[GrinningFool]

This looks good, but I'm not clear why it's a subscription. I'm happy to pay for upgrades when a new version with new features is offered; and I'm happy to not pay if the new version isn't compelling enough. (Sometimes support for major OS upgrades is enough of a feature.)

I'm increasingly disinclined to feed the subscription-based software economy, especially for the personal tools I use.

[jbverschoor]

Same! I like Sketch's and other app's approach. Keep the version forever, 1 year free upgrades.

Great work! Will def. try it out

[knr2345]

I'm a fan of Sketch's approach as well, along with Panic's approach to Nova's licensing, which I believe is similar.

Unfortunately, as a solo developer on macOS, some of the more complicated approaches don't seem feasible from a maintenance and support standpoint—at least not initially. I hope to stick with the macOS App Store as well, which I assume adds additional complexity since that type of offering is not supported natively by the framework (to my knowledge anyway).

I would like to explore additional options in the future, but I don't see any major overhauls happening in year 1.

[earthnail]

Unfortunately that’s not supported by Apple on the App Store. Luckily Mac apps aren’t super reliant on the App Store but it’s still a huge issue.

[LVB]

I've purchased "Due" via the App Store, and it tells me I'm entitled to free feature upgrades for 1 year, shows a date when my unlock period expires, and offers a longer-term subscription. So it must be possible.

[happymellon]

After the expiration are you still able to access the older version?

[LVB]

Yes. They seem to gate on a feature-by-feature basis, know when you bought the license, and you don't get access to the new features after 1 year (unless you're on their subscription plan). You do continue to get the latest app, which includes bug fixes, but the features released past expiration aren't available to you. https://dueapp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360053244591-Wh...

[earthnail]

That is so much more work than simply not getting the latest update. Imagine if sth like IntelliJ put everything behind feature gates instead of just telling you to download an older version…

[outcoldman]

I believe Reeder is doing kind of this feature. They release every year or every other year a new version with new version name like Reeder 5. So, if you want an upgrade, you just purchase Reeder 5, but you can always download Reeder 4 if you have purchased it before.

[danesparza]

Yeah -- I was confused too. Is the subscription just for the client, or does it come with an email account?

[knr2345]

The subscription is for the client.

While Swift Mail is a Fastmail Platform Partner, it is not affiliated with Fastmail (or others) and does not offer email services directly.

[lelandfe]

Most macOS email apps do subscription pricing these days. Airmail, Spark, Mimestream… I wonder why that is.

[mk89]

> I wonder why that is.

Money.

Apple gets 30% off your app purchase and/or in-app purchases, while it gets 30% from your subscription for the first year and 15% for the subsequent years.

So, if you think your app is worth 10$, you lose 3$ and the ability to make more money and to support its development (if you do, they have to be in-app purchases, like extensions, etc. and again 30% is gone).

On the other hand, if you sell it with a 0.83$/month subscription (= 10$ / 12months, just to be "fair"), the first year you lose 3$ but you gain later 1.5$. And btw, I don't even think 0.83$ is allowed (AFAIK the price points start with 0.10$ so you can't have weird numbers like 0.23$ or things like that), so you round it up to 0.89$/month or 0.99$/month and you gain even more money, which will be used also to keep the development going.

[thrwwycbr]

Wanted to add that Apple's fee is pre-tax, and Apple doesn't pay taxes (duh).

Additionally, the refund policy of Apple is so bad that they keep the 30% and the developer has to pay for refunds 100%, meaning it's a net loss and a lot of indie game devs got doxxed into insolvency because of this.

[latexr]

> Additionally, the refund policy of Apple is so bad that they keep the 30% and the developer has to pay for refunds 100%, meaning it's a net loss and a lot of indie game devs got doxxed into insolvency because of this.

That is not true.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23995750

[mk89]

Wow I didn't know that. Thanks for pointing it out.

That's brutal.

[latexr]

It isn’t true.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23995750

[outcoldman]

If you really want to make $10 from a user, you just charge them $12.99. No need for Subscriptions.

[mk89]

If you want to make 10$ you need to sell it for 14.29$ because the 30% is taken from the total. (30% of 14.29 = 4.29).

Anyway, that's beyond the point. You need to find a way to support your development also for the next years.

[earthnail]

Apple encourages it heavily and even hosts workshops about how to do subscription apps.

[happymellon]

Apple charge you a subscription just to develop for their platform.

[szundi]

Lots of money