Originally Posted by
prj71
Even then...if there are apps that have a subscription to access the premium features I have found that there are hacked versions online for download. For example....Pandora wants $6/month to stream ad free music. I have the premium version downloaded from some android website I found and I pay no monthly fee to have the premium version. I refuse to pay monthly subscription fee for any app.
Originally Posted by
prj71
Subscription based software has only become a thing within the last 5 years or so. Prior to that you paid a one time fee for apps or software. Then the companies became greedy.
I've been using AutoCad since the late 80's and Photoshop since the early 90s. Initially you paid a one time fee for the software. If you wanted to pay for the newest version great. If you wanted to wait a few releases and upgrade great. I would often skip 2-3 upgrades of the software and upgrade at my leisure. Point being these software companies did not go out of business just because it wasn't subscription based. They got greedy.
I have a weather radar app on my phone. I paid a one time fee so I don't have to deal with ads. If they go to a subscription based program I'm out.
Did they really get greedy or just realise that $20 lifetime software is not sustainable? There are lots of legit reasons (not greed based) why software might move to a subscription model, often tiered with a free basic version. It’s for the market to decide whether or not the software is worth paying for. You are using the “greed” card to justify your own freeloading, which is pretty hypocritical.
I used the free Strava App years ago when all the premium features were still included, but it was obvious that it was not sustainable long term. Now I pay about £50 per year for the premium version, which I think is reasonable value and keeps improving year on year.