$120 and up
The big outright purchases — where buying beats renting fastest.
Category
- Design, graphics & illustration15
- Developer & terminal tools15
- Documents, PDF & office13
- Email, calendar & tasks15
- Files, disk & backup14
- Launchers, clipboard & automation12
- Menu bar & system utilities12
- Privacy, security & networking13
- Screenshots, recording & annotation15
- Video, audio & media14
- Window management & desktop control14
- Writing, notes & markdown14
Licence
- PerpetualUpdates included, forever35
- This versionThe next major is a new purchase47
- Paid upgradesMajor versions cost again25
- Lifetime tierA one-time plan of a subscription app14
- FreewareNothing to buy9
- Open sourceNothing to buy; source published36
Each mark reads left to right: this major version, the next, the one after. Filled is included, half is a paid upgrade, hollow is bought again.
Price: $120 and up
11 apps priced in £ or € sit outside these bands, because we don’t convert currencies.
 SketchSketch B.V. | $120This version | Updates stop after a year, and the licence buys the Mac app alone with no trial first |
 StrongboxPhoebe Code Limited | $124.99Lifetime tier | Lifetime costs five years of the yearly plan before it starts paying off |
 PDF ExpertReaddle | $139.99Lifetime tier | Readdle states new features may cost extra, and the licence covers the Mac app only |
 ScreenFlowTelestream | $199Paid upgrades | Major versions are paid upgrades, and Telestream does not publish the upgrade price |
 Logic ProApple | $199.99Perpetual | Mac only, and Logic Pro for iPad is subscription-only rather than part of this purchase |
 OmniPlan 4The Omni Group | $199.99This version | A future OmniPlan 5 is a separate paid upgrade, historically discounted for existing owners |
 Vellum180g | $199.99Perpetual | Buying Ebooks then upgrading to Press costs $19.99 more in total than buying Press up front |
 Foxit PDF Editor 14 (Perpetual)Foxit Software | $209.99This version | You own version 14; version 15 is a new purchase, and cloud and AI features are excluded |
 TinderboxEastgate Systems | $289Paid upgrades | A year of upgrades is included, then a new version costs $98 or $83 a year to stay current |
 DaVinci Resolve StudioBlackmagic Design | $295Perpetual | The free version already covers most 8-bit UHD work — check you actually need Studio |
 Final Cut ProApple | $299.99Perpetual | Some premium content is Creator Studio subscribers only, and Motion and Compressor cost extra |