The longtime iOS and iPadOS image editing application Pixelmator Photo, a companion to the popular Pixelmator Pro, is embracing subscriptions as it heads to the Mac. Previously the app was available for an upfront charge of $7.99 but will now offer either monthly or annual pricing.
Going forward, the app will now cost users $4.99 per month (close to $24 per year) and will include the option for a lifetime purchase of $54.99. Current users will be allowed to continue as they are.
“[This] is the best way forward for Pixelmator Photo and will make it into the best photo editor it can be,” read the company’s announcement.
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Pixelmator, as a whole, originally launched in 2007 with the “Classic” version and later rebranded to “Pro”. In 2021, Pixelmator Photo launched on the iPhone. The Photo app today is only available on the iPhone and iPad and includes some of the same editing features seen on Pro — but it’s not a complete graphic design solution. Instead, it’s focused mostly on photo editing.
The company explained its current one-time price model was becoming unsustainable for continued service. It was leading to slower development and put the company in a pickle when deciding if they should do paid upgrades instead.
It also spelled out other issues with the paid upfront model on the App Store, including lower-priced apps in existence, lack of purchase unification across devices, no free trials across iOS and iPadOS and an absence of upgrade discounts. Additionally, the company cited users buying at different times are either getting more or less value for the money they spent, due to where they purchased in the release cycle. Additionally, the model meant Pixelmator had to prioritize investments in aquiring new users rather than being able to rely on revenue from its loyal customers.
“So what’s the problem – just keep releasing major updates, right?,” read the company’s release. “Well, you can certainly try but if an update doesn’t do as well as expected or is delayed, you’re in trouble. And eventually, your potential pool of users shrinks to make it necessary to release a paid upgrade that existing users need to pay for, too.”
