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

[scribblenik]

It was only when I saw this thread that I realised how many things I subscribe to (and don't regret).

When I look at my phone and gym (and even yearly credit card cost) - apps and online subs seem incredible value.

Apps/Websites:

• 1Password (Family)
• Apple Arcade (amazing value - a ton of great games, and shared with family)
• Apple News + Magazines (I read about 8 mags a month)
• Carrot Weather (it amuses me, so a few bucks a year seems fine to pay)
• Adobe Creative Cloud (I need it for my job)
• Drafts (just amazing for notes and conversion to various formats)
• EA Acess (for my Xbox)
• Xbox Live Gold
• Dropbox
• Google Drive Storage
• iCloud Storage
• JibJab (it is waaaay more fun than just sending a card)
• Pocket
• SetApp (the best value package of software I've ever seen)

TV/Music

• Amazon Prime (the saving on delivery alone makes it worth having)
• Netflix
• Disney+
• Spotify (Family)
• Infuse

 

[alexbzzz]

I feel like Apple Music changed everything for me (really). Music is a huge passion for me, and to have the world’s creatives at my fingertips, anywhere, on tap, is a game changer. No other subscriptions, have some occasionally when needed but otherwise useless.

 

[murilohtc]

My subscription are a few only

Apple Music R$ 8,50/month (student)
Amazon Prime R$ 89,00/year
Netflix (shared with a friend)
icloud R$ 10,90 (shared with family)
Office 365 which is paid for my company

Thankfully I’m an user of 1 Password since it was an one-time purchase, otherwise I’d use iCloud Keychain.
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iTunes Match
Apple Music
Apple TV+
Apple Arcade
Disney+
Netflix
Prime Video
NowTV

excuse me for the question, but why do you pay for both iTunes Match and Apple Music?
when I’ve signed to Music, the iTunes Match was already there. So I’ve stopped signin to it.

did I missô something? 🤔🤔

 

[iDento]

I'm fine with paying for subscriptions to the apps I use on a daily basis.

Adobe Creative Suite
Fantastical
Airmail
1Password
Spotify
Setapp
Evernote

will you subwcrein

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

Day One 25$, too many entries neatly organized, and I like the app so much.

Apple Music, 99$ a year.

YNAB 85$ a year, You Need a Budget, it helps me save more money.

iCloud storage 2.99$.

Fantastical 40$ a year and I will cancel soon.

 

[NJRonbo]

I am the original author of this thread and I forgot to include one major subscription that I actually like the most out of all the subscriptions I pay for...

Mailbutler

Makes using Apple Mail far more tolerable. Even if you go with the free version, it adds avatars/photos to your message list which is pretty much what all the competing email software companies do.

Really have enjoyed reading all the replies in this thread. Thanks for the feedback

 

[Buck987]

• iCloud
• Spotify
• Strava
• Netflix
• Training Peaks
• Amazon Prime for Delivery and books

 

[DeepIn2U]

Hey OP,

why is “Apple Mail” listed as an app to subscribe to? It’s completely free and supports all major email protocols without a subscription. Your email service provider may cost you a monthly or weekly or yearly fee but it’s NOT impacted nor is the subscription through Apple Mail. any pointers for first setup is through an internet connection and any perceived fees for a 3rd party email subscription is through their portal, nothing to do with the app.

by definition is should be removed from this list, furthermore it’s misleading and confusing to new forum users to iOS and also visitors to the main article.

 

[Deacon-Blues]

Apple Music, Hulu, HBO, SiriusXM (through my car), Netflix, Disney +. All streaming apps. As far as utility or productivity apps, I will buy an app but I will not pay a subscription for continuous access to an app. If they don’t offer an option to buy it outright but want to keep sucking money out of me every year or month I will just move on.

 

[b656]

Paying for the following & plan to continue...:

• Bear (Note app)
• Amazon Prime
• Pocket Premium
• Bitwarden Premium
• NordVPN

 

[rui no onna]

As far as utility or productivity apps, I will buy an app but I will not pay a subscription for continuous access to an app. If they don’t offer an option to buy it outright but want to keep sucking money out of me every year or month I will just move on.

Same. I subscribe to multiple online services but I don't like paying subscription fees for apps. The only one app I pay a subscription for is Office 365.

Infuse, I pay for the standalone Pro versions when it gets a major version change (side benefit of being usable through Family Sharing). I've done this for other apps as well.

Plex, I paid for a lifetime sub.

I'm willing to support devs and pay for apps but paying a subscription just for continuous access to an app or to designated Pro features within an app is something I'm quite against.

 

[KALLT]

1Password is the only app subscription I have. I have looked at all the alternatives available and decided that 1Password, despite the significant price increase that accompanied the switch to the subscription model, was nevertheless worth it. However, I am reviewing my choice every year. Apple is adding some new auto-fill and password APIs in macOS Big Sur and iOS 14 that improve the integration of password managers with other apps and with websites, so there might be less of a reason to keep 1Password when the next payment is due.

 

[DJJAZZYJET]

Nord VPN (3 years 70% off)
Apple Music (on a family plan
Apple Arcade (on a family plan)
Disney Plus (on a family plan)
Boomerang Games
Currently trying YouTube Premium (on a family plan)

 

[thefourthpope]

Mendeley is fine for being free. But I'd never pay for it. macOS app have been crappy (and looked crappy) for years. And the iOS app is beyond bad. Basically, development is really really slow. Just go read the blog, you basically never read anything about app updates.

my experience was the same. The broken iOS app was what really did it. A shame because I really enjoyed the online library structure and suggestion features.

 

[Puppuccino]

I have the following active subscriptions, although I like to have as few as possible.

• Apple Music (£99 per year)
• Disney+ (£5.99 per month)

That's it. I had to double check because I was sure there may have been more but no.

Just two things.

 

[planteater]

As few as possible. I’m always looking for alternatives.

Copilot GPS 9.95 /month
Trucker Path 9.95 /month
My Radar 9.99 /year
1 blocker 4.99 /year

 

[jchap]

The closest thing I've used to a subscription is Bryan Jones' CodeKit – he's introduced a model where the one-time purchase includes subsequent updates for a period; then you keep that version forever. At any point past that, you can buy a one-time "renewal" which upgrades you to the current version and entitles you to another period of subsequent updates. Unlike a subscription which may or may not align with use, and will renew if you're merely apathetic, the "renewal" is deliberate: it happens only when both the user and the developer think it over and say yes.

That’s an interesting model that benefits the user and the developer. Agenda for macOS also works much the same way, as I recall.

 

[darrenm01]

my experience was the same. The broken iOS app was what really did it. A shame because I really enjoyed the online library structure and suggestion features.

I agree with everything you both have said about Mendeley.

Did you ever find something to replace it on Mac or iOS? I just want to organize journal articles and can’t find anything better.

 

[thefourthpope]

I agree with everything you both have said about Mendeley.

Did you ever find something to replace it on Mac or iOS? I just want to organize journal articles and can’t find anything better.

I’d used Papers 2, but dropped that for Mendeley several years ago. Haven’t found a strong contender since then, and have mostly moved to a combination of GoodNotes (for class prep) and LiquidText (for editing and research). It’s functional since I am mostly on an iPad, but not ideal.

 

[ulyssesric]

May I ask why did you move from 1Password? They still have license purchase.

I was a loyal 1Password user since 1.0, and paid for upgrades (not every version though). The last version I paid for upgrade is v6 in Mac App Store.

Since Apple had revamped the Safari extension mechanism, old 6.0 extension stopped working and they've stated clearly there will be no updates for any pre-7.0 version, so I downloaded v7 from Mac App Store. 1Password v7 is free to download in MAS but create/edit features are disabled. You can't create new entries or even edit existed old entries until you pay for upgrade.

As a coder myself, I'm fully supporting paid upgrade, but the MAS version only grants options for subscription, no one-time purchase. The app help message claimed that one-time purchase is available for non-MAS version, so I downloaded it again from developer's website. Then, I searched every corner in the app, but found nothing. The "buy license" button inside the registration window only unfold a hidden text field that shows a hyper-link to their SUBSCRIPTION PAGE. Then I spent nearly an hour on their websites, tech support and forum, and found nothing.

It pissed me off, totally.

So AgileBits forced their user to pay the annual $36 subscription fee, otherwise you can't have the full feature. And the features of existed old application is also disabled, under the excuse of Safari API update, while it is clearly their responsibility to keep updating their less than two years old product. I'm extort. AgileBits dumped their lifetime paid users, so I'm dumping 1Password in rage, after 10 years.

Also how do you find EnPass? I am looking for a local password storage(none cloud based) and I am afraid 1Password one day turn completely subscription.

From MacUpdate, just like everyone else. No it's not the only or first app I've tried. Before that I've tested at least 5 different password manager, and Enpass is the one that best fits my needs. I don't really need a password manager with complex feature. Enpass is more than enough for me. And it can support iCloud sync too.

 

[AZhappyjack]

I was a loyal 1Password user since 1.0, and paid for upgrades (not every version though). The last version I paid for upgrade is v6 in Mac App Store.

Since Apple had revamped the Safari extension mechanism, old 6.0 extension stopped working and they've stated clearly there will be no updates for any pre-7.0 version, so I downloaded v7 from Mac App Store. 1Password v7 is free to download in MAS but create/edit features are disabled. You can't create new entries or even edit existed old entries until you pay for upgrade.

As a coder myself, I'm fully supporting paid upgrade, but the MAS version only grants options for subscription, no one-time purchase. The app help message claimed that one-time purchase is available for non-MAS version, so I downloaded it again from developer's website. Then, I searched every corner in the app, but found nothing. The "buy license" button inside the registration window only unfold a hidden text field that shows a hyper-link to their SUBSCRIPTION PAGE. Then I spent nearly an hour on their websites, tech support and forum, and found nothing.

It pissed me off, totally.

So AgileBits forced their user to pay the annual $36 subscription fee, otherwise you can't have the full feature. And the features of existed old application is also disabled, under the excuse of Safari API update, while it is clearly their responsibility to keep updating their less than two years old product. I'm extort. AgileBits dumped their lifetime paid users, so I'm dumping 1Password in rage, after 10 years.

THIS RIGHT HERE is why I despise the subscription model. Developers take your money year after year for upgrades, then switch to a subscription model and LOCK YOU OUT of the app AND your data. Screw them all.

 

[jchap]

After spending thousands of $$$$ on Adobe software and updates to Master Collection over the years since they took over the 1st Photoshop (and supporting them as a User Group Manager), I refuse to rent my software now!

Mmm, then I guess you won't be updating your OS version either, ever?

I've noticed that there are a certain number of old Adobe CS users that stubbornly hold out with the old versions, which implies that they're content with their current OS version.

I feel your pain.

I do remember, though, what a huge problem (more like a wall!) I encountered due to Adobe's phasing out their update system, probably because it was not supported in the latest macOS versions and Adobe was going with a new model (Creative Cloud). When I realized that I would be stuck forever with macOS Mavericks ( I think that might have been the last OS on which Adobe CS and the update architecture actually ran reliably), I remember making the choice: (1) either go with CC and the subscription model, or (2) keep using CS, and stick with the same macOS version from now on.

It's a tough call after you've already invested thousands... the decision not to upgrade macOS also means that you have to stick with your old hardware, since it's not easy to make old versions of macOS run on the newest hardware.
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Backup storage. If you think about it, its a never-ending cost no matter what. Hard drives need to be replaced. More space, failure, redundancy. Cloud storage means you never need to think about those things ever again.

True, but then you have to think about new things, like data security and all the network bandwidth (which amounts to electrical usage and resources) you require to keep your cloud backup maintained. Basically, you're just giving your problem to someone else (and paying them for it, of course), and hoping that the encryption layer and their internal security policies are robust enough to keep your data safe. Of course there are advantages in terms of convenience, but you lose everything without an Internet connection, in a worst-case scenario.

I haven't gone with full backup of my entire system to the cloud for these reasons. It's a little inconvenient to keep local backups on my own hardware, but Time Machine and Chronosync generally work quite well. True, hard drives go out of whack and need to be replaced from time to time, but at least I have the peace of mind of knowing that my most important data is within my control.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other, perhaps...

 

[Apple_Robert]

I was a loyal 1Password user since 1.0, and paid for upgrades (not every version though). The last version I paid for upgrade is v6 in Mac App Store.

Since Apple had revamped the Safari extension mechanism, old 6.0 extension stopped working and they've stated clearly there will be no updates for any pre-7.0 version, so I downloaded v7 from Mac App Store. 1Password v7 is free to download in MAS but create/edit features are disabled. You can't create new entries or even edit existed old entries until you pay for upgrade.

As a coder myself, I'm fully supporting paid upgrade, but the MAS version only grants options for subscription, no one-time purchase. The app help message claimed that one-time purchase is available for non-MAS version, so I downloaded it again from developer's website. Then, I searched every corner in the app, but found nothing. The "buy license" button inside the registration window only unfold a hidden text field that shows a hyper-link to their SUBSCRIPTION PAGE. Then I spent nearly an hour on their websites, tech support and forum, and found nothing.

It pissed me off, totally.

So AgileBits forced their user to pay the annual $36 subscription fee, otherwise you can't have the full feature. And the features of existed old application is also disabled, under the excuse of Safari API update, while it is clearly their responsibility to keep updating their less than two years old product. I'm extort. AgileBits dumped their lifetime paid users, so I'm dumping 1Password in rage, after 10 years.



From MacUpdate, just like everyone else. No it's not the only or first app I've tried. Before that I've tested at least 5 different password manager, and Enpass is the one that best fits my needs. I don't really need a password manager with complex feature. Enpass is more than enough for me. And it can support iCloud sync too.

You can still purchase version 7 as a stand alone from their website. It’s not obvious on the site so you may have to contact them for help.

 

[NJRonbo]

Hey OP,

why is “Apple Mail” listed as an app to subscribe to? It’s completely free and supports all major email protocols without a subscription. Your email service provider may cost you a monthly or weekly or yearly fee but it’s NOT impacted nor is the subscription through Apple Mail. any pointers for first setup is through an internet connection and any perceived fees for a 3rd party email subscription is through their portal, nothing to do with the app.

by definition is should be removed from this list, furthermore it’s misleading and confusing to new forum users to iOS and also visitors to the main article.

I never said Apple Mail was something I subscribed to. I even went back and checked my original post.

What I said was that I subscribe to MailBulter which greatly enhances Apple Mail and is my absolute favorite of all the subscriptions.

 

[FrankieTDouglas]

Adobe Creative Cloud, Dropbox, iCloud, Spotify

 

[MacBH928]

I was a loyal 1Password user since 1.0, and paid for upgrades (not every version though). The last version I paid for upgrade is v6 in Mac App Store.

Since Apple had revamped the Safari extension mechanism, old 6.0 extension stopped working and they've stated clearly there will be no updates for any pre-7.0 version, so I downloaded v7 from Mac App Store. 1Password v7 is free to download in MAS but create/edit features are disabled. You can't create new entries or even edit existed old entries until you pay for upgrade.

As a coder myself, I'm fully supporting paid upgrade, but the MAS version only grants options for subscription, no one-time purchase. The app help message claimed that one-time purchase is available for non-MAS version, so I downloaded it again from developer's website. Then, I searched every corner in the app, but found nothing. The "buy license" button inside the registration window only unfold a hidden text field that shows a hyper-link to their SUBSCRIPTION PAGE. Then I spent nearly an hour on their websites, tech support and forum, and found nothing.

It pissed me off, totally.

So AgileBits forced their user to pay the annual $36 subscription fee, otherwise you can't have the full feature. And the features of existed old application is also disabled, under the excuse of Safari API update, while it is clearly their responsibility to keep updating their less than two years old product. I'm extort. AgileBits dumped their lifetime paid users, so I'm dumping 1Password in rage, after 10 years.



From MacUpdate, just like everyone else. No it's not the only or first app I've tried. Before that I've tested at least 5 different password manager, and Enpass is the one that best fits my needs. I don't really need a password manager with complex feature. Enpass is more than enough for me. And it can support iCloud sync too.

How does it compare to 1password? better or worse?