A different product would be evaluated differently based on its usefulness and quality compared to free options.
As many others here stated, there are free trustworthy alternatives like PlantNet and iNaturalist. For now, even Google Lens is more reliable… until Google gets flooded with bad data and AI generated images of plants.
$3 seems like a better entry point for a product to test the market. Equivalent to a cup of coffee in most cities.
Another thing. There are several podcasts who have a free feed and paid one. Sam Harris’ Making Sense comes to mind with their free feed and a paid one for full access to all content. But they understand not everyone can pay. If one is unable to pay, they can simply email to ask for a free annual membership.
Pay what you want albums on Bandcamp are another example of a sliding scale. Suggested price $10, but artists can define their minimum.
Yes. Like others here, I did not know there was a paid Insiders tier. Just nudging free users with a “consider becoming an insider” hard sell splash screen upon each login with a 10 second countdown would go a long way towards encouraging users to join Insiders and might be enough to avoid going the ad route. Then you are still offering a free option but I think lots will sign up.
Redesign the donate/payment page for clarity. Enable Apple Pay to reduce friction.
Excellent. I applaud anyone who helps people repair their own equipment vs trashing it. Some of the repairs I’ve made on appliances have taken days to complete, but it is extremely satisfying once done and they’ve lasted for years.
Post your resume and skill sets. Join online communities in your field. There are so many remote options now, as you already know from getting a YC company position. Good luck!
Italy: The population is projected to drop from 60.5 million in 2020 to 54.4 million in 2050, a 10.1% decline. Hopefully they don’t ban lab grown people!
A standard to compare costs would be ideal. Right now in the US, your best bet is to repeatedly mention energy efficiency in the listing and use a realtor who understands how to market it. Provide monthly bills to show actual usage and use the analytics which most energy companies and smart thermostats provide. Being able to show 50% energy usage compared to average homes in your area helps homebuyers understand the benefits.
Librewolf, Vivaldi, Orion (iOS and macOS only) are all solid options.