• Light/Dark
  • Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
  • We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.

Pocketcasts is now free, introduce subscription service called Pocketcasts Plus

Blue Lou

Blue Lou

Member
Oct 26, 2017
1,478
*Pocket Casts

https://blog.pocketcasts.com/announcement-free/

Starting today, podcast fans all over the world can download Pocket Casts for free. Known for its beautiful design and robust set of controls, Pocket Casts is making the entirety of its existing features available at no charge. Power users looking for even more customization can upgrade to Pocket Casts Plus for $0.99 per month ($10/year). With these changes, we are now more closely aligned with the open-access model of our public media ownership.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I bought access to the web player for a one-time fee of £7 a few years ago, they are giving me three years access because of that.

I received this in an email earlier:

We have made some changes to the way we charge for access to Pocket Casts. The mobile apps are now free, and the Web Player and Desktop Apps are part of Pocket Casts Plus, which is available as a paid subscription.

We wanted to do the right thing by you though and since you've paid for the Web Player in the past, we're giving you 3 years worth of Pocket Casts Plus at no extra charge. You don't need to do anything to claim this, it's already been applied to your account. This means you can continue doing all the things you currently do, and take advantage of our brand new Plus features.


What is Pocket Casts Plus?
For those of you that want more out of Pocket Casts, or simply to support us, Pocket Casts Plus is for you. Here's what you get with a Plus subscription:

Upload Files - Speed up your lectures. Burn through other content. Be your own Podcast DJ. Accessible on any device, in sync.
Desktop Apps - Take your podcasts to more places with our Windows, macOS and Web apps.
New Themes & Icons - We've added 2 new themes exclusive for Plus members: Classic and Electricity. You can access them from the Appearance menu in Settings.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
 
Last edited:
Jubbe

Jubbe

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,779
I'm confused, am I going to lose access to the web app if I don't start paying?
 
Jeb

Jeb

One Winged Slayer
Avenger
Mar 14, 2018
2,145
I read it as Pocahontas and came in expecting a very different thread.
 
smuf

smuf

Member
Oct 27, 2017
533
I've been happily using Overcast for several years. Anyone here prefer Pocketcasts over that one?
 
Nacho

Nacho

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,115
NYC
How cool for apps you paid for to decide that what I paid for isnt good enough and I'll need to eventually pay again.
 
Hamchan

Hamchan

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
4,966
Jubbe said:
I don't mind paying for it, but the thing is that I already did pay for it. No matter how cheap it is, I am not at all interested in a subscription model.

Looks like I'm hunting for a new podcast app.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

"Listen, we'll give you access to something for three years that you already paid for and act like we're doing you a favour"

I'll join the hunt.
 
Aeferis

Aeferis

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,626
Italy
Pretty annoyed by this. I bought lifetime access to both the mobile app and the desktop app (for like 15 bucks total) and now they're supposedly "gifting" me three years of what I already own.

When Tapatalk did something similar a few years back, switching from a pay-once model to a freemium one, they granted lifetime premium access to all those who had already purchased the app.
 
ganbareneopokekun

ganbareneopokekun

Member
Oct 27, 2017
39
Such a shitty move. I bought the Webapp as a lifetime purchase and now it's 3 years.
Not mad at them for wanting money for their service but i feel lied to.
I also disliked the last big update.

So i took this news as an opportunity to go back to the stock podcast app from apple..
 

Deleted member 29237

User requested account closure
Banned
Nov 1, 2017
803
Not really happy they're discontinuing services for people that already paid for this, even if they are giving a few years notice.
 

Deleted member 15428

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
13,464
NeuralProxy said:
Pretty annoyed by this. I bought lifetime access to both the mobile app and the desktop app (for like 15 bucks total) and now they're supposedly "gifting" me three years of what I already own.

When Tapatalk did something similar a few years back, switching from a pay-once model to a freemium one, they granted lifetime premium access to all those who had already purchased the app.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Can you sue Pocket Casts for this?
 
grmlin

grmlin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,293
Germany
I guess this will be the new default for apps. And I hate it. Apple really has to adjust their guidelines, developers should not be allowed to turn your paid app into a subscription. Unacceptable.
 
Chas Hodges

Chas Hodges

Member
Nov 7, 2017
391
So, as I understand it, the premium price I paid will eventually expire because they changed their own finance model?

Surely, in this scenario, those who bought it outright should just be allowed to keep using the service as is instead of eventually being transitioned to a new subscription service?
 
SquirrelSaysNuts

SquirrelSaysNuts

Banned
May 15, 2018
1,898
Denmark
Jubbe said:
I don't mind paying for it, but the thing is that I already did pay for it. No matter how cheap it is, I am not at all interested in a subscription model.

Looks like I'm hunting for a new podcast app.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
If you find one with desktop sync that isn't subscription-based, tell us about it.
I have only found the open source gpodder but honestly, it's a mess. I have yet to figure out how to actually sync or play anything.
 
Blackthorn

Blackthorn

Member
Oct 26, 2017
2,318
London
The shitty thing about subscriptions is that they aren't shared on the family account, which I'm sure is also one of the reasons app developers keep switching to subscription models.
 
Gavin Robertson

Gavin Robertson

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,327
Dundee, Scotland
dekdek said:
If you find one with desktop sync that isn't subscription-based, tell us about it.
I have only found the open source gpodder but honestly, it's a mess. I have yet to figure out how to actually sync or play anything.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Isn't Overcast with it's syncing web player free? I know it has a sub model for premium features but I'm sure the core app and web player are both free.
 
grmlin

grmlin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,293
Germany
I just use the Apple Podcasts app. While I don't love their ui too much, it works fine for me. It also syncs my podcasts with my Mac.
 
Plotinus

Plotinus

Member
Oct 30, 2017
348
I see Pocket Casts continues to be garbage. First they forced through that v.7 update everyone hated. Now they're taking away the web/desktop app from people who already paid for it.

We don't do freemium. No VC funding. No crazy. We love podcasts and we've built the web player that we want to use. We've priced it at a point where we'll stick around to keep it up to date. You can expect support, features and many more awesome things in the future.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

This is a crystal clear promise that the amount people paid for the web app was enough for Pocket Casts to maintain it in the future. And yet this is the response someone on reddit got when they asked to retain what they already paid for:

Russell Ivanovic (Pocket Casts)

Sep 18, 3:46 PM ACST

You still have access until the end of 2022. If you feel at that time that you still shouldn't pay for a service that is costing us money to run (and would be shut down otherwise) please reach out and we'll see what we can do.

Russell
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Guilting your customers because they expect you to have some integrity and stick by your explicit promise that the one-time fee you already charged is sufficient to maintain the product. Classy.

I see Pocket Casts is run by the same sort of biz frat bros who run YNAB. The sort whose commitment to their principles lasts just long enough to win them a dedicated fan base, at which point they have a convenient change of heart and start ramping up the monetization machine.
 
Plasma

Plasma

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,640
Oh great I updated and now playback cuts out after my screen has been locoed for a bit and the podcast controls don't show up in my notifications even though I have them all turned on, yay.
 
ganbareneopokekun

ganbareneopokekun

Member
Oct 27, 2017
39
dekdek said:
But you do still get 3 years. Can you sync with desktop with the apple podcast app?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
It's not about the 3 years. I think it was a growing anger about decisions the pocketcasts team made and their way of talking to customers on twitter. Not sure if I want to use the app for another 3 years while they change it into something I don't like to use.

I think it (stock podcast app) syncs with iTunes. It used to do this with my iPod back in the days. Apple also is releasing a standalone podcast app with Catalina.
 
Wilson

Wilson

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
1,214
Plasma said:
Oh great I updated and now playback cuts out after my screen has been locoed for a bit and the podcast controls don't show up in my notifications even though I have them all turned on, yay.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

The same thing happens to me now, I thought it was my earphones fucking up, thank you for making me feel sane.
 

Interested Observer

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
3,654
Cutting off people who paid for the desktop app already (at any point) seems grossly unfair.

I bought the app a while back, if I can keep using it as is I probably won't subscribe. I don't really use the desktop app.
 
lenovox1

lenovox1

Member
Oct 26, 2017
8,995
Plotinus said:
I see Pocket Casts continues to be garbage. First they forced through that v.7 update everyone hated. Now they're taking away the web/desktop app from people who already paid for it.



This is a crystal clear promise that the amount people paid for the web app was enough for Pocket Casts to maintain it in the future. And yet this is the response someone on reddit got when they asked to retain what they already paid for:



Guilting your customers because they expect you to have some integrity and stick by your explicit promise that the one-time fee you already charged is sufficient to maintain the product. Classy.

I see Pocket Casts is run by the same sort of biz frat bros who run YNAB. The sort whose commitment to their principles lasts just long enough to win them a dedicated fan base, at which point they have a convenient change of heart and start ramping up the monetization machine.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

While public access is at the forefront of NPR's stated mission, that response from Pocket Casts is outside of NPR's own ethics guidelines. Oops.

Going forward, there shouldn't be any further surprises. But they really should, at a minimum, allow web access for people who have already purchased the app.
 
MarkRJR

MarkRJR

Member
Oct 25, 2017
355
I mean, I was already considering moving over to using Spotify for podcasts, but this really solidifies it then. I totally get why they'd move to a subscription model, but I still can't help being disappointed.
 
Mivey

Mivey

Member
Oct 25, 2017
17,827
Well, I stay with it for a while now, but I can't see myself ever paying a sub for a mere podcast app.
 
chaobreaker

chaobreaker

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,545
Bummer. I primarily use the mobile app but occasionally use the windows 10 app when I'm on my desktop.

That being said, as long as the mobile app doesn't lock features being a subscription then I'm fine. I'll take the three years and move on to using the mobile app exclusively. I don't think I see myself transitioning to another podcast app anytime soon.
 
Qrusher14242

Qrusher14242

Member
Oct 29, 2017
574
i used to use this a while ago, but with that last update uninstalled it. Crazy that u only get 3 years if u bought it.

I use Podcast Addict. Never tried the google podcast app.
 
.exe

.exe

Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,241
At first I was upset, but for a tenner a year it's a good service. Three years from now I'll probably have a look at how Overcast is doing though.
 
Dr. Lucien Sanchez

Dr. Lucien Sanchez

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,471
Ugh, this is pretty lame. Especially that other blog entry about why they sent freemium, and how in the future they might explore further ways to monetize.

Also, shouldn't the people that bought the mobile app (especially recently) also get some sort of incentive?
 
Zulith

Zulith

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,753
West Coast, USA
Nacho said:
How cool for apps you paid for to decide that what I paid for isnt good enough and I'll need to eventually pay again.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Happens all the time to me, the problem is particularly bad with any sort of media player (video especially) they decide all the time that what you paid isn't cutting it, and they need more money out of you. I mean I'm happy for the three years they gave me as a thank you for previously buying the web app access, but after three years i'll probably be a little salty that they want $10/yr instead of the one time payment I already gave them.

I like the Poketcasts web app but i'm not sure it's worth it. Will probably just move back to iTunes. Especially if Apple manage to make some more improvements to it over the next three years. Maybe they'll have ported the new macos apps to Windows by that time as well and retire iTunes for good. That's the most ideal scenario anyway.

The Apple options may not be as good but they are pretty good for free options.

The better way to handle this is to just lock new features under a new price tier and try to convince you that way. Taking away what you already bought is just going to create bad sentiment and bad word of mouth.
NeuralProxy said:
Pretty annoyed by this. I bought lifetime access to both the mobile app and the desktop app (for like 15 bucks total) and now they're supposedly "gifting" me three years of what I already own.

When Tapatalk did something similar a few years back, switching from a pay-once model to a freemium one, they granted lifetime premium access to all those who had already purchased the app.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Yeah that's what I paid too. Considering most podcast apps are free or really cheap like $1.99 I thought I was doing them a solid by giving them $15 because I like the web access and the Windows 10 app, then they go and pull this... I know people gotta eat but damn. As popular as podcasts are these days they are really struggling so bad that they have to take back what you already bought? We'll see how things shake out in 3 years after the 'gift' expires.
 
Last edited:
Dandy

Dandy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,462
This is what I get for paying for the "premium" version of the app. Lesson learned.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.