I was using Apple Mail for a long time, then it became extremely slow and buggy in Monterey. So I switched to Spark by necessity. It isn't perfect, but is so much faster and smoother. Something is wrong if Apple's native app isn't running well. And I wasn't the only one with Apple Mail issues. Apple doesn't seem to care.
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Popular Email Client Spark Gets Major Redesign For Mac, Moves to Subscription Model
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Au contraire, I dumped Apple's Mail app some years ago as well, but it's come a long way in the last few years. Because of Spark's changes, I tried using Edison again, but found Apple's Mail app to have come a long way. I'm no longer having any of the syncing issues, red badge count issues, or any issues with folders not updating or them just showing 'Updating" at the bottom.. Dare I say it's actually doing everything it claims to do, right. And that's on iOS/iPadOS, and macOS. I wish there was an 'Unread' smart folder, though.
What I would like to know, does the annual fee include your Mac and iPhone? IF not, then they should r e a l l y think about it. This way would make some sense to most. I personally love the app. I'd pay if it was per user and not device.
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I’m not sure which is worse, Spark’s subscription cost or the “sent with Spark” which is like a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.
I cannot imagine a lot of people paying $42 PER YEAR. Maybe they have businesses over a barrel but I’m through with Readdle. Spark can join Fantastical on the subscription dump-heap.
I cannot imagine a lot of people paying $42 PER YEAR. Maybe they have businesses over a barrel but I’m through with Readdle. Spark can join Fantastical on the subscription dump-heap.
Adobe is primarily focused on business users and people who use their products to make money. And their products pretty much set the standard in photo editing. They also lost some users going to subscription.
Spark is nice, but it’s no Adobe. And it’s one app. Better comparison is Fantastical, which did the same thing some years ago. Now they often discount annual subscriptions by up to 50%…
Yes, the subscription is tied to your account, not device.
You'll probably go insane trying to navigate around the new Mac client though. It's awful.
There isn't a developer alive of any software that would turn down a business client in order to take on an end user. Not one. They may not admit it in as stark of terms, but it is the reality. Depending on the software they develop, that may be easier (Adobe) or harder (Spark, Fantastical) for them to make that distinction, but as end users, we shouldn't be surprised when they tailor their pricing or software structure to be more favorable to business clients.
I did some Googling on your assertion that Adobe lost users. Obviously, the only way to know this for certain is to work for Adobe, but I found nothing that supports this. To the contrary, Adobe has done gangbusters over the last ten years, while semi-worthy competitors like Affinity continue to struggle. Pricing structure appears to have nothing to do with it.
This brings me to something that is always on display in threads like this: Predictions of doom and gloom for developers who adopt subscription pricing. The big "push back" is always right around the corner, and yet... it never actually materializes. Developers large and small move toward that model (many, on our platforms of choice, as a result of Apple's unrelenting pressure). I have no idea if Fantastical has more or fewer users now. I have no idea if Readdle, developer of Spark, has seen a large number of signups for Spark's subscription offerings. What I am willing to predict, however, is both companies, and others like them, will continue just fine post-subscription transition and, assuming they've positioned their subscription offerings appropriately, will do better financially then before.
Software development is a business, not a popularity contest. I'm not a software developer, but I do work for myself and I do have clients. Clients who pay me quickly and don't complain about my pricing are worth gold. Clients who love me but take forever to pay or stiff me entirely are worthless. I'll drop the latter in a heartbeat.
I'm not saying everyone should love subscription pricing. Far from it. Vote with your wallets, as we all should. I fully respect everyone's decision in this regard and don't mean to position my arguments to the contrary. But this insistence that there's some moral evil in subscription software and that there's this groundswell of public opinion that will reject it is not rooted in any reality I am aware of.
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I've reverted to version 2.0 on my Mac, the "good version".
I get what they are trying to do with version 3.0, but this should have been an optional UI for the user or a standalone product. Or at the very least they should have actually finished the product before releasing it in what feels like a pre-Alpha state.
I've been behind Spark since day 1, but they've really got this hopelessly wrong.
Note, this is not about the move to subscription. I always said I'd be happy to pay if it helped with development costs, but they've completely butchered the desktop client. I really hope they don't ruin the iOS app in the same manner.
It's just bloody email. It doesn't need to be complicated.
I keep thinking of this comparison, too. Accept that Fantastical released a quality app from the get go, with a large number of built in features & options. The value Fantastical has provided per cost (to me) has been great.
In the case of Spark, though, the value of paying that much per year just to remove the signature seems like a slap in the face after using the app for a few years now. I can understand adding in features a business would use, and then charging money a business can afford to toss at them. But for a stand-alone person like myself that won’t use any of those business type features, paying more than I do for Fantastical per year?
I’m still struggling to understand why there’s some, if any, people standing behind Spark’s decision to start charging people like this. From the comments of people still using their apps, there’s just complaining about it behaving like beta or even alpha grade software, and moving or even removing previously used features. So, they provided a free app for a while, already having the options to buy in for more features a business would use. But forcing people to pay that much a year to remove a signature is still ok?
Well, I imagine that they really like Spark a lot, and are not very price sensitive to app subscriptions. This is a reasonable perspective, and I have no problem with it, beyond the fact that I do not agree with it.
I am increasingly sensitive to subscription fatigue. Limiting the discussion to consumers, not business users, I believe many feel the same as I. Every app under the sun wants you to pay $7 to $9 per month. Many businesses are all pushing consumers toward a subscription model. This isn’t just because they have to “make a living” but rather because it is extremely profitable for them and reduces their costs. Most media is now licensed/consumed though a subscription model. Retail companies want you to be have a subscription for toilet paper, wine, vitamins, etc. The convenience comes with the cost. Subscriptions are sticky: once someone has signed up the company has a revenue stream, and the subscriber can end up with more than they intend to use/buy. I suspect physical subscriptions end up generating a good amount of waste.
The fundamental issue here is that Readdle took away what was essentially premium features (their well-made app) that were available to individual users for free. They replaced this with a ham-handed ad-signature line and an extremely expensive subscription. (Compare with Airmail, for example, which costs only $10 per year.) It’s no wonder some people are upset. (While other people seem to be upset at the people who are upset?)
Had Spark offered a subscription closer to $20/yr I probably would’ve paid it—maybe not with much of a complaint. But instead they charge a price that looks more like a one-time retail purchase every year, and add insult to injury with their signature block. I’m starting to wonder if they hired corporate managers from Fantastical.
Odd that I was seeing this when trying to turn it off. And if that’s the “bug” that they “fixed” that’s nothing other than back peddling their wonky decision making.
I’m still being prompted to buy in, not seeing what you’re seeing. But that’s probably from reinstalling the app (not deleting my data). Which then adds the question if you’d still benefit from them “fixing” this if you had to restore your iPhone.
Really? How’s calendar and meeting invitation handling going for you? It doesn’t work.
I have no issues with paying a subscription for software I use constantly, such as Microsoft 365. If it's something I only use occasionally and the subscription is pricey, then I look for an alternative or make do with their free version (if they have one).
Well, apparently "the room" isn't composed mainly of people who agree with you, or--if it is--then Spark will change course when they see their revenue going down.
Edit: I find it funny someone "disagreed" with this post. I literally described the only two possible options. What's to disagree with? Would you like me to make up an alternate reality? lol! Either the subscription model will work for them or it won't. But to confidently dismiss it as "it's not going to work because I don't like subscriptions and everyone must be like me" isn't really a strong line of reasoning, seeing as many people gladly pay monthly or annual software/service subscriptions for things they actually find beneficial to them.
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I sent an email to support letting them know I was very disappointed in their subscription pricing. I went on to suggest that if it was $20 a year I might consider it (being Airmail is $10 a year, I think).
They replied that they would take it into consideration (which they won't) and mentioned that existing members already get a discount (which is still overpriced).
I would personally suggest sending letters to support letting them know how disgusted you are with the pricing.
They replied that they would take it into consideration (which they won't) and mentioned that existing members already get a discount (which is still overpriced).
I would personally suggest sending letters to support letting them know how disgusted you are with the pricing.
I'm not sure what you're not seeing? The option to turn off the signature? Contact Spark directly. It's not clear to me whether there are any restrictions on who can do this. They said some features are available to existing users, which I presume means people with a "Spark" account.
I have to agree with @usagora that maybe you're not "reading the room." Subscription-licensing is dominant in business. Reportedly, when Adobe switched to subscription they grew customers by 244% and revenues by 50%. Gartner promotes subscriptions strongly, and I'm sure this is influential in business circles. Not just Gartner, but the whole web is full of content promoting the benefit of subscription models. These sort of reports are to some extent self-licking ice cream cones, telling business people what they want to hear, but these are some gems from Gartner:
- "...by 2020, all new entrants and 80% of historical vendors will offer subscription-based business models, regardless of where the software resides."
- "Aim to convert 50% of your existing customer base. Do this within a specific time frame to minimize impact on your financial statements."
- "Be prepared to demonstrate the value of moving to a subscription model to sales, customers and partners."
I would say the pricing model does affect current users. They get existing features, but no new ones including many rolled out just this month. Where is the development and support effort going to be focused.
+1 subscription diet!
You get less or no junk at all on paid for email services. I’m currently getting porn spam on my outlook
After getting tired of web mail (yahoo, gmail, et al), I opted to pay for an email account (mailbox) and have never regretted it. Its a low price to pay to have a better experience and functionality and not to have spam streaming through my account day in, day out. I still get the odd spam email now and then, and for those emails, I have a particular response...
There is nothing really free in the human world, even so-called personal relationships cost something - time, effort, money, often mind pain, endless compliance, limitations, loss of independence, etc - so a person needs to choose when something comes along that might interest them.
Each of our lives, at this very moment, is the culmination of the hundreds of thousands of choices we have made (often unknowingly). Even if a mugger says to you "Give me your money or I'll stab you", is giving you a choice. You may not like either option, but you are still given a choice.
I have no idea if this email client is worth it but I can look and see if it suits. I can choose, like everyone else can.
Those who have complained about this are perhaps angry/upset/fearful about other things in life and its probably easier to bash out some text in an anonymous forum than address their issues.
The modern world was spoiled long ago by "free" software and brows get constricted across many faces when payment for something that was previously free comes along. But we are all paying for the free email/mail clients, just not knowingly or in monetary terms. Just like those people who engage/engaged in sharing music without paying for it and didn't think about the consequences - the abysmal music industry today is the result.
If we stop paying for stuff, it will all, eventually, result in one global company producing everything. But there won't be choice, variety, creativity, energy, new ways of working, etc. We will all live a standard life, with a standard house, a standard car, all wearing standard clothing and work in standard buildings and eat standard food. That kind of life is known by a particular name, which need not be mentioned as we all know what it is.
No thanks.
There is nothing really free in the human world, even so-called personal relationships cost something - time, effort, money, often mind pain, endless compliance, limitations, loss of independence, etc - so a person needs to choose when something comes along that might interest them.
Each of our lives, at this very moment, is the culmination of the hundreds of thousands of choices we have made (often unknowingly). Even if a mugger says to you "Give me your money or I'll stab you", is giving you a choice. You may not like either option, but you are still given a choice.
I have no idea if this email client is worth it but I can look and see if it suits. I can choose, like everyone else can.
Those who have complained about this are perhaps angry/upset/fearful about other things in life and its probably easier to bash out some text in an anonymous forum than address their issues.
The modern world was spoiled long ago by "free" software and brows get constricted across many faces when payment for something that was previously free comes along. But we are all paying for the free email/mail clients, just not knowingly or in monetary terms. Just like those people who engage/engaged in sharing music without paying for it and didn't think about the consequences - the abysmal music industry today is the result.
If we stop paying for stuff, it will all, eventually, result in one global company producing everything. But there won't be choice, variety, creativity, energy, new ways of working, etc. We will all live a standard life, with a standard house, a standard car, all wearing standard clothing and work in standard buildings and eat standard food. That kind of life is known by a particular name, which need not be mentioned as we all know what it is.
No thanks.
What is the closest Mac native app? I do like the new features of Spark 3 (the productivity features similar to how superhuman and hey handle email) - but I hate how slow/laggy it is. Spark 2 would never miss a beat. With Spark 3, there's constant times where it lags and nothing happens.
Is there a similar Mac native app that has those superhuman/hey productivity features?
Is there a similar Mac native app that has those superhuman/hey productivity features?