Audiobus: Use your music apps together.

What is Audiobus?Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.

Download on the App Store

Audiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.

Breakout discussion of pricing/business models from Loopy Pro thread

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Comments

  • I’ll add why I don’t like the subscription model.

    I want control over when I spend my money. If I buy an app with a one-off payment through the App Store, then I have control. A subscription would give a seller control over when to take money from me, and that’s not something I want to deal with.

    I have subscribed to things in the past and forgotten about them when I no longer need them, and that feels like I have wasted my money.

    In a couple of cases the process to end a subscription failed, and I ended up with money being taken from my account when I did not want the product. Was it easy to get a refund? Was it hell - I had to fight tooth and nail to get money back when I specifically requested that it not be taken from my account.

    No subscriptions for me thank you.

  • @michael_m said:
    I’ll add why I don’t like the subscription model.

    I want control over when I spend my money. If I buy an app with a one-off payment through the App Store, then I have control. A subscription would give a seller control over when to take money from me, and that’s not something I want to deal with.

    I have subscribed to things in the past and forgotten about them when I no longer need them, and that feels like I have wasted my money.

    In a couple of cases the process to end a subscription failed, and I ended up with money being taken from my account when I did not want the product. Was it easy to get a refund? Was it hell - I had to fight tooth and nail to get money back when I specifically requested that it not be taken from my account.

    No subscriptions for me thank you.

    To be fair, with Apple it's very straightforward to manage subscriptions. And, they get taken out on a periodic basis at a frequency that you choose, not Apple, and not any developer. You can cancel at any time, no hassle, no questions asked. You're dealing with a single supplier, not a bunch of wild-west developers.

    You also get a email notification every time you're charged. (Which is paradoxically one of the reasons I do not want subscriptions ... I don't want to be constantly reminded how much I'm spending.)

  • @Michael said:

    @robosardine said:
    What’s the annoying user experiences you were meaning @Michael for purchasing In-App?

    It might be a personal niggle, but I don't love running into paywalls in apps generally, and I feel like it degrades the whole experience, pulls you out. Yuck!

    What do others think?

  • edited August 2021

    @Samu said:
    If/when the 'higher priced' apps start to drop for iPad they better be properly tested before release...
    ...I would be totally bummed if I'd pay say $300 for an app and bump into stupid bugs, that would just be a quick refund and nope, no more from that developer ever again...

    But that's just me...

    This, so much this. Proper testing by the dev before the release, and a chance for would-be customers to try the product for free (the two can be related to an extent via public betas), are currently far from being universal - but that's sort of expected, or at least accepted, at the current peanut prices we pay. But the moment apps start routinely costing much more people will expect these things much more, too.

    Edit: ...and manuals, too.

  • edited August 2021

    I got a Duet Display annual subscription. Last December I subscribed to it for 25$ cad and then immediately unsubscribed from it. I will still be able to run it until December when it runs out. I used it a bunch at the beginning but not so much lately. In a sense I feel I got my 25$ worth out of it already because the project was worth it. Will I resubscribe? Mmm, probably not unless something comes up again where I need it.

    If this were BM3 or NS2 I would have had no problem with an annual subscription to them (still would have unsubscribed right away just to keep the subscribe list clean) and probably would resubscribe this coming December.

    The whole annual subscription thing is totally fine by me.


  • @SpartanClownTide said:
    It's a shame the App store doesn't provide better off the peg solutions but I guess bundle discounts are a workable if clunky solution. I don't think it's a reasonable expectation to have older versions continually supported either.

    Yeah I think bundles are the solution there. The annoying thing with bundles is that they only work while all apps in them are available for sale, so old versions would need to stay in the store or upgrade pricing goes away. But it’s better than nothing. I’ll probably just have a time-limited upgrade path, to avoid having to have multiple versions of the same app there indefinitely.

    At a higher initial price I think alternatives to one off payments would be a good idea, given the prices people are used to here. I don't know whether there is a mechanism for letting anyone who has payed a monthly subscription for say 12 months keep whatever version they're on if they choose to cancel payments but this I think would mitigate the general opposition to subscriptions. It's not really a subscription model in this case, more a spreading payment model and it would help those on a tighter budget jump on board.

    That’s a great idea! It would mean making the app a free download with either a one-off IAP to buy it, or a subscription, with some internal logic to track how long the subscription has been running, which is probably possible.

    Having a free download + one’s own logic to handle the dual one-off/subscription schemes would also probably facilitate more flexible upgrade schemes - if the app detects an older version installed it can then offer a discount, no bundles required.

  • @wim said:
    I'll try to explain my own aversion to subscriptions for @brambos and @Michael.

    First and foremost It has nothing to do with not wanting to pay more for apps. It's about the way that this occurs in a subscription model.

    I'm not willing to have a constantly building pile of little monthly costs in my life. It's too hard to manage and too hard to justify ... which I would be forced to do on a monthly basis. For me music making is a hobby and I can only justify so much expense for it. But the thing is, with purchases I only need to make a few one-time decisions a month to manage that. If I'm short of money or feeling guilty, well then, I just don't buy any more apps until I feel OK about it again. It's important to me to feel right about making a purchase before I do it. It's not an enjoyable process, but once I've decided, it's over and I never look back at whether it was a good decision or not. I just get to enjoy, or choose to forget about, the purchase.

    With a subscription model I'm forced to a much more complicated and unpleasant calculus every single month. Which apps am I using? Which ones get the axe this month? Have I been wasting my money on this app the last few months? Is it worth the hassle to cancel it? Will I regret not having it next Thursday when I feel like pissing away a few minutes? How many minutes worth of enjoyment do I need to get out of this app to get my money's worth? What happens if I hit my credit card limit? Do I just stop all subscriptions for a few months? Woah, I haven't used this app for months - is it worth it to renew the subscription to play around a bit with it? Oh - I think I know how to answer that forum question, but I let the subscription lapse so I guess I won't bother. How much am I even spending on this hobby? I better get the credit card statement out and run some totals. That much??? Oh crap, time to do a purge, gee this sucks, it's like choosing which of my children not to feed. Month after month after month.

    No way. Maybe for others, but never for me. That would kill every bit of enjoyment I have in this hobby, and would end it for me. And, if I'm honest ... yes, would actually result in me doing the unthinkable ... not purchasing Loopy Pro or the next Bram app. It's hard to believe I'm saying that, but I believe it's true.

    To be clear: I would pay many times the amount I do for apps today on a one-time or upgrade-based model. I would of necessity buy fewer apps, but at least the developers of the apps that are worth it to me would be more fairly compensated.

    I would definitely be supportive of an upgrade based model. I wish Apple made this easier for developers to do. It sucks that the only practical way is to sell a separate app for the upgrade. It also sucks that anyone who pioneers that model is going to take crap from people expecting free upgrades for life. But it's reasonable, and I think it could work, provided it's made clear in the App Store description. (Yes, I know most people don't read them, but at least it would be said up front.)

    Developers - I completely feel your pain. I wish there was a supportable model. I'm willing to support any model that achieves that other than subscriptions. I'm just being honest, and I believe I probably represent a significant portion of the market. I will never, ever, go the subscription model for iOS apps.

    Lastly, I would LOVE it if every app had a tip-jar. I get in generous or thankful moods from time to time, or just get to feeling guilty that someone worked so hard for so little compensation, and would love to have a way to spontaneously fire off a donation of varying amounts when the mood strikes me. I would also actually appreciate it if when an app has a significant update, a pop-up reminded me of the work that went into it, and inviting me to make a suggested tip-jar purchase in support of it. If there was some way to even show the "goal" amount of funding vs. the amount received so far, that would be even better.

    Sorry for the long post. It's not the first time I've tried to explain this, but it seems the root of the problem (frequency and complication of the decision making process) is still conflated with the amount people are willing to pay for apps, which isn't the point at all. I hope that helps to understand why some are so against the subscription model.

    I totally agree with this mindset, and the tip jar is a great idea! Like on YouTube live I think it is where you can buy them a coffee or give them small donations.

    I feel subscriptions are a bit parasitic, something that just keeps on sucking away money. And yes think most of us have well over 50 music apps, if they all went the subscription route we would be sucked dry. I like to have control over what I spend and I am a spontaneous purchaser, but when im in a purchasing mood, im well aware that I won't see that money again. Its just to hard to manage subscriptions on things that you don't know how much actually use you will get out of it. If it something to do with your job then you know that you use the software every day then you can claim the subscription cost on tax, that's all good but I would say 99 percent of us use iOS app for fun and don't ever see any revenue from the use of said apps

  • @krassmann said:

    @brambos said:
    I can understand people's reluctance against subscriptions. But at the same time I feel the irony of the general expectation that a dev keeps developing and adding to apps with no compensation for many years. So people want the advantages of a subscription model, but without the cost factor.

    I don't expect a lifetime of upgrades from an €8 Whopper menu, but people do expect this from an €8 app for some odd reason :)

    I think we are all on the same page that the „€8 once including all updates“ model must die for serious apps. But if all of these apps turn to a subscription model there won‘t be so many subscriptions. I think the golden middle way is paying for major version updates. Well, I think there should be maybe at least a support period for compatibility with newer devices and OS versions also for these older versions until some end-of-life date. For people with a small budget I could imagine a rent-to-own model. What do you think?

    If all my apps were on subscriptions I think I’d serriously keep about 3 and it would definately stop me being an appaholic.

  • Cool! Great thread, some really good ideas.

    I’m in agreement that subscriptions as they stand are not great. I think Loopy Pro will either be:

    1. a straight up paid app, and Loopy Pro 2.0 in a couple years will be a separate app for the same price, in a bundle so existing users get it for half that or something (for a limited time so the prior version doesn’t have to be there forever), or
    2. a free download, with a subscription OR a one-off IAP (customer’s choice). The subscription lasts up to 12 months and then it’s the equivalent of the IAP (i.e. rent to own). Then Loopy Pro 2.0 will still be released as a separate app, but with some internal logic that detects a Loopy Pro 1.0 install and offers upgrade pricing on the IAP and reduced subscription.

    I prefer option 2 as it offers some more flexibility and much easier upgrade path I think (no time limits, can skip an entire version and still get a discount).

  • 👍 It looks like Family Sharing is an option that developers can enable for both subscriptions and IAPs, although it seems that most don’t. What are your thoughts on enabling this?

  • @orand said:
    👍 It looks like Family Sharing is an option that developers can enable for both subscriptions and IAPs, although it seems that most don’t. What are your thoughts on enabling this?

    I figured it’d just be on by default – but if not, I’d definitely turn it on

  • @Michael said:
    Cool! Great thread, some really good ideas.

    I’m in agreement that subscriptions as they stand are not great. I think Loopy Pro will either be:

    1. a straight up paid app, and Loopy Pro 2.0 in a couple years will be a separate app for the same price, in a bundle so existing users get it for half that or something (for a limited time so the prior version doesn’t have to be there forever), or
    2. a free download, with a subscription OR a one-off IAP (customer’s choice). The subscription lasts up to 12 months and then it’s the equivalent of the IAP (i.e. rent to own). Then Loopy Pro 2.0 will still be released as a separate app, but with some internal logic that detects a Loopy Pro 1.0 install and offers upgrade pricing on the IAP and reduced subscription.

    I prefer option 2 as it offers some more flexibility and much easier upgrade path I think (no time limits, can skip an entire version and still get a discount).

    Option 1 seems way simpler to me but I’ll support your efforts either way.

  • @lukesleepwalker said:
    Option 1 seems way simpler to me but I’ll support your efforts either way.

    Most definitely. 2 is a lot more work, but it has lots of advantages

  • @lukesleepwalker said:

    @Michael said:
    Cool! Great thread, some really good ideas.

    I’m in agreement that subscriptions as they stand are not great. I think Loopy Pro will either be:

    1. a straight up paid app, and Loopy Pro 2.0 in a couple years will be a separate app for the same price, in a bundle so existing users get it for half that or something (for a limited time so the prior version doesn’t have to be there forever), or
    2. a free download, with a subscription OR a one-off IAP (customer’s choice). The subscription lasts up to 12 months and then it’s the equivalent of the IAP (i.e. rent to own). Then Loopy Pro 2.0 will still be released as a separate app, but with some internal logic that detects a Loopy Pro 1.0 install and offers upgrade pricing on the IAP and reduced subscription.

    I prefer option 2 as it offers some more flexibility and much easier upgrade path I think (no time limits, can skip an entire version and still get a discount).

    Option 1 seems way simpler to me but I’ll support your efforts either way.

    I would agree. Option one looks clean and straightforward.

  • edited August 2021

    I skipped the thread but did want to say that the reality is your steady base is a bunch of hobbyists who stumbled upon a cheap route of obtaining tools, some of the best of which are either straight desktop quality ports or reasonably competitive desktop alternatives, that make them feel like more of an accomplished musician or creator than they actually are. I don’t say that as a bad thing, like it sounds, because maybe that feeling inspires them to reach new levels of proficiency, and that’s GREAT for anyone in the world who plays music no matter the ambition level.

    But even the majority if this loyal base would fizzle out if they had to choose carefully between their tools instead of being able to smash “buy” with no regrets on a release, and sometimes multiple times a week, based not on need but simple obtainability.

    The question is striking the best economic (re: sales $$$) balance between price and and quantity—cater to a much smaller, more diehard niche who will surely continue to buy, but surely feel even more entitled to requests, complaints, and excess feedback based upon their own vision for the app (or worse, based upon the disease of needing “more” just to have it), or keep things relatively stable, sell your work for far less than it’s true worth but at more copies, and hope that comes out ahead of the “premium” pricing strategy, all while receiving far less pressure and pushback from users as they get continued access to a cheap pipeline.

    I don’t really think there’s an answer, only
    more of a developer preference. The reality is it’s a raw deal for developers either way.

    Also, in my opinion, subscriptions for single apps or PC programs are awful, because almost everyone is already subscribed to a Spotify, and a Netflix, and a YouTube, and God knows how many other services, and it’s always a bad feeling to get that monthly bill and see just how much you’re spending on what is ultimately disposable media. Paid upgrades are far and away the way to go over subscriptions as far as keeping users happy (assuming we don’t have to pay for bugfix releases, obviously). Especially on the cheapskates ‘r’ us iOS market. A subscription to a DAW or some similar more complete music environment I can totally understand and get behind, but not for a singularly- focused app.

  • edited August 2021

    @robosardine said:

    @lukesleepwalker said:

    @Michael said:
    Cool! Great thread, some really good ideas.

    I’m in agreement that subscriptions as they stand are not great. I think Loopy Pro will either be:

    1. a straight up paid app, and Loopy Pro 2.0 in a couple years will be a separate app for the same price, in a bundle so existing users get it for half that or something (for a limited time so the prior version doesn’t have to be there forever), or
    2. a free download, with a subscription OR a one-off IAP (customer’s choice). The subscription lasts up to 12 months and then it’s the equivalent of the IAP (i.e. rent to own). Then Loopy Pro 2.0 will still be released as a separate app, but with some internal logic that detects a Loopy Pro 1.0 install and offers upgrade pricing on the IAP and reduced subscription.

    I prefer option 2 as it offers some more flexibility and much easier upgrade path I think (no time limits, can skip an entire version and still get a discount).

    Option 1 seems way simpler to me but I’ll support your efforts either way.

    I would agree. Option one looks clean and straightforward.

    Clean ish. The downside is that upgrade pricing is only going to be available for a very short time, as I’m not comfortable having old versions of the app floating around indefinitely. So people who want the cheap upgrade pricing for the next major version will have to purchase within a month or two after it’s released otherwise they’ll miss out. And if they skip a version, they’ll have to pay full price next time they upgrade.

    I’m also very in favour of the idea of having a free download and trial, and especially enamoured with the idea of having a subscription option (rent-to-own after 12m), for those who don’t want to fork out the full amount upfront. I think it will be a lot more inclusive.

  • Wait!... so option 2 is actually option1? 😃
    I think both are reasonable really. I would be happy with either.
    Thinking about it - the free download and trial has got to be a good thing. I think everyone would agree on that.
    During all this I was off for a play around on Launchpad and I noticed it’s a cool £7.99 a month!!... 😙

  • @oat_phipps said:
    I skipped the thread but did want to say that the reality is your steady base is a bunch of hobbyists who stumbled upon a cheap route of obtaining tools, some of the best of which are either straight desktop quality ports or reasonably competitive desktop alternatives, that make them feel like more of an accomplished musician or creator than they actually are. I don’t say that as a bad thing, like it sounds, because maybe that feeling inspires them to reach new levels of proficiency, and that’s GREAT for anyone in the world who plays music no matter the ambition level.

    But even the majority if this loyal base would fizzle out if they had to choose carefully between their tools instead of being able to smash “buy” with no regrets on a release, and sometimes multiple times a week, based not on need but simple obtainability.

    The question is striking the best economic (re: sales $$$) balance between price and and quantity—cater to a much smaller, more diehard niche who will surely continue to buy, but surely feel even more entitled to requests, complaints, and excess feedback based upon their own vision for the app (or worse, based upon the disease of needing “more” just to have it), or keep things relatively stable, sell your work for far less than it’s true worth but at more copies, and hope that comes out ahead of the “premium” pricing strategy, all while receiving far less pressure and pushback from users as they get continued access to a cheap pipeline.

    I don’t really think there’s an answer, only
    more of a developer preference. The reality is it’s a raw deal for developers either way.

    Also, in my opinion, subscriptions for single apps or PC programs are awful, because almost everyone is already subscribed to a Spotify, and a Netflix, and a YouTube, and God knows how many other services, and it’s always a bad feeling to get that monthly bill and see just how much you’re spending on what is ultimately disposable media. Paid upgrades are far and away the way to go over subscriptions as far as keeping users happy (assuming we don’t have to pay for bugfix releases, obviously). Especially on the cheapskates ‘r’ us iOS market. A subscription to a DAW or some similar more complete music environment I can totally understand and get behind, but not for a singularly- focused app.

    Well said

  • @Michael said:

    @robosardine said:

    @lukesleepwalker said:

    @Michael said:
    Cool! Great thread, some really good ideas.

    I’m in agreement that subscriptions as they stand are not great. I think Loopy Pro will either be:

    1. a straight up paid app, and Loopy Pro 2.0 in a couple years will be a separate app for the same price, in a bundle so existing users get it for half that or something (for a limited time so the prior version doesn’t have to be there forever), or
    2. a free download, with a subscription OR a one-off IAP (customer’s choice). The subscription lasts up to 12 months and then it’s the equivalent of the IAP (i.e. rent to own). Then Loopy Pro 2.0 will still be released as a separate app, but with some internal logic that detects a Loopy Pro 1.0 install and offers upgrade pricing on the IAP and reduced subscription.

    I prefer option 2 as it offers some more flexibility and much easier upgrade path I think (no time limits, can skip an entire version and still get a discount).

    Option 1 seems way simpler to me but I’ll support your efforts either way.

    I would agree. Option one looks clean and straightforward.

    Clean ish. The downside is that upgrade pricing is only going to be available for a very short time, as I’m not comfortable having old versions of the app floating around indefinitely. So people who want the cheap upgrade pricing for the next major version will have to purchase within a month or two after it’s released otherwise they’ll miss out. And if they skip a version, they’ll have to pay full price next time they upgrade.

    I’m also very in favour of the idea of having a free download and trial, and especially enamoured with the idea of having a subscription option (rent-to-own after 12m), for those who don’t want to fork out the full amount upfront. I think it will be a lot more inclusive.

    So, hmmmmm. I think I’m missing something. Let’s say I purchase v1 either as an IAP or as twelve payments. But then I’m happy with the app as it is and don’t opt to upgrade to V2. That means that I can’t go on using v1? Or just that you won’t support it when Apple does something dumb with iOS (that’ll never happen, right?) or something else breaks?

  • Yeah, the second option is identical to the first one in that respect – I’ll still be releasing the next major update as a separate app

  • @wim said:

    @michael_m said:
    I’ll add why I don’t like the subscription model.

    I want control over when I spend my money. If I buy an app with a one-off payment through the App Store, then I have control. A subscription would give a seller control over when to take money from me, and that’s not something I want to deal with.

    I have subscribed to things in the past and forgotten about them when I no longer need them, and that feels like I have wasted my money.

    In a couple of cases the process to end a subscription failed, and I ended up with money being taken from my account when I did not want the product. Was it easy to get a refund? Was it hell - I had to fight tooth and nail to get money back when I specifically requested that it not be taken from my account.

    No subscriptions for me thank you.

    To be fair, with Apple it's very straightforward to manage subscriptions. And, they get taken out on a periodic basis at a frequency that you choose, not Apple, and not any developer. You can cancel at any time, no hassle, no questions asked. You're dealing with a single supplier, not a bunch of wild-west developers.

    You also get a email notification every time you're charged. (Which is paradoxically one of the reasons I do not want subscriptions ... I don't want to be constantly reminded how much I'm spending.)

    The App Store is probably an example of how it works well, but I still don’t like the idea. It would annoy me to think I had paid for a month and not used it in that time, but a one-off payment and I own it wouldn’t bring that to mind.

  • @Michael said:

    @robosardine said:

    @lukesleepwalker said:

    @Michael said:
    Cool! Great thread, some really good ideas.

    I’m in agreement that subscriptions as they stand are not great. I think Loopy Pro will either be:

    1. a straight up paid app, and Loopy Pro 2.0 in a couple years will be a separate app for the same price, in a bundle so existing users get it for half that or something (for a limited time so the prior version doesn’t have to be there forever), or
    2. a free download, with a subscription OR a one-off IAP (customer’s choice). The subscription lasts up to 12 months and then it’s the equivalent of the IAP (i.e. rent to own). Then Loopy Pro 2.0 will still be released as a separate app, but with some internal logic that detects a Loopy Pro 1.0 install and offers upgrade pricing on the IAP and reduced subscription.

    I prefer option 2 as it offers some more flexibility and much easier upgrade path I think (no time limits, can skip an entire version and still get a discount).

    Option 1 seems way simpler to me but I’ll support your efforts either way.

    I would agree. Option one looks clean and straightforward.

    Clean ish. The downside is that upgrade pricing is only going to be available for a very short time, as I’m not comfortable having old versions of the app floating around indefinitely. So people who want the cheap upgrade pricing for the next major version will have to purchase within a month or two after it’s released otherwise they’ll miss out. And if they skip a version, they’ll have to pay full price next time they upgrade.

    I’m also very in favour of the idea of having a free download and trial, and especially enamoured with the idea of having a subscription option (rent-to-own after 12m), for those who don’t want to fork out the full amount upfront. I think it will be a lot more inclusive.

    I think option 2 sounds interesting, and I definitely support the inclusiveness aspects / a free trial period (or even a free version with just a limited number of allowed loops). I think things like that will help it reach more people, more easily. However, getting the interface right for doing these things in-app and communicating exactly what the different options mean, might be tricky. Definitely would be super annoying to have to set up an email account, for example. Would it be possible to automatically get that information (payment info + user account details like email) directly from apple? I suppose it would be automatic if simply it is an IAP. Can IAP be recurring subscription payments too? Also maybe specifically billing as "rent-to-own" or similar rather than using the word subscription might be wise.

    Also worth considering whether this approach would be applicable to other future platforms for loopy pro, (like Desktop or running as a VST version?).

  • @AudioGus said:
    I got a Duet Display annual subscription. Last December I subscribed to it for 25$ cad and then immediately unsubscribed from it. I will still be able to run it until December when it runs out. I used it a bunch at the beginning but not so much lately. In a sense I feel I got my 25$ worth out of it already because the project was worth it. Will I resubscribe? Mmm, probably not unless something comes up again where I need it.

    If this were BM3 or NS2 I would have had no problem with an annual subscription to them (still would have unsubscribed right away just to keep the subscribe list clean) and probably would resubscribe this coming December.

    The whole annual subscription thing is totally fine by me.

    Duet works without that subscription for some things. Of course, if you only need it for a month or two you can just do it monthly. I personally avoided paying for Duet Display by getting a Luna Display adapter to send the video from my older Mac to my iPad. Had I just paid for a month or two of Duet, I would have realized I don’t need wireless control of my Mac and probably ultimately would have saved money. I got the adapter on sale for 50USD though. It might come in handy some day.

    My problem with subscriptions is that I often don’t use things enough to make it worth it. So, sure I probably wouldn’t mind a subscription for my favorite apps that I use and need a lot might be helpful to keep content and updates coming. I have so many apps that I don’t often use. What makes one app something you use a lot and another app something you don’t use much at all is different for everyone. So, having a subscription for all these things just will not be worth it for some folks.

  • Also as a few others have mentioned, including a tip jar I think is a cool idea. Because there will be a reasonable amount of superfans who want to pay you more from time to time (probably including me), and i think there is something to the psychology of it. In other cases, when I've given money voluntarily it builds a sense of shared responsibility and ownership for the thing I'm donating to.

  • @Michael said:

    @orand said:
    👍 It looks like Family Sharing is an option that developers can enable for both subscriptions and IAPs, although it seems that most don’t. What are your thoughts on enabling this?

    I figured it’d just be on by default – but if not, I’d definitely turn it on

    Great to hear, thank you!

    Another interesting pricing model that I haven’t seen elsewhere is how the app Working Copy does it.

    https://workingcopyapp.com/manual/purchase

    It’s a free app with a one-time purchase that unlocks all current pro features, plus any additional pro features released within the next 12 months. Any new features added after that require another one-time unlock purchase.

    It doesn’t seem like an ideal fit for Loopy Pro, but I thought I’d throw it out there for completeness or inspiration.

  • @orand said:

    @Michael said:

    @orand said:
    👍 It looks like Family Sharing is an option that developers can enable for both subscriptions and IAPs, although it seems that most don’t. What are your thoughts on enabling this?

    I figured it’d just be on by default – but if not, I’d definitely turn it on

    Great to hear, thank you!

    Another interesting pricing model that I haven’t seen elsewhere is how the app Working Copy does it.

    https://workingcopyapp.com/manual/purchase

    It’s a free app with a one-time purchase that unlocks all current pro features, plus any additional pro features released within the next 12 months. Any new features added after that require another one-time unlock purchase.

    It doesn’t seem like an ideal fit for Loopy Pro, but I thought I’d throw it out there for completeness or inspiration.

    Interesting…

  • @DMan said:

    @AudioGus said:
    I got a Duet Display annual subscription. Last December I subscribed to it for 25$ cad and then immediately unsubscribed from it. I will still be able to run it until December when it runs out. I used it a bunch at the beginning but not so much lately. In a sense I feel I got my 25$ worth out of it already because the project was worth it. Will I resubscribe? Mmm, probably not unless something comes up again where I need it.

    If this were BM3 or NS2 I would have had no problem with an annual subscription to them (still would have unsubscribed right away just to keep the subscribe list clean) and probably would resubscribe this coming December.

    The whole annual subscription thing is totally fine by me.

    Duet works without that subscription for some things. Of course, if you only need it for a month or two you can just do it monthly. I personally avoided paying for Duet Display by getting a Luna Display adapter to send the video from my older Mac to my iPad. Had I just paid for a month or two of Duet, I would have realized I don’t need wireless control of my Mac and probably ultimately would have saved money. I got the adapter on sale for 50USD though. It might come in handy some day.

    My problem with subscriptions is that I often don’t use things enough to make it worth it. So, sure I probably wouldn’t mind a subscription for my favorite apps that I use and need a lot might be helpful to keep content and updates coming. I have so many apps that I don’t often use. What makes one app something you use a lot and another app something you don’t use much at all is different for everyone. So, having a subscription for all these things just will not be worth it for some folks.

    Duet was job related so a somewhat slightly different criteria than normally at play for me at the time etc. But yah I was desperate, needed the touch. ;)

    But as for music apps I would be fine subbing to things that I hope/expect major features to come, which is why I mentioned NS2 and BM3, both of which had various plans / roadmaps to support. They actually are the only two apps where I ever expected things, largely because they stated things were coming or rushed and needed further work. If they did have subscriptions from ground zero and that helped to manifest those plans (earlier or ever etc) then it totally would have been worth it. For a compressor or reverb, nah. But jeez, if we lived in a world where Blip and Intua could have been living off of subscription money while developing their apps full-time the last few years…? Fucking hell those likely would have quickly become insanely awesome apps that completely elevated this entire platform.

  • @orand said:

    Another interesting pricing model that I haven’t seen elsewhere is how the app Working Copy does it.

    https://workingcopyapp.com/manual/purchase

    It’s a free app with a one-time purchase that unlocks all current pro features, plus any additional pro features released within the next 12 months. Any new features added after that require another one-time unlock purchase.

    That sounds great!

  • edited August 2021

    Have you thought about accepting 1st born children?
    Or 1000 dogecoins?
    Im down with 1500 dogecoins, but i also want an NFT outta it

    In all seriousness, i dont envy you position. The app store prices really did take a chunk out of developers value.

    If the app does what I want, I dont mind paying big. I dont even mind paying a subscription. I start and cancel subscriptions on a monthly basis.

    For example, ill spend 8$ Every few months for remixlive when i need it, but im not gonna continually pay when the only benefit is a new soundpack a month and it still doesnt have midi or real controller support.

    But yeah, you have that other population that freaks out at anything over 4.99

    There was one other app i saw, cant remeber the name, and it might be mentioned on the forums somewhere, their business model was app is free but you pay per save/export. Like 100 saves for 4.99. Fuck that model.

  • @ashh said:
    Thirdly, which one of your apps has had features added?

    Off the top of my head... Piano Motifs, Rozetta, Blocs Wave, Aphelian, AUM, Beathawk, Turnado, SpaceCraft Granular Synth, Samplr, Riffer, Pure Acid, Oscilab, iKaossilator, Hammerhead, Gadget, Fieldscaper, Elastic Drums, Borderlands Granular, and something called Audiobus.

    Not to mention the million or so apps that 4Pockets make :-)

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