Paying for new version

[kenclarkeis]

Hi

I am not happy at having to buy a new version of the software. The ‘new’ features look okay but seem more like a version upgrade not a new appliction. None of them are features I actually need. There are lots of changes I would like to see. If it included a decent reporting feature then I would be happy to pay for this. To charge for a new version it really needs to have major features added. I use Tap Forms on iphone and desktop and this means purchasing two new licences. I don’t really want to have to pay £25 just to carry on using this application. I am not very happy with this. I know I can stay with the original version but I guess that will no longer get any updates so I will be forced to pay if I want to continue using the software with updates. I also dont know at what point in the future I will be required to pay for the software again? I assumed once would be enough. Is this going to be a regular thing? I understand you need to make money to fund the development but this does not feel like the way to do it.

Ken

[Marcus]

I agree in all points !

[Walter Johnson]

I’ve been using Tap Forms for years. Every day. I love the app, I love the info I’ve been able to capture and organize and refer back to. Many apps that I bought back at the same time are no longer being updated or even exist in the app store. This one is not only still there, but being actively developed. Getting better and better. Data syncing is the kind of thing that sounds easy but is actually very very hard to do right. I can see the developer has put a ton of time into this version. In my opinion, a $34 upgrade is appropriate and I’m happy to pay it to him. Funny how we don’t blink an eye on how much we pay for food and beverages, but software we will use over and over for years to come needs to be $1. Remember that you are not paying the upgrade fee just for the features that have been added today, but for every feature that will be added for who knows how long until the developer feels like he needs to make another paid upgrade. Based on their past track record, it won’t be soon.

[Larry]

I will second that thought Walter. I have made good use of Tap Forms and would like to have the product to continue to be maintained and supported. Why would anyone expect to get updates on the old version and not pay the developer for his or her time? I think the pricing is reasonable given the quality and usefulness of the product. My past experience is that whenever I have had a problem or question with TapForms the developer has been very responsive.

I came to Tap Forms because the developer of Bento decided they weren’t making enough money and dropped the product. I don’t want that to happen with Tap Forms so I am happy to purchase the new release, even though I don’t really need the new features.

My message to the developer or developers — Keep up the good work. Thank you for your efforts.

[C F]

I too want Tap Forms prosper and think that the cost is very reasonable. My only issue is the departure from DropBox (or not having that as an option). Sync was working great on DropBox. Why change or why not at least have it as an option? If I had noticed this change I might not have made the switch.

[Kubaton]

I understand the previous points. I still haven’t made a decision on the upgrade. What irritates me is that I paid roughly $57 for the Mac, iPhone, and iPad versions back in March. Here we are, just barely five months later, and now I have to pay another $35 to upgrade, although I’m glad the iOS app is now universal. That’s around $92 total investment in less than half a year. I have no problem paying for software upgrades, it just doesn’t seem fair to me to have to do so this soon.

[Brendan]

Thanks for your candid feedback guys. This is the first paid upgrade I’ve had in over 8 years of developing Tap Forms. And it is only just me. I’m a solo operation. Which also means it’s going to take me a while to respond to everyone’s feedback. I don’t have any plans on charging again for a long while, so I think you’re pretty safe for a long while now.

Sorry to have dropped support for iCloud and Dropbox. Please read my FAQ as I have updated it and explained my reasonings.

[Kubaton]

That’s fair enough, Brendan. I’m a new user to Tap Forms so I had no idea of the history of the software. You definitely deserve to make money and your software is top-notch.

I will be happy to pay the upgrade price, after I ask my wife for permission, that is. :)

[C F]

You’ve made a great product that saved the day for Filemaker users like me–saved a lifetime of data that was quickly becoming unusable. Your customer support and fairness has always been unsurpassed. We’ll survive the changes. Thanks so much!

[Louis Brunet]

I agree both point of views. I don’t want to pay for new version as I bought the soft a few months ago, in another hand, I think we need to support the author, otherwise, he’ll stop developing, and we’ll all cry.

Why not setting up a yearly payment, like Adobe does for photoshop? you’ll have regular money incomes, and we’ll know we have to pay. Then, development can go on, and no surprises like v5…

[Brendan]

Louis,

That in and of itself is a controversial topic. Not everyone agrees with software subscriptions. I myself subscribe to Adobe Photoshop too and have no problems with it. But it may not be so easy for everyone to accept. They may feel they’re being nickel and dime to death.

This is the first time me ever charging for an upgrade, so it’s a new experience and learning process for me too.

Thanks for all your understanding.

Now back to my 320 emails which keeps growing…

[C F]

Subscription? Bleh! Take that back at once…a pox on your keyboard! I think the pricing is fair and there won’t be another version like this in near future–does suck for those that just bought TAP, but we are talking less that 40 bucks for months and months of product use (and months and months of his development). I am sure that subscription would be more, and no one likes their credit card on file and being auto-charged if they can avoid it.

[Mike Lapchynski]

Brendan, keep your head up! Being a beta tester, I know how much time and work you put into your baby (Tap Forms). You support has always been super quick and helpful. People will find out that your support is, far and away, better than most app providers out there. I have been using the beta version at home and work, and I am more than happy with it. The syncing with Cloudant has for the most part been good and have yet to be charged anything. I think the syncing is much quicker and more reliable than Dropbox was. The pricing is more than fair for what you get now and will continue to get in the future using Tap Forms.

[Author]

Posts