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Subscription free apps (programming.dev)
submitted 10 months ago by nonmi9@programming.dev to c/apple_enthusiast@lemmy.world
49 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I've grown tired, or my wallet has, of the subscription based app. I'm not looking for anything in particular, so list your favorite Subscription free apps or Pay Once apps!

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[-] fer0n@lemm.ee 32 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

I’ve gone more and more back to apples original apps for that reason. Reminders, Notes, Mail, (also keychain is slowly getting there for me) … Many have gotten a lot better and they have the advantage of being (more or less) continuously updated and completely free, if you don’t count the millions you spend on their hardware ～(つˆ0ˆ)つ｡☆

[-] Synecdoche@feddit.de 21 points 10 months ago

NetNewsWire (RSS Reader) https://apps.apple.com/de/app/netnewswire-rss-reader/id1480640210

[-] haulyard@lemmy.world 17 points 10 months ago

Obsidian for note taking

[-] nocturne213@lemm.ee 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

I was disappointed that obsidian did not have the ability to add check boxes to notes. I use google keep a lot to make checklists for myself. It also looks like it lacks collaboration.

I realize both of these points are outside the the point of the OP, but two things I noticed in using it. And would love to be proven incorrect on both.

[-] nonmi9@programming.dev 7 points 10 months ago

You can create Check marks by using markdown inside the note.

- [ ] TEXTHERE this should provide a blank Check Box.

- [ x ] TXETHERE this should provide a ticked Check Box.

[-] nocturne213@lemm.ee 2 points 10 months ago

Thanks but that seems unsustainable to make a checklist for packing or a shopping list before going to the grocery store.

[-] UncleClerk@aussie.zone 3 points 10 months ago

I consider obsidian a knowledge base, rather than a note taking app. I use both apple notes and obsidian for different purposes.

[-] nocturne213@lemm.ee 1 points 10 months ago

Makes sense. Obsidian was recommended to me as a non-Google replacement for Keep. So it was in my head it was a sticky note app.

[-] BooksAndLetters@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

Actually sad I only discovered Obsidian a few months ago

[-] JackiesFridge@lemmy.world 12 points 10 months ago

For pay-once apps, the Affinity suite is solid. It's not cheap, but it goes on sale for half off a couple times a year. Their Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign competitors are well thought out, but there is a definite learning curve coming from Adobe. Luckily, they have a series of educational videos to get you going.

[-] fer0n@lemm.ee 9 points 10 months ago

Mela, recipe manager

[-] thebricklayr@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

Before paying for Mela, I’d recommend trying Umami. It’s free and has better family sharing features.

[-] sighing2663@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

Too bad about their privacy policy.

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[-] avclub@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months ago

I also use Reeder (one time paid app) for RSS and have used it for years.

Also Things for tasks. Absolute favorite.

[-] Venicon@sopuli.xyz 8 points 10 months ago

Merlin bird ID https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/merlin-bird-id-by-cornell-lab/id773457673

Never was interested before but now I check out the birds wherever I go. Can even do it from sound only.

[-] avclub@lemmy.world 6 points 10 months ago

I’ve been using Apple’s Freeform app a ton for whiteboards. It’s great to work out ideas.

[-] fer0n@lemm.ee 6 points 10 months ago

Things

[-] SiriusCybernetics@lemmy.ca 4 points 10 months ago

Colibri (native Mac music player)

https://colibri-lossless.com/

[-] Daryl76679@lemmy.ml 3 points 10 months ago

Probably the podcast player Overcast:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/overcast/id888422857

[-] fer0n@lemm.ee 10 points 10 months ago

I don’t think that counts as subscription free

[-] Ambiorickx@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

The subscription is entirely optional

Edit: i mean that you can use it perfectly well without one, all you’ll see is a banner ad at the bottom. It’s how ive been using it for years now

[-] fer0n@lemm.ee 3 points 10 months ago

That’s a positive aspect of subscriptions. If you don’t need any of the subscription stuff you get a well support app and don’t have to pay anything

[-] InfiniteFlow@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

I’ve been using it for years now and I have never subscribed to anything (and it appears fully functional, at least I never needed any feature I couldn’t use). So, even if a subscription is possible, I still count it as subscription-free.

[-] Deemo@bookwormstory.social 1 points 10 months ago

Yeah its a yearly subscription 😔

[-] fer0n@lemm.ee 4 points 10 months ago

Although to be fair that’s quite cheap compared to others. Castro costs at least 18 bucks and fantastical is at looks it up 70 bucks per year :O

[-] Teal@lemm.ee 6 points 10 months ago

I was a Fantastical advocate until it went to subscription model. At the time I was working in a medical office with one of my tasks being scheduling. I heard a lot of people complaining about the stock calendar and I’d often bring up Fantastical and even gave a quick example if time allowed.

Once the subscription model took over I went right back to Apple Calendar.

[-] fer0n@lemm.ee 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

I‘m still using fantastical, as some of the new premium features stayed unlocked for previous customers, but not heavily. And I really do think subscriptions are fine, but in no way can I justify 70 bucks per year for that and I don’t want to.

[-] Teal@lemm.ee 2 points 10 months ago

Totally understandable, it’s a great app. Nice to know they gave a little extra to existing customers.

Some subscriptions are fine, I’m not against them completely, but the as you said the cost of this one is steep. For my use it’s not worth it but to some others it might be.

[-] conciselyverbose@kbin.social 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

There is exactly one valid reason for a subscription to an app (not content), and it's because your usage has to be reliant on a server with meaningful upkeep costs.

That does not include "your device could easily do this but we're forcing it to the cloud". Any other reason makes you a bad person.

[-] mnrockclimber@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 10 months ago

I felt exactly the same. After the switch, I went to BusyCal which is a one time purchase. Worse than fantasical but better than the stock Apple Calendar.

[-] Pepesueco@mastodon.social 2 points 10 months ago

@Teal @fer0n I never found not only the taste of the application, but the justification of payment. For some reason it didn't catch me when I tried it.

[-] MNLFNUT8YG@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

Calendar 366 is a very good Fantastical replacement. One time payment

[-] Deemo@bookwormstory.social 2 points 10 months ago

Podcast republic cost $4 one time (for ad removal) and has cross platform support with iOS android and web.

[-] fer0n@lemm.ee 1 points 10 months ago

I‘m happily paying for Castro, I love that app.

[-] Deemo@bookwormstory.social 2 points 10 months ago

Ah sorry I misread your post as castero having a yearly subscription (sry my bad) 😞

[-] fer0n@lemm.ee 2 points 10 months ago

All good, I appreciate the tip :) I’m just not looking to replace it with anything.

I looked through my apps, and there’s quite a few that I’m paying subscriptions for. Castro, Spotify, (Audible, Netflix, Disney if you want to count these), Google Photos, Carrot, Ivory, Timery, YNAB, and Unread. Recently got rid of prime to see how that feels like. I know that’s not in the spirit of this post, but I’m happy to pay some of these, knowing it’ll help keep them around and get new features.

Many many apps I used to love and use have died, most likely because of the missing revenue stream and subscriptions definitely help to keep that from happening.

[-] mnrockclimber@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 10 months ago

I got it when it was still a one time purchase and I'm able to restore it when I buy a new phone. Very pleased with it as a one-off but would never subscribe.

[-] revs@feddit.uk 0 points 10 months ago

Only to remove a small ad. And as it’s a podcast player, you listen, and don’t really see the Ad ever.

[-] fer0n@lemm.ee 0 points 10 months ago

There’s more features such as playback settings if I remember correctly

[-] MikeHawksProGamer@lemm.ee 1 points 10 months ago

Paprika 3 Recipe Manager

Its a one time fee per platform ($5 for ios, ~$20 for macos, $5 for android, and ~$20 for windows) that shares recipes across platforms you're signed into.

It also downloads and formats recipes from websites so you dont need to copy and paste and reformats if you're sharing it with somebody who doesn't have the app.

When it comes to recipe apps i've found very few that are pay once or truly free. Most are free trials with limited recipe spots available.

[-] fer0n@lemm.ee 1 points 10 months ago

I’ve been using that a lot and then switched over to Mela, which does all the same things only better and it looks a lot nicer as well. But paprika is still a really solid choice.

this post was submitted on 23 Aug 2023
47 points (94.3% liked)

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