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The Author’s personal hierarchy of information which she uses to help her evaluate new software, believe it or not
I don’t need 250 apps on my Mac, and I certainly don’t want to part with money for access to software I neither need nor want. Yet I subscribed to Setapp more than two years ago, effectively paying for access to many pieces of software I’ll never use. Happily paying for it, I might add.
Paradox, or madness? —Neither!
It is, in fact, a devilishly clever strategy that’s defying the initial logic I once used to scoff at this bulk subscription service. Despite not using even half of what they have on offer, the value I gain from Setapp far outweighs the price I pay.
Money saved is, to me, literally money earned.
What I write here will likely either reinforce your opinion that Setapp is not for you, or convince you to give it a go. Should it be the latter, keep in the back of your mind that at the end of this article there’s a link for a 1-month free trial instead of the usual 7 days.
“Simplify” has been the one-word theme of my life several years in a row. It’s something I struggle with, but am still firmly committed to pursuing. But here’s the thing: simplicity is not the whittling down of life’s accoutrements to their skeletal remains.
Scarcity is not the goal.
To me, simplicity is the removal of anything that stands in the way of what I value most. (Inspired by Joshua Becker)
The illustration at the top of this article is an “11 Things About Me” personal hierarchy I did for a Domestika sketch noting course earlier this year. While I might have chosen one or two different areas to represent were I doing the exercise again today, this is still a pretty good overview of who I am and what I value. “Simplify” isn’t specifically represented in this graphic, but it does underpin each of those I mentioned.
But what does this have to do with software, you might be asking? Everything, my friend! Everything. This graphic reminds me of who I am, and what’s important to me. It helps me to remember that everything I do should support these areas, not detract from them.
See, if you haven’t defined your values, and you’re not actively trying to stay in touch with each, you won’t have a yard stick with which to measure new contenders for your attention — software, or otherwise.
Okay. Thank you for your indulgence. Now that I’ve primed the canvas, let’s get on with painting the picture for how Setapp has earned me money and simplified my life, and how I think it might do the same for you. These are listed in their order of importance to me.
I used to buy apps when they were on special, or had a lifetime deal (LTD) going, or just because I didn’t want to miss out on something that might be useful — one day. Digital hoarding 101, right there!
At the time I thought it a good thing to stay away from subscription apps, adopting instead an attitude of buy outright what you can afford, when you can afford it. Still, I’d hanker after apps like Ulysses, even if I wasn’t entirely convinced it was the best solution for me. People I followed online loved it, so I wanted to love it too. Or at least to have it on hand. Just…because. Money saved/made: $39.99 per year
Sometimes, giving yourself permission to do something takes away the longing for it
Every time I would read a review of a new app — Craft is a good example — I’d want to try it, but not want to get in too deep and then be faced with an ongoing bill for extended features. Money saved/made: $120 per year (business plan).
The fear of missing out (FOMO) was real, and at times it felt debilitating. Self pep talks weren’t helping, and I’d find myself way too deep into comparing, deliberating, wondering, and afraid that I was missing out on something important.
You can read more about my experiences with shiny app-ject syndrome in this article.
Yes; having access to a whole raft of Mac apps has actually helped me to stop pining for them! As I said to my Mum last week when she was looking at bath towels in KMart, saying she wanted some but really didn’t need them — Sometimes, giving yourself permission to do something takes away the longing for it.
As a naturally curious person, I like exploring new ways to do things that have become habits, or which feel stale. I find it enjoyable to try on new software, simply to bask in the synaptic sparks that almost always enliven my brain when I do.
There’s no denying these explorations are tiny dopamine hits, but since I’ve learned how to keep them from turning my priorities upside down, this is very much a positive thing.
App exploration: I call it play time. It’s something I indulge in during the slow part of the afternoon, that time when my attention span for regular work is spent, and my mind and body are calling in unison for a break. There’s no FOMO here; just the quiet, delightful anticipation of new discoveries to be made.
If all I come away with is a firmer conviction that my current workflow is where I need to stay, it’s been mental energy well spent.
Apps I’ve explored recently:
Permute: This is my new go-to for converting files into different formats. Yesterday I changed a .mov into .mp4, and today it took me mere seconds to convert a PDF to JPG. Money saved/made: $21.99
MoneyWiz: It was interesting to see how it handles what I’m currently doing in YNAB, giving insights that are helping me get more of a grasp of budgeting skills. Reinforced my leaning toward plain text accounting. Money saved/made: $49.99 per year
Numi: So quick to do conversions! Previously I was using Siri to change inches to centimetres, or pulling out the ad-laden Units app on my iPhone. Numi is quick and accurate, and uses natural language input. Quite brilliant. Money saved/made: $21.99
I use Raycast, so every app is just a ⌘Spacebar away. I’m much more likely to use an app when I don’t have to take my fingers off the keyboard to launch it.
Having options is often a good thing, but it’s my experience that too many options can lead to decision paralysis.
When I wrote about Setapp’s new AI search feature recently, I mentioned that its strongest advantage is the narrowing of choices in an over-saturated field. The AI search is good for turning up one or two suggestions related to your search term, while the general search box is best for a wider range of results.
I asked Setapp’s AI helper about virus protection, and was given one result: Clean My Mac. Excellent choice. I’ve been using Clean My Mac for more years than I’ve been a Setapp subscriber, and can heartily endorse that recommendation. Money saved/made: around $40 per year
Typing ‘virus protection’ into the general search bar gave me nine results, including utilities for security settings, VPNs, password management, and troubleshooting servers.
Whichever search style you choose, you’ll be presented a nicely curated list of apps to try at your leisure, at no extra cost. Something I used to find frustrating when comparing several paid apps, was the time commitment required to evaluate them side by side, while juggling free trial times. The ability to evaluate several in tandem, or focus on one at a time, is a most welcome release of pressure.
Setapp’s referral program will reward you with a free month when someone signs up using your referral link. Over the past couple of years I’ve had my yearly subscription extended by more than eight months, thanks to people using my link (see below).
For some facts and figures on other ways Setapp saves/makes me money, see this article.
Money saved (from not paying for individual app subscriptions), is money earned. During the work day, time not wasted looking for the next best app, can also be seen as money earned. On those criteria, plus the modest amount I earn from referrals, subscribing to Setapp has been one of the best financial decisions in its class I’ve ever made.
An underlying theme in my writing these days is fostering the ability to use software (and dishwashers, toilet paper, and store-bought clothing) without becoming so reliant on it that we’d be completely lost were it to disappear. On that score, I don’t need Setapp, and neither do you.
But until my time comes to live in a little cottage in the woods, picking vegetables from my garden and painting the sunset after household chores are done, I’m content to make my way through today’s digital world as best I can. I’m in the season of working for a living, and I choose to embrace the tools that help me along.
If you’re clear and settled on your values, and would like to try Setapp on for size, enter the code ELLANE after clicking this link, to get a full 1-month free trial instead of the usual seven days. I recommend popping the end date of your trial into your digital calendar with a 5–7 day alert, so you can relax into exploring mode without worrying about being charged for something you might not use.
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