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·
    11 months 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·
      11 months 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·
        11 months 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·
          11 months 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·
      11 months 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.