Pay-once, where it fits

Subscriptions became the default answer to "how should this app make money?" — often regardless of whether the app keeps doing work for you every month. We think the pricing should match the value, not the trend.

The test we use

Before we pick a model, we ask one question: does the app keep earning its keep after you've paid?

• If it runs a live service, syncs across people, or has ongoing costs, a subscription can be fair.
• If it's a tool you reach for and own — a logbook, a scorer, a tracker — a one-time price is more honest.

"A subscription should pay for work the app keeps doing — not for the privilege of opening it."

Why pay-once is good business too

One-time pricing isn't charity. It builds trust, earns better reviews, and turns customers into advocates who actually recommend the app. Several of our products are pay-once by design, and that decision is part of why people keep them.

There's a place for subscriptions — we build those too, when the model fits. But the default should be honesty about what you're charging for.