Subscription vs Lifetime Plans – what do you prefer (and why)?
Every time I try out a new app or SaaS tool, I go straight to the pricing page, even if I don’t plan to buy or subscribe. I’m just curious to see how much they thinks it’s worth.
Most products still stick with the good old subscription model, which makes sense, it's reliable, predictable, and aligns with ongoing costs. But more and more apps are starting to offer a lifetime option as well, and honestly… I kind of love that.
It’s just nice to pay once, know what you’re getting, and not worry about monthly bills adding up, especially for early tools that might not be part of my everyday stack yet, but show a lot of potential. Plus, as a user, it creates this weirdly satisfying feeling of ownership. Like “Yep, this is mine now.” 😄 Of course, I get why subscriptions exist too, they help keep products sustainable and support ongoing development and as a founder myself, in most cases I would prefer using subscriptions, because it is more predictable.
Curious to hear your take:
👉 Do you prefer subscriptions or one-time lifetime deals?
👉 And if you’re a founder: What’s worked best for you so far?
Let’s talk pricing psychology. 😅
Replies
I prefer to test a product for a month or two. And then I make a decision whether to use it or not. If yes, I subscribe to an annual plan or even purchase a life-time plan.
I'm a total sucker for lifetime deals – there's something primal about that "buy once, own forever" rush (my brain treats it like digital real estate). But as a builder, I secretly hate them: they turn your SaaS into a ticking time bomb where 90% of your "best customers" stop generating revenue right when you need it most for scaling.
Graphify
@onbing Totally get that, it’s definitely a real issue. Lifetime deals feel amazing as a user, but as a builder, they make revenue forecasting way harder. You get that upfront boost, but then… crickets. And the more support and infrastructure those users require over time, the more it eats into your ability to grow. It’s tricky – a quick win today can become a scaling headache tomorrow. But that's, why I love a hybrid model so much, start with Lifetime to get some traction and then switch to subscriptions.
For products I like and will frequently use, I choose the lifetime plan. However, I also consider whether the lifetime plan includes all future updates of the product. I once encountered a product where, even though I purchased the lifetime plan, I still had to pay extra for the updated version, which felt quite unfriendly.
Graphify
@evakk Right, doesn't really make sense, purchasing the lifetime plan, but then don't get access to all the features in the future.
Nautical Calculator
Lifetime deals work when it comes to software that can be installed on your system. However, I am completely against lifetime deals for SaaS hosted by the vendor. None of those SaaS providers can actually deliver on a lifetime deal. A customer may purchase your product, but if your company finally fails for any of the million possible reasons—many of which do occur—then what happens? Are you issuing refunds for purchases made years ago? Quite unlikely, as that money has already been spent. In summary, lifetime SaaS deals often lack the sustainability they promise and can be misleading.
@viktorbresan That's a good point, you never know how the software will end up in the future after purchasing lifetime. Also for a SaaS i believe it's better in terms of revenue to offer subscription based pricing and also gives flexibility to adjust when new features are added.
Graphify
@viktorbresan Absolutely, you’re right in the core of your argument. Especially for large-scale hosted applications, lifetime deals can be risky and hard to sustain long-term. I don’t think every SaaS can (or should) promise that kind of commitment. That said, I do believe it can work, if you have predictable costs, a well-calculated lifetime price, and steady user growth. For small teams or solo founders especially, it’s a way to get a decent upfront cash injection, which can be reinvested into development or infrastructure early on.
I’ve also seen a few founders use lifetime deals strategically: start with them to build momentum and early community, then phase into subscriptions once there’s enough traction. That hybrid approach might be one of the more sustainable ways to go.
I personally prefer monthly subscriptions.
With how fast technology is evolving and so many great new products coming out,
you never know when you’ll want to switch to something else.
Graphify
@kay_arkain That's a really good point 🤝
Product Hunt
@hussein_r Good Q. I think lifetime deals are like those impulsive buys at the end caps at stores. Some kind of FOMO experience (which I myself do not deny that I have succumbed to). I remember my days on appsumo and then I realized that there are real apps and services I subscribe and pay for because I believe that for the length of time I pay for them, the value it provides me far outweighs the cost I pay for them (I would even pay more for some of them). To have a sustainable product, you have to find that unique tipping point where you solve something so critical that people are willing to pay for it. With lifetime deals, you might just end up with a bunch of FOMO buyers that might not actually be your ideal user, giving you a false sense that you're solving a (right) problem.
Graphify
@ph_leeanntrang That’s a really good take
I would say I tend to subscribe to a product which I recently discovered. Since I prefer to try for the product, prior to knowing enough about it, I don't believe I would afford a "one click for good" type of memberships, for which the amount of prize, is also a bit of headache for myself.
While I tried the products, as I find any of them not very suitable for my taste, I don't have to constantly renew my plan and cancel them afterwards. Subscriptions according to my own needs based on my personal evaluation for the product, which to me, removes plenty of unnecessary online actions.
minimalist phone: creating folders
My approach is as follows:
I try the product for a month (will pay a monthly subscription) – if it is a fit
↓
I am all in a one-time payment.
From the perspective of a founder:
– a monthly subscription is ideal because you have some kind of "certainly" in monthly instalments.
for some reason the lifetime plans seems more appealing to people. It makes people things they have control of their choices and that it will cost them less in a big window of time.
I always check pricing first too—it’s fascinating to see how products value themselves! Subscriptions make sense for ongoing support and updates, but lifetime deals can feel like a steal, especially for early tools with potential. There’s something satisfying about a one-time payment and knowing you own it. That said, sustainable growth often relies on subscriptions. As a user, I love lifetime deals; as a founder, I get why subscriptions dominate.