$10 now, $40 next year, and the next.
So, you want to pay $90 for it? 3yTCO?
Yes please!
If it ended up being $30 pa over the next 3 years, that would be a terrific deal for me for a great trio of apps that I use literally everyday.
I was trying to work out what I've paid Fantastical in total since 2012 - it's hard to remember exactly, as I bought a lot of things on sale, but having looked through my purchase history, here's my best guess:
- Mac - I think I paid about $15 for version 1 in 2013 (it was on offer), then I paid the full price $40 in 2015 for version 2.
- iOS/iPadOS - I also bought the 'companion apps that were then sold separately. I think I paid $3 for version 1 on iPhone, then $5 + $10 for the iPad and iPhone apps for version 2. (it might have been less - there were definitely some special offers, but I don't recall the details)
- Since 3.0 came out, I've been happy to use the function that lets me keep access to the version 3 features for a bit, and now I've taken advantage of the new subscription offer ($10 per year)
So all told, in the period of late 2012 to early 2023, I have paid about $83 for just over 10 years of usage. Something like $0.70 a month. Honestly, given how useful the app is for me, I could have paid 3-5 times as much and it would have been good value. If $40 a year is the new norm for richly featured, well made, frequently updated apps across 3 platforms (I don't use the Apple Watch), that seems fair to me.
I realise that for others with different needs, it won't be worth it. Some people have fairly limited calendaring needs, or don't use 3 different platforms. Some people are allergic to subscriptions (this always seemed silly to me, but different strokes for different folks). This is all fine! It's good to have different options at different price points (including the free, adequate stock app).