What is the most useless app that you have seen being given as a subscription?

For me, I tried a ‘minimalist’ launcher app for Android that had a 7 day trial or something and they had a yearly subscription based model for it. I was aghast. I would literally expect the app to blow my mind and do everything one can assume to go that way. In a world, where Nova Launcher (Yes, I know it has been acquired by Branch folks but it still is a sturdy one) or Niagara exist plus many alternatives including minimalist ones on F Droid, the dev must be releasing revolutionary stuff to factor in a subscription service.

Second, is a controversial choice, since it’s free tier is quite good and people like it so much. But, Pocketcasts. I checked it’s yearly price the other day, and boy, in my country, I can subscribe to Google Play Pass, YouTube Premium and Spotify and still have money left before I hit the ceiling what Pocketcasts is asking for paid upgrade.

Also, what are your views on one time purchase vs subscriptions? Personally, I find it much easier to purchase, if it’s good enough even if it was piratable, something if it is a one time purchase rather than repetitive.

  • KitEnglish
    13·
    1 year ago

    Duolingo. Why can’t I just pay $100 or whatever one time? Languages don’t change to the extent that it needs to be a subscription.

    • thoughts3rased@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      27·
      1 year ago

      They do update the learning material over time as recommendations for teaching the languages changes, plus they do have server costs to keep in mind.

      • yamanii@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        Yeah, the japanese course had a total reboot, I think I lost some progress because of it? It’s been years so I don’t remember exactly.

        • timbuck2themoon@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          2·
          1 year ago

          Yeah and every update seems worse than the last.

          They don’t let you at all skip around so I’d never pay. It only gets worse with them.

    • mettwurstkaninchen@feddit.deBEnglish
      2·
      1 year ago

      There really should be a free and open source alternative for Duolingo. I know that there is Librelingo, but that is currently only doing Spanish for English speakers.