⚠️ Monarch Sync - Please read carefully ⚠️

I see the point on wanting to do this. However, I’m not a fan of the idea of a subscription, and don’t need the Windows/Linux/Mac syncing anytime soon.

In my mind launchers are “set up and forget” type of apps. I don’t mind syncing just with iCloud or even manually exporting/importing settings and all the other stuff that doesn’t change that often.

I really like the idea of being able to sync as long as there’s an option to be able to hook into it via api or something ex. I have a homelab and would very much like to have a selfhostable version of the syncing agent or a way to hook into it and write my own version to sync.

I am (will be once license purchasing opens up again) one of those users that would be running this on both mac and windows (when released) and am very happy to here that you see this as not just a mac exclusive app.

I don't like the idea of syncing be behind a paywall. The other features are more advanced so yes, maybe you could do that. And what would make that sync so much more powerful than the others?

I think I like the idea of syncing with iCloud, Drive, Dropbox. Not sure what are the limitations though as I only see it as a sync for Clipboard History and Monarch Settings. Not sure if doing so would also mean that the sync won’t work effortlessly between devices though. If Monarch has it’s own Sync and it’s better in a way that’s more helpful I’m sure it will work.

Is it possible to achieve this level of Sync just by using iCloud/Dropbox/GoogleDrive Sync at all?

I understand that this would be totally optional, but introducing a subscription like this at all is an overtly aggressive change. I know you say it won’t affect the launcher’s regular usage at all, but having a subscription with any advantage at all adds a sort of a sense of not having the full product.

That said, there are two ways I’d minimize this:

1. Make the subscription as cheap as humanely possible. Personally I think anything over a dollar a month is enough to leave a bad taste in the mouth of many potential users who will be looking at the site and pricing. If you do decide to make it cost more though, check below, make sure it doesn’t feel like users who decline are missing out. But at the same time, it’s also worth noting that for more expensive subscriptions, people most likely will expect some kind of advantage over ‘free’ users.

Okay so after writing the following I’m realizing that I think adding a subscription is, bluntly put, just not a great idea. I’ll leave it though so you still get to see my thoughts.

2. Offering nearly identical functionality through other means, without a payment. And make this very clear on every page in which the subscription is mentioned. Think of how Obsidian has their sync subscription, but also supports iCloud and plugins for syncing via other providers. Obsidian supports sync via other means, but it’s a very lazy implementation. Using the plugin means reading a guide and setting it up on your own, potentially running into issues as its a community implementation. And the iCloud method is just them saying you can put your vault in iCloud instead of local files and it’ll be synced, but they also mention how the syncing might be slow and won’t be live, and don’t even officially support moving a vault between local and cloud (they just say to create a new one). This all makes it feel like you don’t need the sync, but it’s sort of implied. And while many people (especially those who are active in online discourse) won’t see much issue in that, I feel a standard user may be turned off by it.