Make a paid "Pro" version of the app instead of using multiple in-app purchase for premium features.
I have no problem paying for good applications but dislike the method of using in-app purchases, as they do not stay with the application if you move to a new device, have multiple devices, or even change then ROM. If you want to see money from your development efforts, make a separate paid "Pro" version in the Google Play Market, but don't nickel and dime users with multiple in-app purchases.
Thank you all for your wonderful feedback! I just wanted to set a few things straight.
First, in-app purchases are tied to your Google or Samsung account, depending on which store you downloaded Papyrus from. Purchases are automatically restored or enabled by Google Play or Samsung Apps on all devices you are signed into with that account. This means, if you get a new device, have multiple devices, or need to reinstall Papyrus, you only need to purchase the premium features once (as long as you use the same account). This is true for all applications in these stores (not just Papyrus) as it is handled by Google and Samsung. Please note, however, that it can sometimes take a little while for purchases to show up on other devices or after just installing Papyrus (usually it’s instant though).
Second, we’re always trying to figure out the best business model for us and our users so we can continue to make Papyrus the best note-taking app. We currently offer different paid features individually so users can choose what they want, rather than having one higher priced option (such as a “pro” version or single in-app purchase). Each feature we add to Papyrus is not a new paid feature. In fact, we’ve added many features to the free version of Papyrus over the past year, and we will continue to do so.
Please feel free to continue to provide constructive feedback here about pricing models and what you would like to see!
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Anonymous commented
Life time pay
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Anonymous commented
Please provide lifetime membership
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Mo Lohaus commented
I would gladly pay you $5 one time, but a monthly subscription is odious to me.
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Anonymous commented
Not a subscription
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Waylon Mahler commented
Would not pay for a temporary solution for a permanent problem.
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Aris commented
But i cant pay through google play by my multiple debit cards and i just need premium feature s.. help me in this regard
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Jake commented
Like others have mentioned here, I would like to see a premium feature bundle. I don't think there would need to be a separate "pro" version of the app, but let us buy all the premium features at once for a lower cost than buying them each "a la carte."
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Anonymous commented
I want to pay for the premium and cloud features but the review period has finished and there doesn't seem to be a way to pay for them. I am using a MS Surface pro2
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Anonymous commented
How do I pay for the premium features once the review period has finished?
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James commented
It's been a month now and still my premium features have not been restored to my account. What do I do?
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Sam commented
Just downloaded this on Win 8.1 and the current system is fine. I pay only for what I need, the price is there before I purchase, and are reasonable, and I get a generous two week trial of any module. Perfect.
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Sidarth Dasari commented
I prefer the current method
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d commented
I did do the pay for features in app but lost my Google account along with everything I had paid for with it so now I'm boycotting google. I wouldn't mind purchasing this again through amazon apps but never through google. Thanks. :)
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Guy Togbenou commented
Simple solution:
Both: Pro version and in-app buy:
- Pro version has all features and is a bit less expensive than buying all features altogether.
- With the free version the user can pick the paid features he's interested in. Would be nice if the user can upgraded to pro through in-app buy with a discounted price, in case he already has bought some some paid features. (discounted means that in total it comes to the normal pro price in the end, obviously)
I think it is the most user friendly model in the end, and suits, on the other hand, the developers' pricing model with the in-app buys.
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Erik commented
As a user, I lean toward the in-app method you have, as it allows me to pick and choose what I want and I like the idea that it provides the devs with a more constant revenue stream.
HOWEVER, what I really, really don't like is that it makes me as a consumer feel the app gets more expensive over time, which makes it feel far more exploitative than it should, and the value set for the add-ons is arbitrary to the user, which makes me feel wary and makes the overall experience feel "risky".
Let me explain:
1. Right now, in my market (Canada), all the pay functions put together come to $11. I personally feel $11 is pretty spendy for an app that I use sometimes, no matter how handy it is those times I *do*use it -- and that comparison just compounds in my mind over time, and I feel more and more bound to the app as I sink more and more cost into it. This is completely unfair on my part, of course, but I think that's a big part of why people feel better with a single, higher cost for a "pro" version over paying increments over the lifetime of your use of the app.
2. I look at the prices of the functions I'm interested in: cloud support ($3) and PDF import ($5). Immediately, I feel a "whaaat?" sensation. The anchor price set by the cloud support makes the $5 for what I in my ignorance as a nondeveloper feel is a comparable piece of functionality feel like an arbitrarily high price. Do I want it? Sort of. Do I $5 want it? No. The "reason" for the $5 price is not apparent to me, and it feels like an attempt to chisel me, which makes me wary of future content drops. And makes me suspicious of future content prices -- especially if they're more than $3. Why is $3 the anchor price? Because it's the price of the other two functionalities, making it the "majority" price to my perception. Again, this isn't fair or rational on my part -- especially because I have no idea how "hard" it really was or was not to make the PDF import function -- but it's how it makes me feel. Again, I think this explains the general reticence of people to go along with this model.
I really appreciate your thoughtful response to the original question: it's a lot of good info. I hope this ramble is potentially useful -- I think it might provide some insight into why users (myself, certainly) get skittish around the a la carte model, as opposed to a single "pro" price. And, now that I think of it, may also shed light on why subscriptions are often viewed as ok (low apparent price) and sometimes viewed as terrible (high aggregate cost depending on perceived length of service).
Anyway, I say keep the a la cart, but be mindful of each new function's price and make sure you frame anything notably more or less expensive (or more or less functional) with an appropriate explanation of why it's an apparent outlier. You'd probably get a spike of people choosing to jump to a one-cost "pro" version, but over time it'd perform more poorly (I suggest) than a la cart, or even subscription.
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Anonymous commented
Just saying. The only way to break a deal with me without the undo option is to offer a subscription, that is, ask for unlimited amount of cash. Provided you do not do that, feel free to search for the most profitable business model, be it a
Pro version, in-apps, or whatever. -
Anonymous commented
I guess I worded it wrong previously. I like being able to pick and choose as well, but I can't buy any upgrades what so ever because you can not buy a Google Play card and use it for in apps. You can only do it with a credit/debit card, which I try to stay away from having.
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Anonymous commented
The reason I brought it up is not to do with multiple devices. The thing is, I don't do credit cards and I can't make an in app purchase with my Google Play card. So the only way I can enjoy the premium features is to go open a credit card account... It would be nice if I could just use the $25 Google Play card to purchase 'premium features' but I can't (as I right now) use the Play Card to make in app purchases.
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Leonid Shleymovich commented
I like current "buffet" model. Some want only salad and not willing or not ready to pay for meet.
Also, idea that by designing new exciting features developers will start collecting additional money from the existing users stimulates development innovations even for applications which many people already installed. In fact, the more people use this popular application, the more revenue really exiting new features will bring to developers.
With pro-version of the already widely used application new development does not pay and developers stop bother to improve their product.
And there are more consideration besides cost and continuous fair compensation for continuous software development.
A particular customer might not like some features and if he would get them in a large package, he would go through the trouble of turning them off. And if these features can not be turned off, such Customer would uninstall the entire application.
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Larry E commented
I like it the way it is. By selling features individually, you are:
- Allowing customers to pick and choose what they are willing to pay for
- And most importantly, encouraging the developer to continue creating new, great featuresThe only thing I will add is I would like the developer to be a little more active on the 'core' product and really pay attention to UserVoice feedback. I'd like to see more updates to the core to make it better and easier to use. That would also drive sales of add-ons.