A Reddit user sparked a discussion on r/CasualConversation by asking whether anyone else was tired of everything requiring a subscription. The post, made Nov. 11, had received more than 500 upvotes and 150 comments at the time of publication.
“Is anyone else utterly exhausted by everything requiring a subscription model now?” the post's title read. The user went on to describe how people were being “subscription-ed to death.”
The user described trying to use a basic app only to be asked to pay for a premium subscription for something that had once been available as a one-time purchase. “There are articles that need to be paid, shopping apps that need to be paid, even watching YouTube or listening to music is all pushing subscriptions or need subscriptions,” the user wrote. “Idk if I'm the only one that noticed everything is all subscription-based.”
Other commenters largely agreed with the user, with some suggesting that a future in which even basic clothing could be commercialized through subscriptions did not seem far-fetched. “I try to avoid subscriptions, like I won't play a video game that expects that. A person can always use open source apps and products like open office. Find every alternative you can to avoid the subs,” one user wrote, encouraging others to avoid subscriptions whenever possible.
Another user shared their frustration with Adobe's subscription model. “I used to have an Adobe subscription, but I realised my graphic design and multimedia business was just starting out and I couldn't afford it anymore,” the user wrote. “I realised I can do the same work with free apps being Affinity and DaVinci Resolve, so I cancelled it.”
One user encouraged others to “pirate and crack everything you possibly can.” Another said they had canceled their Spotify subscription and were trying to avoid apps that required subscriptions. “I am also starting to get more into hobbies and wondering if I can go without TV,” the user wrote. “I can't be bothered anymore with subscriptions. Whatever I want to watch is always on the app I don't have.”
“That's why I'm keeping my music CD and DVD boxsets, not subscribed to anything other than phone and cable. I don't stream music or use any app that needs subscriptions,” another user wrote, describing an alternative to streaming services. One commenter added that people had once called getting rid of cable TV “cord-cutting” as a way to watch what they wanted. However, the commenter argued that one consequence was that so many services had become subscription-based.
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the claims made in the Reddit post, which are based solely on the original poster's personal account shared on r/CasualConversation.
