Just wondering if folks smarter than myself have made the decision to move away from SetApp?
I was planning to end my subscription, however sadly I missed the date by 10 days, so will be enjoying SetApp for another year at this point.
I’m struggling to see the value these days, as a number of key apps that I’ve used for years have left (apps like Jump Desktop, Screens & Disk Drill). It could be that I’m just not experimenting with different apps.
Often apps are quite a few versions behind, leading to issues with support and stability.
The whole drive to AI credits is a little annoying.
And most frustrating of all, the inclusion of “standalone” apps in SetApp. This is ridiculous, out of the 8 new arrivals apps, 7 of them are “standalone” and require additional monthly of once-off payment, only one app is included. This is completely against the whole idea of SetApp.
Update: I decided to try to explore a few more apps, just to be fair to SetApp. Control your notch looks interesting, nope it’s standalone. What about Proximate, nope. Or Deskspace, nope. Surely Wifilicious, nope. Or Diskmap, nope. MacPulse, nope.
I’m now more frustrated that my subscription rolled over, but that is absolutely my fault, and I won’t make that mistake 2027.
I won a 6-month subscription to SetApp. Didn’t find any compelling reason to continue with the service when that expired. If you’re dependent upon myriad apps to get stuff done, I can perhaps see the appeal. I just haven’t got those needs so therefore can take it or leave it. But then I’m of a disposition where I find it fun to maximise usage out of the minimum of apps.
Also be mindful that there are plenty out there who will tell you how great SetApp is; some of whom ‘may’ be trousering $25 for each customer they land. Based on this page, that’s c.12K customers through that channel. Just saying.
I am on board. With, among others, NotePlan, Paste, CleanShot, Timing, MindNode, Ulysses, and CleanMyMac it is a good deal for me. If they someday raise the price significantly, I would have to reconsider.
You need a cornerstone app or two that eats up most of the subscription. Something you definitely would pay for anyway if you didn’t have it. That changes the value proposition.
In my case subbing a couple of my favourite apps separately would cost more than being in SetApp. So for me it’s a no brainier, I save money. Getting access to all the utility apps on the side is just a bonus.
I unsubscribed about two years ago, but recently re-subscribed.
I saved about $25.00/year by unsubscribing but my life is taking a radical turn this year, I’m buying a desktop Mac (the first desktop I’ve bought), and I want to use NotePlan while I learn about “AI.”
The addition of NotePlan to the apps I bought independently (CleanMyMac, Soulver, Paletro, TextSniper) makes an annual subscription worthwhile, at least for a year. I’ll bere-evaluating a lot this year.
Seconding this. NotePlan is one of my SetApp cornerstones. Add on less expensive apps that I use daily like News Explorer, CleanShot X, and Supercharge, and SetApp earns its keep.
Plus: A whole cluster of good apps that I use from time to time to get a specific job done—e.g., Permute and Downie—and that I appreciate having at the ready should I need them.
Plus Plus: A cluster of utilities that may not be best-in-class, but are more than sufficient for my needs, such as Renamer.
Some good points here. I think I need to look into NotePlan.
Apps that I’m using, but really could use a second option or other mitigation in brackets:
BetterTouchTool (I have a lifetime license, just to support the dev, this is the best app ever)
CleanShotX (I could just use the default MacOS screen capture)
CleanMyMac (on the fence if I need it at all, it’s useful to a degree)
Bartender (have been having stability and support issues)
Downie (don’t find I’m using it much anymore, but has been handy)
GoodTask (started to use it, but went back to Things)
MindNode (I use cross platform, so sticking with the Classic version that I already own)
Mosaic (I replaced this with a more flexible approach in BetterTouchTool)
Numi (this is a great app, that I totally forget to use constantly, middle ground between spreadsheet and calc)
Spark Mail (I’ve been using this for years, don’t need the AI and other additional features)
Unite Pro (used mainly for media playback for services that didn’t offer native apps, so I could do away with window elements and silly controls that wouldn’t go away, not using anymore)
Wi-Fi Explorer (good app, but built in options exist to cover what I need)
QuitAll (somehow stopped using this, might need to check out again)
I’ve been annoyed for some time with MacOS moving the dock to other monitors when you catch the bottom of the screen moving around, so yesterday as part of this I decided to give Sidebar a go, and so far it is quite good (uBar wasn’t so good).
I use Wi-Fi Explorer to look at the radio spectrum as part of regular Wi-Fi maintenance. Auto channel selection IMHE doesn’t really do the job, so keeping an eye on things and making smart decisions with 5Ghz does yield better Wi-Fi outcomes (2.4Ghz is a total mess in almost all non rual settings these days), especially if you can get DFS working without Radio/Radar’s shutting you down regularly.
Wireless Diagnosics built into MacOS has a very no frills capability.
Of those, BetterTouchTool, CleanShot X, DropZone, Marked, Nitro PDF Pro, and Permute are my “must haves;” the others I could live without if necessary.
When I am up for renewal, if the yearly cost for those apps is less than the SetApp cost, I would need to consider whether I would be better off just getting the apps directly.
I agree that the new thing of having some apps requiring an additional payment seems counter to the whole point of SetApp in the first place, and (psychologically, if not financially) changes the value proposition.
I got in for CleanShot X, after a very rough time I am now having success with Bartender. OpenIn has been hugely useful as I straddle Safari and Chrome. In Your Face is another app I absolutely love, for ensuring you don’t miss an online meeting. I recently discovered the subscription comes with their own VPN called ClearVPN. I am very glad I found out about that before renewing Express VPN. I guess I have benefitted from Clean My Mac doing its thing as well. I resisted SetApp for years but I am converted.
As well as getting my money’s worth through some daily-driver apps (CleanShotX, CoherenceX, BetterTouchTool, Dropzone, Marked, CleanMyMac), I run a small business so every week I run into problems where I just need an app that does something once, and then won’t need to do that again for the foreseeable future - SetApp is like a toolbox that means I can always find a tool to fix today’s problem: it might not be the “best in class” for that function, but it won’t cost me anything, and will get the job done (and often it IS the best in class).
Apps most useful for me:
CleanShot X
Default Folder X
Nitro PDF Pro
Forklift
HoudahSpot
Other useful apps, but less important to me:
Paste
CleanMyMac
iStat Menus
AlDente Pro (Trying it out. Looks very promising.)
Forecast Bar
Pareto Security
Mission Control Plus
Moonlock
Time Out
Archiver
Downie
BetterZip
PDF Squeezer
SnapMotion
So it’s probably worth the money for me. Also, RichH’s point about one-offs is a good one, though I admit I haven’t used Setapp that way very much. Also, these are vetted apps, so probably safer than hunting around the Internet to find a solution.
Havining said all of that, the problems (standalone, tardy updates, etc) that SteveMac enumerates suggest to me a Setapp downhill corporate slide. I hope that isn’t the situation.
