It’s been close to a decade since I first started being grumpy about subscription apps. I did acknowledge the benefits right from the start, including giving many developers a more sustainable income, but expressed my unease about where we were headed.
A few years later, I voiced doubts as to whether it was a sustainable business model. But the trend has continued to grow, with Apple Creator Studio the latest example …
While I don’t claim to be neutral, I do acknowledge both sides of the argument.
The arguments for subscription apps
There are two main arguments in favour of subscription apps, one for consumers, the other for developers.
For consumers, supporters would argue that subscriptions make many apps more accessible. Outright purchase of a set of apps aimed at creative professionals can run from hundreds of dollars to four figures. Making those same apps available for a monthly fee means they are within reach of more people.
That argument is at its strongest when we have only an occasional need for a particular app or set of apps. It may be greatly preferable to pay $10 or $20 for a few months of a year than to pay hundreds of dollars to buy an app outright.
For developers, subscriptions give them a more sustainable and predictable income stream than purchases. Many argue that this makes it much more practical for them to continue to develop and innovate, and thus benefits consumers too.
The argument against subscription apps
I’ll also acknowledge that it’s really argument singular against subscription apps: the ever-growing cumulative cost of everything that we rent rather than own.
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