This is a pretty big get for the Mac App Store.
Here’s a link to the official press release.
The Mac App Store version of BBEdit follows a subscription-based pricing model, US$3.99 per month, or US$39.99 per year.
You can also pursue a perpetual and/or multi-user license directly from Bare Bones, so pick which works best for you. No matter the path, you’ll get the exact same experience.
Either way you choose, BBEdit still doesn’t suck.
Software subscriptions still suck. There is no way I’d rent a text editor for $40 a year for the rest of my life.
Thankfully, you can buy it properly on their website.
I learned the hard way when I first got it off the App Store that the two versions were different.
I constantly use the command-line integration tools to invoke BBEdit on files in Terminal ( and stare blankly at the screen every time I try it in an ssh session to another server 🙂 The App Store didn’t allow that (for some reason, I don’t know why right now).
BareBones promptly converted my license to a one from their store.
(It’s a slow day, I only have five BBEdit windows open right now 🙂
They do suck, but with the general public believing quality software should cost less than $10 for a lifetime license, the developers aren’t left with much choice.
Personally, I like the hybrid model. A subscription gives you free upgrades as long as you pay, but if you stop, what you have continues to function but you get no updates. The App Store doesn’t allow for that model though.