> The reason I chose to make Danish Names a paid app from the beginning was simply that I think it's a lot more honest and upfront to charge a small one-time fee before the download, as opposed to claiming your app is free and then charging a high fee or even a subscription inside the app. There's an honesty and straight-forwardness to paid apps that I like: You pay once, and then you don't get bothered with requests for paid upgrades when you're using the app.
I understand what you are going for here but I have no qualms with "Free, with IAP" as long as when I look at the IAP I see things like:
- Unlock Full Version
- Remove Ads
- 1 Month/1 Year (for certain types of apps where that makes sense)
- Lifetime Unlock
and not:
- 100 Gems
- Pack of Coins
- Subscription for an app that I only plan to use a handful of times
theluketaylor · 2h ago
Since Apple doesn't offer trials I have no issue with a dev offering some limited free download with IAP to unlock. The limits need to match the app in some way, like a limit on total queries or a timer.
Subscriptions have to be either something that has recurring costs to the developer (like they depend on a 3rd party API that charges for access) or the dev is upfront that it's an optional opportunity to support them. I'm also fine with some nice-to-have features locked behind a paywall if they are not core to the app functionality.
paxys · 8h ago
Why are you against a free trial then pay-to-unlock option for your app? That's a lot more transparent and honest than a model where you have to pay up front without knowing what you are going to get.
isntThatSth · 8h ago
Well, in this case the screenshots show you exactly what the app provides. Having said that, in the future I'll probably go for an in-app purchase model like you suggested, given how few people download paid apps.
andrewmcwatters · 10h ago
I have mostly found that all app store apps, no matter what app store, are 100% garbage unless they come from a Fortune 500 company and even then, a lot of those are garbage.
It seems like if you’re big enough, you’re obligated to be on an app store, and incidentally your software quality is only going to be on par because you’re large enough to afford designers who actually adhere to design guidelines, maybe.
I will never forget how Schiller wanted the App Store to be a Nordstrom experience but instead it always feels like a dollar store. Because the quality of the apps are bottom-tier, there’s overwhelming amounts of Chinese knockoffs, and the apps, if paid, are literally sometimes at dollar store prices.
The app stores are ghetto. Don’t publish there. It’s mere coincidence that large companies like Spotify are there. And they’re not there because the app stores are good.
isntThatSth · 9h ago
I have to say I don't recognize that experience at all. There are plenty of good apps - both from large companies and solo developers.
joshstrange · 10h ago
> I have mostly found that all app store apps, no matter what app store, are 100% garbage unless they come from a Fortune 500 company and even then, a lot of those are garbage.
Hard disagree. My favorite apps are made by either a solo developer or a small group/company.
Some examples:
- Overcast (Podcast Player)
- Prologue (Audiobook App)
- Octal (HN Client)
- Apollo (RIP, Reddit)
- Drafts (Notes app)
- Any Zach Gage game
- Widgetsmith (Widgets)
andrewmcwatters · 6h ago
So you have seven examples out of nearly 2 million apps, one doesn't exist anymore, one is a wrapper around news.ycombinator.com, and one is the equivalent of a skin app.
No, these are not shining examples of good apps.
joshstrange · 6h ago
You said all apps are garbage unless they come from Fortune 500 companies, I give you examples of apps that are not garbage from solo developers, and you respond with this… I have no clue what to say.
I’m not sure HN is the place for you with that attitude.
andrewmcwatters · 1h ago
Shitpost and flamebait somewhere else would you? Commenters like you ruin the site.
If you want to have a conversation about software quality, do it without ad hominem. It’s such a small way to talk.
catgirlinspace · 57m ago
Why are you being so rude? You claimed that apps not made by fortune 500 companies are all garbage, they listed some counter examples (not an exhaustive list), and that isn’t good enough? If anyone here is ruining the site, I think it might be you. I had been enjoying reading the comments here until seeing yours.
(Also Octal is one of my favorite apps, even if you think it is nothing but a wrapper around news.ycombinator.com.)
I understand what you are going for here but I have no qualms with "Free, with IAP" as long as when I look at the IAP I see things like:
- Unlock Full Version
- Remove Ads
- 1 Month/1 Year (for certain types of apps where that makes sense)
- Lifetime Unlock
and not:
- 100 Gems
- Pack of Coins
- Subscription for an app that I only plan to use a handful of times
Subscriptions have to be either something that has recurring costs to the developer (like they depend on a 3rd party API that charges for access) or the dev is upfront that it's an optional opportunity to support them. I'm also fine with some nice-to-have features locked behind a paywall if they are not core to the app functionality.
It seems like if you’re big enough, you’re obligated to be on an app store, and incidentally your software quality is only going to be on par because you’re large enough to afford designers who actually adhere to design guidelines, maybe.
I will never forget how Schiller wanted the App Store to be a Nordstrom experience but instead it always feels like a dollar store. Because the quality of the apps are bottom-tier, there’s overwhelming amounts of Chinese knockoffs, and the apps, if paid, are literally sometimes at dollar store prices.
The app stores are ghetto. Don’t publish there. It’s mere coincidence that large companies like Spotify are there. And they’re not there because the app stores are good.
Hard disagree. My favorite apps are made by either a solo developer or a small group/company.
Some examples:
- Overcast (Podcast Player)
- Prologue (Audiobook App)
- Octal (HN Client)
- Apollo (RIP, Reddit)
- Drafts (Notes app)
- Any Zach Gage game
- Widgetsmith (Widgets)
No, these are not shining examples of good apps.
I’m not sure HN is the place for you with that attitude.
If you want to have a conversation about software quality, do it without ad hominem. It’s such a small way to talk.
(Also Octal is one of my favorite apps, even if you think it is nothing but a wrapper around news.ycombinator.com.)