I’ve read Why People Subscribe to Creators but Not Apps, a blog post by Zhenyi Tan, and it got me thinking. First of all, I should mention that I don’t have much experience with selling things online. My apps currently make no money, and a few years ago, I ran a very niche design blog. That “gig” earned me maybe a couple of hundred euros in total.

I think it all comes down to value delivery (both through the brand and the product or service you offer).

Artists, creators, painters—they all have a community of fans following their journey. Top fans are deeply emotionally invested, and when new art, music, or videos are published, it makes their day. They deliver the value of entertainment. Superfans of your work will gladly pay extra for access to exclusive content.

One thing I’ve noticed about following a content creator (for example, a podcast) is that I feel connected to the creator. I want to listen to an episode of my favorite podcast as soon as it drops, and because I’m such a big fan, paying 5€ per month for bonus episodes feels like a fair value proposition. When I think about my entertainment budget, 5€ won’t buy me a movie ticket or a local concert—both of which usually last only a few hours. So, in terms of €/minute, paying for my favorite podcast feels totally justified.

With apps, this connection to the brand or app maker just isn’t there. Most people who buy apps simply want to solve a problem—they don’t care much about the design or who made the app.

If the app doesn’t solve their problem but claims to, bad reviews will inevitably follow. I also think many people hesitate to pay for software due to the narrative that software should be free. While people have grown accustomed to paying for their Netflix subscriptions, there seems to be a gap when it comes to paying for iOS apps or web-based services.

In the tech community, things are a bit different. Maybe it’s because we spend so much time behind screens that buying software feels more justifiable. Personally, I tend to buy new apps from a few of my favorite developers (including Zhenyi) without hesitation because I know I’ll get a high-quality experience—and I want to support their work.