Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Yes, we hate subscriptions. However, which apps do you choose to subscribe to?

iCloud Storage
Adobe Lightroom
Tidal
Generex (on line status for whole house generator - much appreciated to know all is OK prior to a hurricane)
ADT
Vonage (I should drop this one)
 
AceFernalld said:
Zero. I think that concept is such a bs scam. I really hate it. I want to own my apps, as well as my music / tv shows / movies. Being locked into a subscription in perpetuity to access content doesn’t sit well with me.
Click to expand...

This.

I cannot count how many Apps I did quit using as soon as they switched to this model. This applies to music as well.
In hindsight, I was always very glad I made this choice.
 
  • Like
Reactions: drumcat and UltimateSyn
I can understand why subscriptions are so popular these days, they give a steady cash flow and help paying for future development - which the customers expect.

Personally, I rarely use commercial programs often enough to buy them, even less subscribe to them. But yes, I have bought several apps in the last year, most of them for my phone. None of them expensive, $1—$5 maybe.

I subscribe to Spotify, Netflix, cheapest 200GB Icloud, and VPN.

I will probably quit icloud, it fills my 120GB ssd MacBook to the brink and I find no way to always store all icloud files in the cloud.
 
icymountain said:
This.

I cannot count how many Apps I did quit using as soon as they switched to this model. This applies to music as well.
In hindsight, I was always very glad I made this choice.
Click to expand...
I used to own lots of vinyl, then sold it as my career had me moving overseas for many years. Accumulated lots of CDs but then moved to a smaller residence so sold them. For the past three years I have not purchased any physical music and have been streaming. With the amount of music I listen to daily, the large number of new artists I enjoy trying and with the large number of complete albums I download, I have saved a fortune in money and my house is less cluttered.

I find the idea of paying 10 Euros a month for access to 50 million songs a tremendous bargain. 120 Euros a year would allow me to purchase maybe 6 physical albums. That is only a drop in the bucket compared to how much music I want every year.
 
Where to start lol

Apple music
icloud
Apple news +
Apple Arcade
Amazon prime
Pigment
Youtube premium
Now TV
Netflix
Sleep watch
Disney +
 
Last edited:
Prime
iTunes Match
Apple Music
Netflix
YouTube tv
Dc universe
Disney plus (trial)
Atv + (trial)
Office (work)
Adobe (work)
1Password
Parallels
iTunes storage 1tb
Xbox (3 years or something game pass)
Ancestory.com (wife)
Flickr (still. Lol)
Some weather app. Carrot?
Funimation (daughter)
Roblox (son)
Arlo
YouTube red or music or whatever it is
 
1Password
Netflix
Apple TV+ (free 1yr with a new Mac)
Amazon Prime
Amazon Music Unlimited $79
Amazon Cloud Cam
Disney+ (free 1yr with a new TV)
iCloud (couldn’t they bill 99-cents a month annually!?
Sirius XM
2 Patreon
1 SubscribeStar
Audible
 
I don’t hate subscriptions, but definitely do not like it when the subscription doesn’t match app. If there’s a material and on going server cost (hosting large pictures or videos) or material and ongoing content costs (TV shows, Movies, Music).

I do not like it when an app has a subscription to simply to charge a subscription to cover the cost to adapt to new version of iOS. I would much rather the developer let the app break with new version of iOS that takes a material amount of time to service for a new OS. Then charge for app version 2 so if someone what’s to stay on an older version of iOS and not pay they can. Ultimately it’s up to the developer, but they’re making the choice to have lower volumes and ongoing prices or higher volumes and onetime prices.

That being said here’s what I pay for:
  • Apple Music (via Verizon Unlimited)
  • Disney + (via Verizon, 1 yr “free”)
  • Netflix
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu
  • HBO Max
  • Apple Arcade
  • iCloud Storage
And here’s the list of subscriptions that are coming and going:
  • Dropping Tynker, thought it would be a good app to learn coding, but the Minecraft “mods” were simply a distraction for my son and he never learned much with coding
  • Adding Epic after the school subscription runs out, a lot of great books directly at my son’s level. It takes a lot of time to find books right at my sons and daughter’s reading level and Epic makes that part very easy.
  • If 1Password ever forced me to go into a subscription, I’ll be paying for that given how much I rely on it. Not really one I think should be a subscription, but it’s value is so high I’ll likely pay.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigMcGuire
Agreed, I don't mind paying subscriptions for services where it is obvious that my usage of said service results in a cost to the company providing the service.

My work's application utilizes Amazon AWS and allows users to SMS if they want. That syncing service that AWS provides results in a very high bill every month that most people don't see or realize.

However, I refuse to pay subscriptions for apps that just have a subscription to have one. Definitely.
 
jonblatho said:
I'd start by learning what “freemium” means, myself: You can use a set of basic features for free; additional (and perhaps even significant) functionality will cost extra. Ads have nothing to do with it. Also, if Apple does move to a freemium model, you can bet that they won’t let you forget that they offer it — see Music and News for non-Apple Music and News+ subscribers for examples on that.

ETA: Come to think of it, can you name an instance where Apple made a high-profile acquisition of a paid, consumer-facing app/service and chose to give up that stream of revenue entirely instead of rebranding it and continuing to charge for it?

Siri used to be a free app on the App Store, it’s still called Siri, and it’s free to use. Apple Music came from Beats Music, a paid service, and is not free to use. Apple News+ came from Texture, a paid service, and is not free to use. Shazam was/is a free app, it’s still Shazam, and it’s still free. Those are just a few examples off the top of my head.

Honestly, the only exception I can think of is Shortcuts, if you want to call their acquisition of Workflow a high-profile acquisition.
Click to expand...

Freemium is a business model that allows for a set of complimentary (free) features and a higher paid-level. Apple doesn't do that. They are "either/or". The cases you cite are paid (Music and News+) or free (Shazam). There's nothing freemium about it. The only offering from Apple that might be close to the freemium model is iCloud storage... though 5gb is insufficient for just about all of their users.

BTW, Apple really screwed up Texture and made it completely unusable as News+. But that's another discussion for a different thread.

Again, I will not pay for weather. My money. My choice.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: BigMcGuire
Amazon Prime
Netflix
Disney+
HBO on AMazon
CBS
Backblaze
50G Icloud
Microsoft 365
Apple Music
McAfee(Windows)
Norton Mobile Security(IOS)
Dashlane
 
This was an interesting exercise. More than I thought, granted these are services/memberships as well and not “apps” per se.

Entertainment:
Netflix
Hulu/Disney+/ESPN+ bundle
HBO Max
Apple TV+ (technically still free)

Reading:
Kindle Unlimited

Commerce:
Amazon Prime
Door Dash DashPass

Music:
Tidal (HiFi 1 year for $100)
Qobuz (Studio Premier 1 year for $150)
Apple Music (family plan, family uses)

Gaming:
Xbox Live
Apple Arcade

Other:
iCloud 2TB (family shared)
Beachbody On Demand
Identity Guard
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigMcGuire
NJRonbo said:
Thank Apple, for one, for encouraging software authors to stop charging a one-time purchase fee and go to a subscription model. Soon after Apple held a conference with developers and put that little gem into their heads, more and more software has become a subscription model to keep the money rolling in on an annual basis.

I have trashed many programs that I paid a lifetime subscription and then began charging me a subscription. I looked for cheaper alternatives.

However, there are a few that I chose to pay annually. Would love to know what "essentials" you deem worth subscribing to as well.

Here is my list (all prices are approximate):

1 Password ($34)
Forecast Bar ($18)
Carrot Weather ($25)

Apple Music (Free with Verizon cellular)
Amazon Prime Music Unlimited ($150. per year)
Qobuz Music ($150 per year)

- Will be canceling Amazon Prime Music and keeping Qobuz -

Private Internet Access ($60 for two years approx.)
SiriusXM


I know a lot of people like Innoreader, which is a subscription. However, under the free plan I can load it up with feeds and my ad-blocker keeps it ad-free.

I was paying for Raindrop.io and didn't think it was worth it
I also pay for Private Internet Access VPN and Qobuz Music Service
Click to expand...

None.

0.

Nada.

No thankyou.

To rentware.

Azrael.
 
  • Like
Reactions: drumcat
I tend to stay away from many apps because they’re just too intrusive. I prefer to simply go the the desktop web pages of many sites.

That said, I subscribe to Netflix, Amazon Prime, the New York Times and the Washington Post. But, again, I use their web pages.
 
  • Like
Reactions: atmenterprises
Sleep Cycle (yearly subscription for iCloud storing). I may discontinue that with the sleep cycle tracking coming to the Watch this fall with watchOS 7.

I do have Netflix and Disney+ subscriptions as well. But for apps/subscriptions on iOS/Mac, Sleep Cycle is the only subscription.
 
Cayenne1 said:
Microsoft Office 365 because its ubiquitous.

Nothing else other than streaming services YouTube TV and Netflix. I'm looking at dropping the former due to the $65/mo. price hike.

To avoid the Adobe black hole, I use Affinity Photo and Capture One.
Click to expand...
I am with you. I have had YouTube TV for about a year now (give or take) and this is the 2nd time they have raised the prices since I have had it. I am dropping it before the new prices go into effect on August 1.
 
ICloud - 2TB (more future proofing as I only have 400GB used)
Apple Music - shared with my wife
Netflix
Disney +
Sirius - for my truck but likely not renewing
VPN - just signed up giving it a test. So far so good since I’m in Canada

Other: Amazon Prime

Have the free Apple TV+ and have yet to try it.
 
Last edited:
I pay monthly for Microsoft Office and an app that gives me a second phone number on my phone. I also pay annually for Malware Bytes and Nord VPN. Those are my only subscription apps but I also pay monthly for Apple Music and iCloud storage.
 
dwfaust said:
Freemium is a business model that allows for a set of complimentary (free) features and a higher paid-level. Apple doesn't do that. They are "either/or". The cases you cite are paid (Music and News+) or free (Shazam). There's nothing freemium about it. The only offering from Apple that might be close to the freemium model is iCloud storage... though 5gb is insufficient for just about all of their users.

BTW, Apple really screwed up Texture and made it completely unusable as News+. But that's another discussion for a different thread.

Again, I will not pay for weather. My money. My choice.
Click to expand...
Wow, I wasn’t aware that the Music and News apps didn’t function if you weren’t a paying subscriber to Apple Music and Apple News+, respectively.

The Music and News apps are, by definition, freemium. (And again, if you’re not a subscriber, Apple sure won’t let you forget that you can be.)
 
Zoddino said:
iTunes Match is included in Apple Music, no need to have the iTunes Match annual subscription if you have Apple Music.
Click to expand...
PutTheFBackIn said:
With iTunes Match you can actually keep the matched files (even if you cancel the service). This is enticing if you still want the ability to own your music.
Click to expand...
That is the kind of the point, yes. :)

Also, I do have a relatively large collection with quite a lot of music uploaded (that is not available on Apple Music), and - even though Apple Music _says_ I don't need both, I'm not quite ready to just switch off iTunes Match - which I know work - and hope for the best. I'll keep paying those $25 just to have a bit of peace of mind (and in case I want to quit Apple Music later on, which in the beginning was likely, but are getting increasingly unlikely).

Note that I did have all my music (and pictures) on a separate Mac Server, which basically died the day after I had successfully turned on iTunes Match and uploaded all Photos (then iPhoto) pictures. So feeling I dodged a bullet back then (pictures and music are literally the only data I'd really hate to lose), I have a strict "if it works, don't touch it" policy in place... ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back