I recently made the decision to start charging $2 for my open-source app, SoundSeer. This was a tough choice for me; after all, why should someone pay for something they can get for free?
What’s in it for you
The core value proposition of SoundSeer is that it lets you see what’s playing on Spotify without distracting you from your work. As I mentioned, this app is open-source, so you can get it for free. But think about the value of your time.
You have to:
- Download the code
- Open a Spotify Developer account and get an API key
- Build from source
- Manually update when changes are made, because updates are managed by the App Store
Suppose you’re really good, and you can do this in 5 minutes. If you make at least $25 an hour, and you value your time as such, you’re basically losing money.
In addition, you get the pride of knowing that you support open-source software and indie developers. (And I’m not blowing smoke. I truly believe this is important.)
What’s in it for me
Since I’m charging money for the app, clearly one of the benefits is that I receive money. But that’s not my primary motivation for doing so. I want to validate my idea. Does SoundSeer truly add value to someone’s life? Once I start charging for it, the truth will become abundantly clear. This does scare me a bit, but I recognize that the pursuit of truth will make me a better developer.
The ask
I’d like you to give SoundSeer a try. If you’re not happy, I will approve any refund request that comes my way.
However, I hope this also inspires a larger conversation about supporting things that matter. If you think open source and indie developers are important, I strongly encourage you to vote with your wallet.
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