I’m usually against subscription services, but there are a few I use that I think provide enough value to justify the cost. Are there subscriptions you think are worth the money for you?

  • nbailey@lemmy.ca
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    21 days ago

    I donate about $5/month to a bunch of nonprofits that I benefit from.

    • Debian project
    • openbsd project
    • wikimedia foundation
    • EFF
    • Internet Archive

    My career wouldn’t exist without these folks, so it’s the least I can do.

    • anon6789@lemmy.world
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      21 days ago

      I like having no commercials on something by legitimate means, and unlike most streaming services, the content stays there once it’s there. For the hours we use it, it’s still a hell of a deal.

      I adblock and sail the seas, but Premium gives what it promises without any real hassle. We use it way more than we used Netflix or Disney+.

      • WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works
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        20 days ago

        the content stays there once it’s there

        my bookmarked/liked videos lists don’t agree. A lot of videos, and even a few complete channels have disappeared over time. This is not a new issue.

        Premium gives what it promises

        well it does not promise to respect you and your privacy

    • cm0002@lemmy.world
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      21 days ago

      Same, I have the Family tier and it just makes sense. At 23/month if all 5 slots are filled it works out too $4.60/month/person.

      No ads AND no hassle with this and that instance going down or that app being blocked or browser shannigans

    • SavvyWolf@pawb.social
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      21 days ago

      Same here. I’m mostly paying because at least some of the money goes to creators, and I don’t want to have to constantly be fighting with the adblocker stuff. I watch a lot of youtube (perhaps more than is healthy) and realistically it does cost Google money to host it.

    • Jackthelad@lemmy.world
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      21 days ago

      Same here. I use YouTube a lot so it’s nice to have no ads, and the inclusion of YouTube Music is great and I’ve switched from Spotify because of it.

    • wjs018@lemmy.world
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      21 days ago

      This is mine too. I use the hell out of it and YouTube music that comes with it. If we look at $/hr, then this is a no-brainer for me.

    • agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works
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      21 days ago

      I watch a lot of YouTube videos and hate ads. It’s a pretty good value.

      I do also have Spotify, because I had it way before YouTube Premium and all my playlists are there. For how much I listen and discover, also a pretty good value.

    • Worx@lemmynsfw.com
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      21 days ago

      I also really like Dropout. I will sub for a few months then put it on pause for a few months, so it’s basically half price. The company allegedly treats its staff very well, they produce lots of good shows, very inclusive for queer, disabled, non-white etc people which I love. They also recommend password sharing and stopping your subscription if you can’t afford / don’t want any more. And all that obviously worked since I’m advertising for free for them 😂

  • 2ugly2live@lemmy.world
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    21 days ago

    I know this is the “wrong answer,” but YouTube. I watch it a lot, and mostly on my PS in the evenings. If I only watched it in my phone or PC, I wouldn’t bother.

    I also pay for Spotify for my mom and I, and ProtonVPN/Mail for myself. Oh, and PS+, which I still think is bullshit. 🙄

    • SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml
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      21 days ago

      It’s only a ‘wrong answer’ because people here downvote on an ideological basis. If it works for you, then it’s okay 👍

  • kubok@fedia.io
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    21 days ago

    Bring in the downvotes, but Spotify. I listen to music several hours a day, both old and new and it helps me discover lots of new music and even genres. For me personally, that’s worth the money.

    • ALQ@lemmy.world
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      21 days ago

      I feel the same. I like not having commercials in my music and being able to listen to a wide variety.

      • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
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        21 days ago

        Also offline mode and list syncing. I would die on long flights if I didn’t have music to listen to and my tastes change frequently.

    • 2ugly2live@lemmy.world
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      21 days ago

      Same, I think it’s worth it. I rarely listen to the radio, so I get to discover new music with them. And the offline play saves on data when I’m just going around the corner or something.

  • kitnaht@lemmy.world
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    21 days ago

    Amazon Prime; I run a business repairing things. I’m small enough that I can’t afford to keep everything in stock for various makes/models. Getting it here quickly allows me to repair more machines faster. There are no places to get the parts I need locally.

  • missingno@fedia.io
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    21 days ago

    $20/year for Nintendo Switch Online. That’s $20 more than it should be, but at least it’s not nearly as expensive as the other consoles.

  • Makeitstop@lemmy.world
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    21 days ago

    Ground News because I want to see what’s going on in news across the media spectrum and they make it a lot easier.

    Discord nitro classic because I don’t have a better alternative and I get the features I actually need at half the price I’d pay for the normal subscription.

    A VPN because none of your goddamn business.

  • Meltrax@lemmy.world
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    21 days ago

    Hulu. Best collection of shows for me, right now.

    Spotify. I listen to music constantly, it’s a necessity.

    Libro.fm for audiobooks, and supporting my local book store.

    My gym membership (lumping Zwift in there too). I exercise a lot, like 15+ hours per week. These are part of my chosen lifestyle.

    Opensnow. The only phone app I pay for. It’s a weather app but better if you’re a skier/snowboarder.

    RuneScape. I love OSRS and I enjoy playing in my downtime. I’m an adult, I can do what I want.

  • oxjox@lemmy.ml
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    21 days ago

    ProtonMail, Nebula, Backblaze, Parcel, BigNews, Glass, my local paper, local coffee delivery.

    I pay for Apple iCloud too but I’m trying to figure out how to get away from it.