Setapp is preparing for single-app subscriptions
Software subscription service, which recently closed its iOS app store, apparently seeks new sources of income. It won't be just “all you can eat” anymore.
Current principle of Setapp: Pay once, get everything.
(Image: Setapp)
Setapp, the software service particularly popular on Mac, which has so far been available as a flat-rate subscription with access to all available apps, is apparently planning a restructuring or at least an expansion of its business model. This is indicated by changes in the terms of use (Terms of Use, TOU) that were sent to users on Tuesday evening. They will come into effect on February 19, 2026, unless you cancel.
“New functionality” instead of “All you can eat”
For the first time, the so-called Setapp single-app format is included, a “new functionality” that is intended to enable “subscriptions for separate apps.” This would be new for Setapp: the “all you can eat” model would thus be broken, and the service would move closer to Apple's App Store with its individual subscriptions. However, it appears to be an additional offering for developers, not a general change to the business model.
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According to the TOU, the prices for such single-app subscriptions are set by the developers themselves. Setapp has been preparing the offering for a long time. For example, in the support area for developers, there is a document from last summer explaining how to use the payment service provider Stripe to collect single-app subscriptions. Here you can also find a screenshot of possible pricing models. Developers can set subscriptions for 1, 3, 6, or 12 months, as well as a one-time purchase. There are also price differences between 1, 3, or 5 devices upon request. “We will share more information with you as new features become available,” Setapp writes.
Own app marketplace for iOS scrapped
The approach seems to be to make Setapp more of an app distribution platform, similar to what Apple does. Initial steps in this direction have already been taken. For example, Setapp was one of the first companies in the EU to create an alternative app marketplace (Alternative App Marketplace, AAP) for the iPhone. However, the Ukrainians decided to discontinue the offering. Setapp Mobile will cease to exist on February 16, 2026. The service was part of the previous flat-rate subscription and had 50 apps, but not much has happened there recently.
Apparently, the business was not profitable, which forced Setapp to give up. However, it would have been possible to sell individual subscriptions through the AAP. This now seems to be intended to be done via the website or the Mac app. Mac & i has inquired with Setapp about when the new model will start and what impact it could have on the previous flat rate. It is conceivable, for example, that developers will decide to switch from “all you can eat” to individual subscriptions - that would be bad for existing users.
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