{"slug": "setapp", "name": "Setapp", "category": "other", "category_name": "Other software", "description": "", "recommenders": 3, "commenters": 8, "warners": 0, "score": 3.87, "rising": -0.98, "first": "2025-11-05", "latest": "2026-06-28", "why": "Readily recommend devs subscribing to this collection", "why_is_quote": true, "has_verdict": false, "sentiment": {"recommend": 3, "neutral": 5, "compare": 0, "warn": 0}, "spark": [0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], "listed": true, "loved": [], "caveat": "", "short_quote": "Readily recommend devs subscribing to this collection", "kind": "", "icon": true, "domain": "setapp.com", "github_repo": null, "official_url": "https://setapp.com/", "pricing": "", "aliases": ["Setapp"], "verdict": null, "praise": [{"label": "", "summary": "", "quotes": [{"id": 767943248, "item_id": 47996453, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47996453", "by": "LatencyKills", "date": "2026-05-03", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "distribution channels like Setapp (no affiliation) work well because they pre-select for that audience", "excerpt": "> I've reached the conclusion that software quality and even price matters much less than distribution, especially now. I\u2019m skeptical of that claim. Even if it is trivial to build something that \u201cworks,\u201d we still don\u2019t know how users will make purchasing decisions in that world. AI or not, the fundamentals haven\u2019t changed much: you need to define a target segment before building, and you still need a way to reach tho", "context": "builds macOS utilities for power users", "use_case": "distributing macOS utilities", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: How to Sell as a Software Engineer?"}, {"id": 764014627, "item_id": 47750914, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47750914", "by": "stasomatic", "date": "2026-04-13", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "There is also Setapp [0], might give you instant access to user base that favors such apps.", "excerpt": "There could be 4x buyers at $10. I\u2019d be one of the now, the dock is a constant annoyance. The app looks great, downloading the trial now. To the app\u2019s author I\u2019d say get as many licensees as you can fast before you\u2019re Sherlocked or somebody vibecodes a clone out of \u201cwhy not\u201d. I use many free and paid apps, little QoL types, like BetterDisplay, Coctail, etc and for me the included support is of little value. These app", "context": "", "use_case": "app distribution for the author", "switched_from": "", "story": "Show HN: boringBar \u2013 a taskbar-style dock replacement for macOS"}, {"id": 741685808, "item_id": 46355363, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46355363", "by": "Terretta", "date": "2025-12-22", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Readily recommend devs subscribing to this collection", "excerpt": "> are there any real 3rd-party AppStores for iOS now \"Always has been\": Setapp. Very interesting model. Readily recommend devs subscribing to this collection, but non-devs as well if you're into \"there's an app for that\" and fatigued with IAP. https://setapp.com/", "context": "", "use_case": "app subscription bundle", "switched_from": "", "story": "Italian Competition Authority Fines Apple $115M for Abusing Dominant Position"}]}], "caveats": [], "who": [{"by": "LatencyKills", "context": "builds macOS utilities for power users", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47996453", "date": "2026-05-03"}, {"by": "prodigycorp", "context": "MacPaw subscriber", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46851745", "date": "2026-02-01"}], "tags": [], "use_cases": ["app subscription", "posture reminders", "distributing macos utilities", "app distribution for the author", "app subscription bundle"], "compared": [{"slug": "claude-code", "name": "Claude Code", "co": 2, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48659483", "title": "item 48659483", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47995953", "title": "Ask HN: How to Sell as a Software Engineer?", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47742200", "title": "Show HN: boringBar \u2013 a taskbar-style dock replacement for macOS", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47348733", "title": "Coders Coded Their Job Away. Why Are So Many of Them Happy About It?", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46851548", "title": "Notepad++ hijacked by state-sponsored actors", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46579864", "title": "The struggle of resizing windows on macOS Tahoe", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {"neutral": 1}, "2025-12": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-01": {"neutral": 1}, "2026-02": {"neutral": 1}, "2026-03": {"neutral": 1}, "2026-04": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-05": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-06": {"neutral": 1}, "2026-07": {}, "2026-08": {}, "2026-09": {}, "2026-10": {}}, "versions": [], "version_unnamed": 0, "family_ref": null, "runs_on": null, "lines": [], "quotes": [{"id": 779361456, "item_id": 48710091, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48710091", "by": "murats", "date": "2026-06-28", "version": null, "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I use this through Setapp, mostly for posture reminders.", "excerpt": "I use this through Setapp, mostly for posture reminders. The only thing I would love is more notification sound options, the current one scares me a bit.", "context": "", "use_case": "posture reminders", "switched_from": "", "story": null}, {"id": 767943248, "item_id": 47996453, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47996453", "by": "LatencyKills", "date": "2026-05-03", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "distribution channels like Setapp (no affiliation) work well because they pre-select for that audience", "excerpt": "> I've reached the conclusion that software quality and even price matters much less than distribution, especially now. I\u2019m skeptical of that claim. Even if it is trivial to build something that \u201cworks,\u201d we still don\u2019t know how users will make purchasing decisions in that world. AI or not, the fundamentals haven\u2019t changed much: you need to define a target segment before building, and you still need a way to reach tho", "context": "builds macOS utilities for power users", "use_case": "distributing macOS utilities", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: How to Sell as a Software Engineer?"}, {"id": 764014627, "item_id": 47750914, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47750914", "by": "stasomatic", "date": "2026-04-13", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "There is also Setapp [0], might give you instant access to user base that favors such apps.", "excerpt": "There could be 4x buyers at $10. I\u2019d be one of the now, the dock is a constant annoyance. The app looks great, downloading the trial now. To the app\u2019s author I\u2019d say get as many licensees as you can fast before you\u2019re Sherlocked or somebody vibecodes a clone out of \u201cwhy not\u201d. I use many free and paid apps, little QoL types, like BetterDisplay, Coctail, etc and for me the included support is of little value. These app", "context": "", "use_case": "app distribution for the author", "switched_from": "", "story": "Show HN: boringBar \u2013 a taskbar-style dock replacement for macOS"}, {"id": 758066160, "item_id": 47379135, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47379135", "by": "bdangubic", "date": "2026-03-14", "version": null, "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I used a bunch of tools from https://setapp.com/ and no longer subscribe.", "excerpt": "I used a bunch of tools from https://setapp.com/ and no longer subscribe. I used to pay for Linear for all my personal projects, built one with CC that perfectly fits my needs\u2026 I also built a myriad of small tools that help me automate bunch of busy work I used to do manually, both for professional and personal projects", "context": "", "use_case": "app subscription", "switched_from": "", "story": "Coders Coded Their Job Away. Why Are So Many of Them Happy About It?"}, {"id": 749627921, "item_id": 46851745, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46851745", "by": "prodigycorp", "date": "2026-02-01", "version": null, "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I subscribe to MacPaw, who makes excellent apps like Setapp, Gemini, and CleanMyMac, all of which I use.", "excerpt": "I'm extremely wary about any application pushing politics. I subscribe to MacPaw, who makes excellent apps like Setapp, Gemini, and CleanMyMac, all of which I use. At some point, CleanMyMac started putting the Ukranian flag on the app icon and flagging utilities by any Russian developer as untrustworthy (because they are russian), and recommended that I uninstall them. I am not pro russia/anti-ukraine independence by", "context": "MacPaw subscriber", "use_case": "app subscription", "switched_from": "", "story": "Notepad++ hijacked by state-sponsored actors"}, {"id": 745411617, "item_id": 46588226, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46588226", "by": "rufo", "date": "2026-01-12", "version": null, "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I\u2019ve been using it through a SetApp[1] subscription", "excerpt": "Yep, I\u2019m aware of the (incredibly-poorly-handled) change of ownership. I\u2019ve been using it through a SetApp[1] subscription, and they stayed on the pre-acquisition version for quite a while; long enough that enough details came out about the new owner and I felt _relatively_ okay with continuing to use it after it got updates, especially going through another party. The Tahoe issues are making me rethink that heavily ", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "The struggle of resizing windows on macOS Tahoe"}, {"id": 741685808, "item_id": 46355363, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46355363", "by": "Terretta", "date": "2025-12-22", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Readily recommend devs subscribing to this collection", "excerpt": "> are there any real 3rd-party AppStores for iOS now \"Always has been\": Setapp. Very interesting model. Readily recommend devs subscribing to this collection, but non-devs as well if you're into \"there's an app for that\" and fatigued with IAP. https://setapp.com/", "context": "", "use_case": "app subscription bundle", "switched_from": "", "story": "Italian Competition Authority Fines Apple $115M for Abusing Dominant Position"}, {"id": 733233136, "item_id": 45827071, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45827071", "by": "skinnymuch", "date": "2025-11-05", "version": null, "stance": "neutral", "quote": "For Setapp, I am kind of forced to pay for it since I use NotePlan and Paste.", "excerpt": "For Setapp, I am kind of forced to pay for it since I use NotePlan and Paste. And I use Timing Tracker sometimes. The first two alone cost the same as a Setapp sub for 4 desktops and 4 iOS devices. I should try Alt out again with you reminding me.", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "iOS 26.2 to allow third-party app stores in Japan ahead of regulatory deadline"}]}