Many Tricks
Moom 4.4 is out, with a slew of visual updates for macOS 26 and some other minor changes (see the release notes).
The big news with this release is that, for some users, it’s our first-ever paid update for a non-major version upgrade. Those who purchased Moom more than a year ago will see that the update costs $8, which includes another year of additional updates. Those who bought less than a year ago will get the update for free, as it’s within their first year of included updates.
This is our first-ever implementation of our non-subscription business model, and we’re very curious to see how it goes.
Long, long time Moom customer here. Everything about this upgrade process was confusing and frustrating.
I thought the Sparkle update process was broken without an ‘Install’ button. (Why of why of why aren’t the word “This is a paid version that will not auto update” the very top line in the release notes in 72pt font??) So I redownloaded the DMG and reinstalled, then saw it was unlicensed, figured that was a side effect of overwriting the previous install, double clicked my license file, and was confused why that didn’t work. So I came to the blog and finally saw why.
If this was a v5.0 and it was obvious this was a paid upgrade, so be it. Just make this v5.0—the reasons for using a “minor” vs. “major” version number for this update might be important to you, the developer, but are not important to me, the consumer. If it’s a paid upgrade, I’m assuming it’s a major version and/or I’m using an auto-renewing subscription.
I get what you’re trying to do here, I support the product, and I’m glad to pay for it. IMO, though, I’d redo this whole process ASAP or it could be RIP for your support inbox.
Hoping this early feedback is helpful to you.
Just a quick comment on the non-subscription business model. Yes please continue. I don’t mind paying for major updates, whether it’s annually or more, especially since I use Moom all the time. It means that I can choose not to upgrade and keep using the software until I either decide to upgrade or it ceases to work because of an OS change. I dislike subscriptions where you basically pay for the app every year and it usually costs the same as an upgrade, but the app stops working if you don’t subscribe. So thank you.
While I understand the reasoning of going for a non-subscription model, this approach has many issues in my opinion. If, for instance, my year of updates expires during the 4.3 version of the app, it means it’ll be the last version I’m able to use. I’m fine with not having the new features of 4.4, but it also means I’m stuck with the bugs of 4.3. If a specific bug makes the app unusable for me (the 4.4 changelog even mentions some of those), then my only choices are going backwards until I find a version that works, or pay for the update, even if the current set of feature works for me. In the end, it sure feels a lot like a subscription model…
I agree with Chris that the minor/major version number is exactly meant to address this. It makes it possible to fix issues on a version of the app, while adding new features on another paid version.
I’m lucky enough that the current version I have access to works for me. It’s hard to say when I’ll consider paying for the upgrade though since it’s hard to figure which version has enough improvement to be worth it. Again, this is what major version numbers are meant for…
While we appreciate the feedback, the paid major release model just doesn’t work for us—and hasn’t worked for us for nearly five years. It’s just taken that long to finally make the move.
The problem with major versions is that they simply don’t work for our company of two, with just one doing the coding work. They take months and sometimes years of effort, while progress on our other apps stalls. And the cycle of feast-or-famine is seriously depressing, to be completely honest—it sucks watching your revenue plummet then sit at a low level until you can force out another major update, and hope that it’s major enough to entice people to buy it.
It also means we rarely release useful big new features outside of a major update, because if we did that, we’d have nothing to deliver in a major update. Now, we deliver features on a rolling basis, and you decide when you’ve seen enough to merit another year’s worth of updates (plus all prior updates, of course).
I understand you don’t like the model, but it’s the one we feel gives us the best chance to be around for many more years as a small independent Mac developer.
-rob.