To continue Setapp subscription or not

Software
,
21

I pulled the plug over a year ago and never looked back - I had used Setapp prior to that for a number of years earlier.

The logic went like this.

  • How many of those app do I actually use?
    I didn’t use that many to be honest, probably 7 or 8 (I made a list before deciding)
  • Is there anything else I own that can do the job (I do own already quite a little bit of software I must say).
    Eg, I didn’t need Ulysses if I have already IAWriter, Drafts and Scrivener
  • Is there anything free that can do the job?
    eg. Downie? I can do that with Jdownloader, windows management with Amethyst or others… etc…

And then… I bought individually the couple of pieces of software that I found useful and couldn’t easily replace (Bartender and PDF squeezer… Even if I could have replaced those two with Dozer and Automator if I really wanted).

I am not suggesting you cancel the subscription, but rather that you always evaluate before renewing.

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22

I pulled the plug and I later found a discount code that significantly reduced the monthly cost. So I’m back

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23

There are about 6-9 “top tier” apps and the rest is like renting a humble bundle imo.

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24

Not to mention that there’s typically very generous upgrade pricing. When I picked up MarsEdit again a while back after not using it for years, I produced a license key that was ten years old — and @redsweater gave me the upgrae price.

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25

I’m hoping this thread shows up on Core Intuition as one of Daniel’s inspiration/focus-on-launch topics. :slight_smile:

26

I don’t know whether Setapp still offers academic pricing but I have it and it is $5USD a month or $50 a year for one machine, a very different value proposition, as it is only marginally more than the cost of one app, CleanmymacX, which I use. Connecting and disconnecting the ‘active’ machine is a minor pain but I can only use one machine at a time anyway.

27

Only for new users: 1 year subscription $69 ($48 with coupon APPS30) on Stacksocial

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28

Reviving this since another thread got me thinking about how much value I get from SetApp and what apps you all find indispensable.

I use (every day / very often):

  • 2Do
  • Bartender
  • BetterTouchTool
    *CleanShot X
  • Downie
  • Luminar
  • MindNode
  • Paste
  • Sip

I occasionally use:

  • Capto
  • CleanMyMac X
  • Cloud Outliner
  • CloudMounter
  • Coherence X
  • Folx
  • ForkLift
  • Gemini
  • Glyphfinder
  • IBoysoft NTFS
  • iStat Menus
  • Marked
  • Meta
  • PDF Pen
  • Prizmo
  • Screens
  • SQLPro for SQLite
  • Typeface
  • Ulysses

And now, thanks to the talk in the other thread and my scan of the app list for this one, I want to try out several, including NotePlan.

29

Let me get my bias out right at the beginning, I’m not a fan of subscription apps, with the exception of those with backend ongoing costs, such as weather apps. Thus I’m prejudiced against Setapp from the get go.

I recently went to look at Setapp as there are folks who really like it. There were fifteen apps that I thought useful. I already had licenses for fourteen of them. I’ve since gone ahead and bought a license for the fifteenth.

I also downloaded and tried several more. None made the cut.

I did some simple math where I added up the current license fees for the fifteen apps and found that I break even with Setapp in less than three years. Now, I’ve paid more for some of the apps, with upgrade fees, and less for some, with discounts and before any interim price increases, but as an order of magnitude calculation I think it is fine.

Thus for me, the value proposition just isn’t there. Key point, “for me”. Of course, YMMV.

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30

Yes, I think a huge part of the calculation is how many apps you already have licenses for. I basically went “all in” on SetApp when it first started - and did so as a hedge against being nickel and dimed to death by the subscription wave I saw coming. It’s worked out well for me but everyone needs to do the math. And, if only a few of the key apps I use were to leave SetApp, that would completely change my calculation.

I will say though - there is some intangible value to having access to a library of apps. There have been several times when I needed to do one thing, once. I didn’t really care how good the app was, I just needed it to do the thing. It’s been really nice to go to SetApp and be able to quickly find something to get the job done without worrying about turning over my contact info to (yet) another company, make sure the download is legit, etc. I’d pay $3/month just for that.

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31

I just love SetApp!! There are two that are indispensable for me: Clean My Mac x and Hooudah Spot! I am going to stick with SetApp, if at all possible.

I wish SetApp and the fine Ukranian people the best.

I was watching an update tonight and I had to turn it off.

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32

This was a very useful thread. With one home computer (plus iPhone, iPad) and 2 work Macs, it doesn’t make sense for me. I was tempted again when I downloaded MarsEdit but am going to resist for a bit.

33

Now that you’ve had a look at them, can’t you drop the sub and just buy the apps you liked? Would the math work on that approach?

34

I dropped my subscription a while ago, and I was grandfathered in on a very good deal. I either paid for the apps, or found cheaper / free alternatives. I now have a group of apps that cost less than the setapp subscription.

I think it is a great service, btw, it was just that once I found I had settled on a group of apps, the others became superfluous.

4 Likes