Last week I wrote about JetBrains:

The compromise represented by the JetBrains IDEs is still unexcelled for software that operates on subscriptions. I wish other vendors would adopt it, if they remain committed to subscriptions.

That compromise is simple: you pay for a year’s worth of the subscription, you get a license to that version of the software in perpetuity.

When I wrote the post, I had forgotten another piece of software I use and like that has the same model: screenshot software extraordinaire CleanShotX. Their policy is a variant on the same theme as JetBrains’: you buy a license and get updates for a year, and after that you pay if you want ongoing updates. As they put it:

[This] model is fundamentally different than a subscription and we will never take your access to the app.

The updates renewal is completely optional and you are free to keep the latest version forever. It will still be a completely functional app that still provides all those amazing features, which are available right now. And if there any updates in the future that catch your attention, you are free to renew the updates then.

One of the things I like best about this model is that it keeps developers honest. They win when they actually deliver the promised value. Subscriptions in the traditional sense do the opposite. Because you have to pay the provider for access to the software at all, the provider’s economic incentive is to do as little as possible to keep you subscribed. In this model, the developer has to earn your ongoing revenue by providing something you want enough to keep paying for up-to-date licenses.