

      Yes, you are totally right. The specific thing we have lost is the right to buy a specific version of an app and forgo future updates.

    • unique_hemp
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      11 months ago

      It was built on yearly releases of software instead, also known as yearly subscriptions.

      • conciselyverbose@kbin.social
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        11 months ago

        Those are two blatantly different things. There’s nothing wrong with selling new versions of software.

        There’s everything wrong with removing the ability to use software you paid for unless you continue to actively pay for it.

        • unique_hemp
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          arrow-down
          3
          ·
          11 months ago

          Except using software without updates nowadays is a very bad idea because of the Internet and security being a real concern.