There are obviously a million others that just aren't worth anything.
But every now and again, some really shine.
Price dependent, there are some right now that I just can't imagine being without.
What subscriptions do I never think I will cancel?
I will try to help you today, as I try to do in all my writing.
1. Pocketcasts Plus
A podcast app with smart features and cross-device syncing.
The best podcast experience I have encountered with cloud syncing and advanced playback features.
I love the time-saving trimming of silence and all the little customizations, but overall, listening stats are a nice addition.
Build "smart playlists" that auto-fill with filters, like "new episodes under 30 minutes" or "tech shows only."
The subscription features that make it worth the cost are folders for organizing and playback through a web browser, in addition to the app.
2. Bitwarden Premium
A secure password manager that stores and autofills logins across my devices.
My digital life stays secure with unlimited logins, 2FA integration, and file storage. The 2FA is where paying makes it worth it.
Use encrypted file storage to keep sensitive documents (like scans of IDs or recovery codes) safe alongside your logins.
Peace of mind is priceless when it comes to passwords, but the real challenge is convincing people around you to use a password manager at all.
3. Proton Mail Plus
A privacy-focused email service with end-to-end encryption.
Privacy-first email with encryption I can trust, without ads or data mining.
Use aliases and custom domains to separate accounts (e.g., banking vs. shopping) without juggling multiple inboxes.
Paying a small amount for an independent service, and for something as important as email, is something I will likely be doing for a long time.
4. Cheap Patreon Subscriptions
I don't have many, but I do have a few.
A few pounds here, a couple of bucks there, but supporting independent creators that deserve it is the real reason for this.
With some of them, I don't even get anything extra that I actually care about, but if some of these people stopped what they were doing because of a lack of independent support, I would really miss them.
5. MacroFactor
A nutrition and calorie-tracking app built on adaptive coaching and accurate food databases.
The easiest nutrition tracking I have used, with adaptive calorie goals and the most accurate food logging I've ever used.
Let the app adapt calorie goals based on your actual weight trends so it learns your metabolism over time.
It's like having a personal coach in my pocket, and their blog posts explaining how everything works and giving advice are really worth a read.
6. Private domain name via Spaceship
A personal web address I own, like myname.com, that I use for logins.
I actually have a few, most of which are work-related, but the one I would keep forever is the one shared nowhere and is used as my variable email login across almost everywhere.
Create unlimited custom email aliases (e.g., shopping@myname.com) that all forward to your main inbox.
It's a small cost, depending on which service you use, but make sure to select a provider that includes free email forwarding as standard.
7. Inoreader Premium
An advanced RSS reader that pulls articles, blogs, and research into one place.
It keeps all my news, research, and niche content perfectly organized with powerful filters and rules, so I never miss what matters.
It saves me hours every week by cutting out clutter.
Set up rules that automatically tag, highlight, or send articles to other apps like Evernote or Notion.
The best "new" feature is being able to summarize articles using AI that are behind paywalls.
So, there we have it.
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Links to some items are my affiliate links, meaning I will get a tiny percentage of the price if you were to purchase them through the link.