@Burk I think there are more nuances than this. I am very happy when a developer has a biz model that looks sustainable if it is an app I see using for a long term (>1 year). Taking DayOne as an example, I started using this app long ago, before subscriptions, and the excuses they used for moving to subscription, starting their own cloud so the price was high, and so on upset me. So I am using the last non-sub version of DayOne until it dies. I don’t need any of the features of the subscription account and wish the data synced to iCloud instead. I would subscribe at some price but the price is too high since I don’t want the features and don’t their private cloud. And their customer support stinks. I’m not the only one doing this so IMO it is hurting their business.
An opposite situation is the Drafts app. The price is lower than DayOne and the development is thriving and on all the Apple platforms. It is a powerful tool and delivering value and support is fantastic. It’s a great value IMO.
A different situation is the CARROT weather app. I am a paid subscriber because I’m a weather geek and I know the cost involved in getting access to reliable weather data and updating it constantly. Also the app is great and always improving and again has great support.
So I make a decision based on value (financial and responsible behavior by the developer).