Roman Lefebvre

Once again my evening has been ruined by a review complaining that Sequel is too expensive and the premium features should be free…

Apparently it’s not enough for most of Sequel to be free. People just want all of the thousand of hours of work for free.

Out of all the challenges of being an indie dev, this wasn’t one I foresaw and it’s really getting to me…

Jul 7, 2023 at 9:34pmWeb
Show threadPaul StocktonJul 7, 2023
@rlfb these people will always exist - most of my friends are non-tech and still complain if they have to pay 0.99p for an app, complaining it’s not free. The average person who has never developed software just has no comprehension of the time and effort involved and you need to make a living from this.
Easy for me to say, but you have to just accept these idiots exist and ignore them.
Show threadRoman LefebvreJul 7, 2023

@pauls yeah that’s gonna take time. It doesn’t help that 4 of the last 5 reviews I’ve received have complained about pricing 😞

I think it’s a temporary pain while I add more premium features to the app but still… it hurts…

Show threadMatt MassicotteJul 7, 2023
@rlfb I’m really sorry this happened. Putting stuff out there and dealing with any negative reactions, no matter how infrequent, can be very difficult. I would kill to have people just complaining about my stuff being too expensive!
Show threadRoman LefebvreJul 7, 2023
@mattiem thanks Matt. I guess it could be worse… I really don’t know why this in particular gets to me so much. 😅
Show threadMatt MassicotteJul 7, 2023

@rlfb you cannot please everyone. There are *always* people that complain about any software that costs more than 0. It’s a real shame Apple allows “reviews” like this.

Focus on the things you are proud of! I bet there are a lot!

Show threadCJ GaspariJul 7, 2023
@rlfb I know this is easier said than done, but please do not let these takes get to you and ruin any minute of your time or day. The app is awesome, provides a lot of free features, and is reasonably priced. There is always going to be *that person* who doesn’t realize the time, energy, and skill that goes into building software. You rock Roman, and I know many people who love Sequel
Show threadCJ GaspariJul 7, 2023
@rlfb also, better to have people complain and aware of the app, than no downloads at all. It’s almost, in a twisted way, a sign that you have something worthy on the App Store!
Show threadRoman LefebvreJul 7, 2023
@whatthecj 🥹
You’re right, I need to see these differently. If anything it probably shows that it reached a wider audience that’s not quite as understanding as my early adopters / enthusiasts…
Show threadDevon DundeeJul 7, 2023
@rlfb I imagine this kind of feedback comes more from people outside the tech world than inside, so it might be a sign the app is breaking out to a new audience! But even if so, it’s still a tough growing pain. I’m sorry.
Show threadRoman LefebvreJul 7, 2023
@devondundee Yes hopefully you're right. It'd be nice if the people leaving 5 star ratings also wrote a review though. It would help balance it out a bit because the last few have all complained about the price. 🙃
Show threadJohn VoorheesJul 7, 2023

@rlfb This is the worst, and you deserve better. It’s so bad that often we get flamed just for covering apps that charge anything.

But here’s the thing. If someone doesn’t value your work, there’s no reason to value their opinion either.

At the end of the day you don’t have to sell Sequel to everyone - just enough to make a living. Ignore the noise.

Show threadDavid HaydlJul 7, 2023
@johnvoorhees @rlfb this!
Show threadRoman LefebvreJul 7, 2023

@johnvoorhees Thank you John! The problem is that I want to care about every review, not just the ones I agree with. But you're right that there's probably a limit in there and I shouldn’t let those get to me.

I'll try to focus on all the users who actually appreciate my work =)

Show threadJohn VoorheesJul 7, 2023
@rlfb I totally get it. Been there myself ❤️
Show threadRoman LefebvreJul 7, 2023
@johnvoorhees Does it ever get easier? 😅
Show threadJohn VoorheesJul 7, 2023
@rlfb Most days yes, but not completely unless you just stop listening, which isn’t a good approach either.
Show threadJohn VoorheesJul 7, 2023
@rlfb My approach is to always listen, but I’ve figured out whose opinions I trust unconditionally and use only them as my compass when I’m unsure about something. The rest isn’t unimportant, but shouldn’t be what guides your decisions.
Show threadRoman LefebvreJul 7, 2023

@johnvoorhees That makes sense. I'm trying to read in between the lines with this kind of review and I think there’s probably two takeaways:
- The premium plan may not feel worth the price yet. That should improve as I add more features to it.
- I picked the right premium features if users want them enough to complain about having to pay.

Beyond that, I'll try not to take these too personally going forward 😅

Show threadJoe BezdekJul 8, 2023
@rlfb Roman, it’s a great app, and I’m happy to subscribe to it. Don’t let the haters get you down. 😀
Show threadSergio RiberoJul 8, 2023
@rlfb for what it's worth I'm happily subscribed to your app and find it worth the price for the premium features. Like others have said, not every user will value your offer and that's okay. The ones who do will be more valuable in the long run.
Show threadSENTINELITEJul 8, 2023

@rlfb Heck, even giving something away for free, & they still come swinging at you. 😅

Head up & continue on. The app is great & you're doing your best at the end of the day, Roman!

Show threadShankarJul 8, 2023
@rlfb I beta tested Sequel through MacStories and it is one of the nicest apps. The website you made for the app is a design inspiration for me ❤️. I wish more people understood the effort that goes into an app like Sequel.
Show threadjoe kimberlinJul 8, 2023
@rlfb my solution to this is to just never read reviews 🥲
Show threadRoman LefebvreJul 8, 2023
@Joekw ahahah, that’s not a great solution though. There are a few worth reading 😄
Show threadjoe kimberlinJul 8, 2023
@rlfb not worth the stress imo!
Show threadNathan Manceaux-PanotJul 8, 2023

@rlfb (I don't know what I'm talking about, but here's a different take)

Try and consider that they're right. Not that what they're *saying* is right, but that what *motivates* them to say it is very real.
It's not actually that the IAP is too expensive for what it unlocks, at all; it's that it's too expensive for them, period. For whatever reason they can't purchase it—they're kids with no budget, they're adults with a thrifty sensibility, etc. It's not about your app, it's about them.

Show threadNathan Manceaux-PanotJul 8, 2023

@rlfb It's still very real, though! So you can reply with empathy: sorry the price doesn't work for you. There are other, cheaper apps, that are not the same but might be the ones you need. I hope at some point my app will make sense for you.

To me, their comments may come from personal frustration, and so that's something you can reply to. And it turns out their comments were never about your work!

Show threadAndreJul 8, 2023
@rlfb Don't let these people drag you down, they can't imagine how much work goes into such an app.
At the same time, they are mostly the people who wouldn't do anything for free for other people, or demand the greatest gratitude from everyone for every little thing.
It is not worth to be upset or sad about it.
Keep it up, we appreciate it!
Show threadArthur 🍋Jul 8, 2023
@rlfb Went to do a review to offset a little but can’t due to being on iOS 17 😔
Show threadRoman LefebvreJul 8, 2023
@ArthurLemon oh thanks Arthur! That’s ok 😊
Show threadmattcomiJul 9, 2023
@rlfb yeah man, it totally sucks. I got a 1 star review saying my app lacks iCloud support and shouldn’t be a separate purchase on iPhone and iPad. All one can do is (reply to the review and) breathe in… breathe out.
Show threadmattcomiJul 9, 2023
@rlfb oh actually, check this out, about my game Space Age 🥰
Show threadRoman LefebvreJul 9, 2023
@mattcomi oof… that really sucks. Part of me thinks that at least these reviews are probably not taken seriously by prospective users but it hurts all the same =/