Purchasing Apps from Mac App Store or Direct from App Developer Sites?

[DaViD_BRaNDoN]

Just got myself a new Retina MacBook Pro (and moving away from Windows 10) last week that came with OS X 10.10 Yosemite pre-installed.Can anyone advise the differences between purchasing apps from Mac App Store and direct from app developer sites? Pros and cons of each method? Thanks.

 

[daniesy]

Usually apps purchased on dev websites have more features as they are not bound by the limits imposed by Apple when developing apps. So developers are able to implement much more useful functionality. However, apps that use iCloud sync should be purchased on the Mac App Store as it's the only way to activate it (at the moment).

 

[Trees]

This article has some thoughts that might help NSFW: Apple's benign neglect of the Mac App Store | iMore

 

[daniesy]

That's sometimes true but lots of the time the Mac AppStore and the version on a developer's site are the same. One thing you don't get from the Mac AppStore though is upgrade pricing which developers often offer of the software was purchased directly from them.
As for me, I have software purchased from both sources. When I first got my Mac, I got software thru a variety of "bundle" deals where you might get 5-10 apps for a single fixed price. You might only want 1-3 of the apps, but the bundle price is usually cheaper than buying them individually and you still get a full license that you can use for upgrading later.

That's true! I bought apps in bundles too. But when i got 1Password (in a bundle) it was crippled by not having iCloud Sync support...and this was the main feature i needed on that app: to flawlessly sync my passwords on all my devices. I had to use other ways of syncing like Dropbox, but they weren't that convenient.

However there are apps like MplayerX or Parallels that you won't find on the Mac App Store for the same reason i stated earlier: the app store is too restrictive for developers.

 

[DaViD_BRaNDoN]

That's sometimes true but lots of the time the Mac AppStore and the version on a developer's site are the same. One thing you don't get from the Mac AppStore though is upgrade pricing which developers often offer of the software was purchased directly from them.
As for me, I have software purchased from both sources. When I first got my Mac, I got software thru a variety of "bundle" deals where you might get 5-10 apps for a single fixed price. You might only want 1-3 of the apps, but the bundle price is usually cheaper than buying them individually and you still get a full license that you can use for upgrading later.

Yea, that was one of my concern too if purchases are made through Mac App Store - no upgrade pricing. I'm also aware that app updates on the Mac App Store will be slow as it has to go through Apple review panels. App updates from developer sites will be instant as they control the release.

 

[DaViD_BRaNDoN]

This article has some thoughts that might help NSFW: Apple's benign neglect of the Mac App Store | iMore

Thanks, will give it a read later.

 

[DaViD_BRaNDoN]

Usually apps purchased on dev websites have more features as they are not bound by the limits imposed by Apple when developing apps. So developers are able to implement much more useful functionality. However, apps that use iCloud sync should be purchased on the Mac App Store as it's the only way to activate it (at the moment).

Wasn't aware on the iCloud Sync requiring apps purchased from Mac App Store. Will note this down.