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Apps moving to subscriptions

Three public signs that an app is switching from a one-time price to a subscription. We check the apps on today's US charts every week and keep a signal for 90 days. A signal is a hint, not proof: open the app's page and its reviews before drawing conclusions.

  • Alibaba.com B2B Trade AppALIBABA.COM GLOBAL SUPPLIER SERVICES PTE. LTD.
    • Release notes announce a subscriptionVersion 26.36.1: “Introducing AI Mode subscriptions. Unlock advanced AI-powered sourcing with Pro and Elite plans.”seen 2026-10-24
  • onX Hunt: GPS Hunting MapsonXmaps, Inc.
    • Wave of price complaints6 of 14 recent 1-2 star reviews are about price (before: 1 of 7)seen 2026-10-24
  • OpLineJustin Calvert
    • Release notes announce a subscriptionVersion 1.6: “OpLine 1.6 introduces OpLine Pulse, an optional subscription for the live network view. PULSE - Map: every keyed node and busy hub, with the hot ones pulsing. - Hub chatter: which hubs are talking right now. - Alerts: a push when a node you follow wakes up. - Network history: how”seen 2026-10-23

How the signals work

Paid → free: the US price of an app on the charts went from more than 0 to 0, so it now earns from in-app purchases. Release notes: a new version's notes say a subscription, membership or Pro plan was introduced. Price complaints: in the last 30 days at least 5 of its 1- and 2-star reviews are about price or subscriptions, they make up 40% or more of those reviews, and 20 points more than in at least 5 earlier ones. Sources: Apple's public lookup and customer-reviews feeds, US App Store.