Lower the price. Offer annual options/more tiers.
Hey people!
Soundflow is pretty cool, and I've been subscribed for a couple of years now.
But honestly, this is quite expensive for what it is. This is obviously because of lack of competition. I pay US$10 per month, because I use a Streamdeck.
Questions:
Why is it a subscription? Is this necessary? It doesn't seem like much has changed in the years I've been using it. And yes, I've read the support doc "Why Subscriptions". But it's not like a TV service with a new blockbuster series being released every other week. Could it not just be a one off fee with a fee for updates? Or offer annual fee at half price. I think that would be reasonable.
Obviously for the 1% of people working on big budget productions, the opposite will be true, it will seem cheap. But that's not most people. Anyways, curious about other peoples thoughts, and hope for competition in this arena at some point.
Cheers!
Dustin Harris @Dustin_HarrisMy take is: Everyone has their own level of reliance on SoundFlow, and for some people, maybe they don’t use it enough to justify the monthly cost. I personally sit in front of Pro Tools 8+ hours a day, 5+ days a week, and the time SoundFlow saves me is absolutely worth the monthly cost, a bargain in fact. I’m weary of trying to drive the price down too, because if the devs can’t make enough money to continue to support SoundFlow, they could just dissolve it and then my work goes back to being annoyingly more complicated than when I have SoundFlow. :)
Chris Shaw @Chris_Shaw2024-02-28 16:03:05.679Z2024-02-28 17:36:57.951ZWhat Dustin said…
Dustin Harris @Dustin_HarrisI'll just assume that was autocorrect @Chris_Shaw 🤣
- Chris Shaw @Chris_Shaw2024-02-28 17:37:14.128Z
It was.
Fixed.
- In reply toNathan_Judd⬆:Dustin Harris @Dustin_Harris
Also I forgot that there is a SoundFlow version included with Pro Tools, which I think does serve the function of being like a 'Tier' ?
- NNathan Judd @Nathan_Judd
They prevent use of Streamdeck on that one, too...
In reply toNathan_Judd⬆:Brenden @nednednerbPersonally, I wouldn't bat an eye at double the price for what I'm getting, as I do benefit time savings. Every. Single. Command. That said, I think the current pricing is quite balanced.
If I had a different experience of the value, I would consider other approaches to getting the work done. For example, using the Stream Deck and Elgato's other functionality, you might get things done other than quickly activating SoundFlow commands. Maybe if you schedule your work\performance in a certain way, you could utilize a couple months of subscription then relieve it for another few.
I agree with what the others replied, and I can add that with the state of economy and all sorts of extraneous facts, and high costs of living, I really love to support small devs like the team here, like I give nice tips to the staff even at Starbucks so I can get to my early work meeting on time with a smile and perhaps a few more smiles out there.
I wish you would get paid better along with everybody rather than prices go down and cut all corners. I like shortcuts (!) that leave the cornerstones in a good condition.
- TIn reply toNathan_Judd⬆:Thomas Gloor @Thomas_Gloor
I think that the pricing is absolutely reasonable, considering the amount of work the team put it.
SoundFlow is probably one of the only audio production software that absolutely screams “I WAS DESIGNED BY ACTUAL PEOPLE WORKING IN AUDIO” and the team provides the best prince-for-value. The forum alone is a gold mine.
I save EASILY 90 minutes a day using Soundflow, so as a fully time working professional, I don't understand how people can consider it too expensive.
The possibilities Soundflow offers outweight ANY plugin subscription and people never have a problem to buy the latest super cool effect plugin that they end up using once every 100 mix. - NIn reply toNathan_Judd⬆:Nathan Judd @Nathan_Judd
Putting aside that yes it is useful and valuable, especially for people using it everyday who are saving a lot of time…
Why is it a subscription? I honestly have not noticed any different functionality since day 1.
What are we paying for here? Why is it not say, $99 for a perpetual license and then a charge if there’s a major upgrade?
Brenden @nednednerbWhat do you mean by Day 1?
I personally notice constant new features and bug fixes and how the functionality keeps working as a general statement when Pro Tools and MacOS updates, and more.. the staff and "official team" contributors at work in forums helping me learn even when I just had to search for the answer.
I prefer to pay a subscription.. hm.. ultimately it is a choice, as a developer, what to do as a pricing strategy.
As the question in this topic is subscription vs. perpetual, the reason stated are there, and the choice was made. Argument about the "should" is more tenuous than an idea of reasons for or against and seeing why the devs and customers of SoundFlow are going with this model.
The general benefits of perpetual for the devs and some users seem to have been decided not to outweigh the balance toward the benefits of subscription for the devs and most users.
This isn't to say others should stop liking perpetual licence offers from some companies. It does make me think of asking other businesses, especially with physical locations, why they won't change models of pricing or service delivery. At some point "our business does it this way, actually" kind of has to stick. Wishing for a papa burger from McDonald's or something, or a right to rent a property rented to you, not on lease terms (the model). Wanting it and asking for it doesn't change the business model.
That's just an analogy. I think the choice of subscription model is fair and useful for me as a customer.
In reply toNathan_Judd⬆:Jack Green @Jack_GreenI mean obviously I wouldn't say no to it being cheaper so long as the sound flow team could continue to earn what they need, cover overheads etc... (who would). BUT!!!... I'm more than happy at the current price as another person who spends way to much time sat in front of Pro Tools it defiantly pays for its self time and time again over the course of a month. The fact I have now have scripts that I can just leave running doing lots of prep work for me in an evening is also a major life saver... Plus as others have said the support you get on the forums is incredible.
If there was a yearly price I probably still wouldn't go for that? It easier just to have it go monthly and never have to think about it.