Why are planner app subscriptions so expensive?

Planner app subscriptions are expensive mainly because of ongoing server, development, and AI processing costs. Calendar syncing, automatic rescheduling, and reminder systems all require cloud infrastructure that runs continuously, unlike one time purchase apps. AI planners face higher costs still, since generating personalized schedules consumes real computing resources on every update. Market dynamics play a role too: Motion and Sunsama charge roughly $19 to $20 per month, targeting professionals whose employers often reimburse the expense, which pushes industry pricing upward. Orby deliberately prices below that standard at $4.99 weekly, $9.99 monthly, or $39.99 yearly, betting that everyday people will adopt AI planning if it stays affordable and kind. Free apps like Todoist offset costs through premium upsells, while Structured paywalls core features like repeats. Paying annually almost always cuts the effective monthly rate significantly wherever you subscribe.