Tweetbot for Mac Goes Live on Mac App Store for $20

[MacRumors]

After several months in public and then private alpha and beta testing, Tweetbot for Mac has been released for $20 [App Store].

The app includes support for the Retina MacBook Pro, iCloud syncing with the iOS versions of Tweetbot, and more. There are also a number of excellent reviews out today to help users decide if the app is worth $20, including from The Verge, The Next Web, and MacStories.

Perhaps the biggest question from potential customers is regarding Tweetbot's $20 price. Mark Jardine, one of the developers behind Tweetbot, wrote this in a blog post announcing the release:

Why is Tweetbot for Mac $20?

If you think about it, it's not that expensive. Twenty dollars for a quality piece of software that you use every day? That has been the price point for quality utility apps on the Mac for years. However, it's not just the development time and attention we put into the app that commands the higher price.

Because of Twitter's recent enforcement of token limits, we only have a limited number of tokens available for Tweetbot for Mac. These tokens dictate how many users Tweetbot for Mac can have. The app's limit is separate from, but much smaller than, the limit for Tweetbot for iOS. Once we use up the tokens granted to us by Twitter, we will no longer be able to sell the app to new users. Tapbots will continue to support Tweetbot for Mac for existing customers at that time.

This limit and our desire to continue to support the app once we sell out is why we've priced Tweetbot for Mac a little higher than we'd like. It's the best thing we can do for the long term viability of the product. We know some will not be happy about Tweetbot for Mac's pricing, but the bottom line is Twitter needs to provide us with more tokens for us to be able to sell at a lower the price. We spent a year developing this app and it's the only way for us to be able to make our money back and continue supporting it with updates in the future. Feel free to let Twitter know how you feel about it.

Regardless, Tweetbot for Mac is available on the Mac App Store for $19.99 [Direct Link]

Article Link: Tweetbot for Mac Goes Live on Mac App Store for $20

[Michaelgtrusa]

The price is steep but I bet it rocks.

[joshfreak]

to quote a friend, "5 bucks would be amazing. 10 would be doable. but 20? no way."

i know Twitter is ridiculous for the token limiting. I hear what you're saying Tapbots, I really do. But, be realistic.

I really enjoyed the app in beta, but am very disappointed in the price.

[AdeFowler]

Seems a little pricey for a Twitter app. But I couldn't resist buying it. iCloud syncing and mute filters alone make it a worthwhile purchase.

[ollyb]

What's up with the formatting in that quote. I see that sort of thing all over the web, even today. You'd have thought it would sorted itself out since the 90s.

[maccompatible]

Twitter CEO,
I've noticed you don't want third party developers making Twitter clients and are limiting their usefulness with "tokens." Care to explain?



Twitter user,
Thank you for using twitter. It really is a remarkable product. However, we can't allow third party developers to create twitter clients. The profits would be just TOO THIN!

[adztaylor]

I have the iPhone and iPad app and love it, there's no doubting this will probably be good but the price is a tad steep.

[maccompatible]

ALSO, I currently have a token attached to my Twitter account from the Beta. Hopefully it's still good while I try to convince myself to buy a twitter client for $20...

[ngenerator]

I paid $849 for a phone, and $1,699 for a computer. $20 is more than doable, and I'm glad I'm able to help support the devs do what they do.

[DJAKO]

Originally Posted by AdeFowler

Seems a little pricey for a Twitter app. But I couldn't resist buying it. iCloud syncing and mute filters alone make it a worthwhile purchase.

Couldn't agree more. Just bought it.

[nfl46]

The price is a typo, right? That's outrageous! Hell, just go to the website for FREE! Another open tab won't hurt.

[Steelers7510]

I threw down the $20 because of how exceptional the iPhone and iPad version is. Needless to say, the Mac version doesn't disappoint. Completely worth it IMO.

[appleguy123]

Anyone got an explain like I'm five for twitters token system? Much appreciated.

[Tingler]

It looks like a beautiful app. The price is a little high for a Twitter client but I guess there will be those who'll pay.

[Ahonen]

That is quite expensive considering I can use Twitter's web site or app for free. I think I'm going to pass.

[atmc]

20$ is not that much if you put that in perspective about what you spent on your ecosystem, with your Mac and iOS devices. Actually, Tweetbot integrates quite well with the iCloud sync feature (although it doesn't work with me on iPhone and iPad ).

The thing is... 20$ for a Twitter client? It can be the best app in the world, but it's still a Twitter client app. So, it is very expensive.

But there is one more thing: Twitter's decisions about third-party apps. I don't see any other Twitter client coming in the next years because if just doesn't feel worthy for developers. And Twitter for Mac is going to die sooner of later (it isn't updated for like... a year?).

I don't want to use Twitter in its web based interface, but I don't want to pay 20$ for an app. And like Twitter for Mac, I think Twitter is going to die. They are making suicide.

[BaldiMac]

Originally Posted by appleguy123

Anyone got an explain like I'm five for twitters token system? Much appreciated.

Twitter will only allow 100,000 users for any 3rd party twitter client (with some exceptions for clients that existed at the time the rule went into effect.)

[NoIdeasOriginal]

You'd have to be insane to buy a Twitter app at that price.

I love Tweetbot for iOS, but I really can't justify the price for this OS X app.

[bagelche]

I'm also in the $5-totally/$10-surely/$20-ah... camp.

I have no doubt that a) the app is terrific, b) that we've become used to a heavily reduced price baseline, and c) Twitter token rule really hampers Tweetbot's ability to make back on their investment. It's just hard for me to justify $20 for a program I still use casually, especially when the main Twitter client, Tweetdeck, and the website are all free.

[rmwebs]

Whilst its a great app, the business logic is massively flawed.

Lets say for arguments sake that they still have the 100,000 'tokens' that they had a while ago.

That works out at a maximum income (taking Apple's 30% cut into account) of $1.4 million.

Obviously they are a fairly small company, however when that runs out (and remember, I didn't take into account any expenses, so the actual profit will be significantly lower) they are promising to keep developing the software, despite having no income.

Whilst some of their other products may subsidise the ongoing development, when it comes to major updates, they have zero incentive once they know that they cant make a penny off of it, even if they release 'v2' and charge all over again, as they wont be issued more tokens for it.

[WordMasterRice]

Everybody complaining about the price obviously doesn't get it. They want you to pass on buying it. They aren't doing it purely as a profit grab, once they are out of tokens that's it so they are pricing it high to keep everybody and their mother from trying it.

This is more like boxed software than digital distribution, they only have so many copies they can sell and then they can't sell any more.

[kbmb]

Spent $20 bucks last night for a pizza dinner.....gonna crap it out shortly.

Think $20 bucks for a decent app that I use and is open all day is a steal!

-Kevin

[kappaknight]

Does syncing actually work? I've never gotten the beta to successfully sync with the iOS counter part on iCloud or Tweet Marker. It honestly is the most annoying thing about using Twitter. If Twitter can release a client that fixes that like how Tweetie was supposed to, then I'd support them blocking out 3rd party clients.

[BaldiMac]

Originally Posted by NoIdeasOriginal

You'd have to be insane to buy a Twitter app at that price.

I love Tweetbot for iOS, but I really can't justify the price for this OS X app.

Insane!!!!

I'd hate to see what you think of people who simply give money away for nothing in return.

[Cougarcat]

Originally Posted by kappaknight

Does syncing actually work? I've never gotten the beta to successfully sync with the iOS counter part on iCloud or Tweet Marker. It honestly is the most annoying thing about using Twitter.

iCloud sync never worked in the beta because it's limited to MAS apps.