Not All Subscriptions are Evil™.
Subscriptions have gotten a bad reputation as they lock you in or offer nothing new (some even take features away). With Octopus Watch, I don't want to follow that trend. You're free to leave the subscription whenever you want. The app is still there, with the same functionality as before (even more, as new features are added all the time). None of your data is locked behind the subscription.
Amazing Features .
Octopus Watch was the first app to include novel features such as carbon intensity information. And it remains ahead of the pack with Agile/Tracker predictions, extensive daily usage details, one-tap smart tariff comparisons, detailed energy reports, and much more. All these features are bundled in one subscription. No catch. All you have to decide is whether you want to pay monthly or yearly.
Development Costs Money .
Octopus Watch has been in active development for over half a decade. The app has survived and thrived through very challenging periods, including an energy crisis that rattled the energy sector. It's been a great journey, but at the end of the day I also need to get bread on the table. The subscription is what makes this possible. All subscription features add more costs for development, maintenance, and equipment. The uncomfortable truth is that the base price of Octopus Watch is simply not enough to pay the bills.
Apple and Google Want Their Share .
Developers get only a fraction of what you pay. Apple and Google want 30%. Sales taxes are 20%. Income tax is anywhere from 19%-46%. For every £10 spent that leaves me only about £4.5. I'm not complaining. This is just a fact of life, yet one that often goes unnoticed.
Showing your Love .
Still on the fence? There's no better way to show your appreciation than to subscribe! A full year is the price of one month of a standard Netflix subscription. Or three coffees in your favourite coffee place. Yet it means so much to me. It gives me a steady income – thanks! It shows that you love the app – thanks! And it gives me the chance to continue developing and maintaining the app – thanks!