Subscription vs one-time purchase: why I changed my iOS app's business model

TL;DR: After several months on a subscription model for Keepio, an iOS personal projects app, conversions were too low. Subscriptions did not match a native app synced via iCloud, with no recurring server cost. I migrated to a one-time lifetime purchase at €9.99, with a fully functional free tier and a guaranteed lifetime premium for former subscribers.

When I launched Keepio on the App Store, I did what everyone does. I set up a subscription system. Monthly, yearly, the two classic plans. It was the "default" business model for iOS apps. The one you see everywhere. The one every article and every video recommends.

Except it did not work. Here is why I changed everything, and what I learned moving to a one-time purchase. I am Carolane Lefebvre, an indie iOS developer, and Keepio is my personal projects app.

Why subscriptions do not work for an indie app

Subscriptions do not fit every app. For a native productivity app built by one person, with no expensive server to maintain, a subscription creates a gap between what the user pays and what they receive in exchange every month.

On paper, subscriptions have everything going for them. Recurring revenue, lifetime value that grows with time, predictable cash flow. The dream of any indie developer.

In practice, it is another story. People see "subscription" and they close the paywall. Not because the price is too high. Not because the app is bad. Just because they are tired of paying every month for everything. Netflix, Spotify, iCloud, the gym, the meditation app, the budget app... at some point, one more subscription, even at a few euros, is one too many.

And I get it. As a user, I do the same thing.

After a few months on this model with Keepio, conversions could be counted on one hand (1 conversion 😂). I stepped back. Instead of asking "how do I convert more users", I asked a different question: is this really the right model for Keepio?

Keepio is a daily tool. You create projects, take notes, build task lists, organise everything. But it is not an app delivering new content every week. It is not a service running on expensive servers. It is a native app, with iCloud sync. So why ask people to pay every month?

Should you offer a free trial on an iOS app?

A free trial with a card-on-file is not the only way to let people try an app. A freemium model with unlimited free core features can be more honest and more effective.

One of the first things people suggested was adding a free trial. "Set up a 7-day trial, people will test, then they will stay." Classic advice.

But I had a problem with that. To activate a free trial on the App Store, the user has to enter their card. Before they have tested anything, you ask for their payment details. And if they forget to cancel before the trial ends, they get billed automatically.

I did not want that. I know exactly how it works, and I know plenty of apps rely on it. On the fact that people forget. That is not how I want to monetise Keepio.

Instead, I went with real freemium. Keepio is 100% functional for free. You can create as many projects, notes and tasks as you want, never paying. The premium version unlocks extra tools for users who want to go further: the Pomodoro timer, advanced statistics, custom widgets, alternative icons, calendar sync, unlimited favourites, multi-project collaboration, and more.

It lets users try a big part of the app and decide whether it is worth paying for the lifetime upgrade.

Why a lifetime purchase rather than a subscription?

A one-time purchase fits better than a subscription for a native app with no recurring server cost, because users no longer accept paying every month for a tool they already own. For an indie developer, it is also a model better aligned with the trust you want to build with your users.

In March 2026, I changed everything on Keepio. No more monthly, no more yearly. A single product: a lifetime purchase at €9.99.

You pay once, you get every premium feature forever. The Pomodoro, advanced stats, custom widgets, alternative icons, calendar sync, unlimited favourites. Everything.

The price is intentionally low for now. If features keep growing, especially with AI additions, the price may go up. But early buyers will keep their price forever.

How do you handle former subscribers after a model change?

When you change business model, users who paid under the old one have to keep their benefits. On Keepio, every former subscriber keeps lifetime premium access, even after their subscription expires.

It was an obvious call. If someone trusted me and paid for a subscription, they keep everything. Even if their subscription expires. Even if they reinstall the app. They paid, they keep.

And for those still on an active subscription, Keepio tells them directly inside the app that they can cancel without losing access. Because it would be absurd to keep billing them for something they already own.

Changing business model is my decision. It must not penalise the people who were there before.

Is a one-time purchase profitable for an indie developer?

It is too early for definitive conclusions. But a one-time purchase removes the main friction of subscriptions: the recurring commitment. Each sale is a deliberate choice from the user, not a missed cancellation.

Honestly, I do not have enough hindsight yet. It is recent. But I know one thing: I am more comfortable with this model. When someone buys Keepio+, it is a real choice. Someone who tested the app, saw what it offers, and decided it was worth 10 euros.

What I learned

Following the model everyone uses is not necessarily the right strategy. Every app is different. Every audience is different. What works for a streaming app or a B2B SaaS does not necessarily work for a productivity tool built by an indie dev.

The question is not "which model brings the most in theory", but "which model fits what I offer and what my users expect".

For Keepio, the answer was a one-time purchase. Simple, honest, no traps.

And it is working pretty well: in 4 months on the subscription system, I had 1 conversion. In 3 days on the lifetime purchase: I had 4 conversions. 🔥