1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. Introducing STAmina PRO

Introducing STAmina PRO

In version 6.0, STAmina has changed the business model of the app from a one-time payment to a subscription model. That means the app is now free to download and use; however, some features require a subscription.

Why 

To provide you with more features and tools for apnea training and to support ongoing development. While the one-time payment model is appealing to users (you pay once and own the app for as long as you need it), its sporadic nature is challenging for us — the STAmina team. Our statistics show that there is no correlation between new big features and the number of sales. That means, to maintain the existing business model, we have to refocus almost all resources on marketing. This leads us to a simple conclusion — no new features for as long as the app is competitive and covers the basic needs.

This was a fork in the road — either wrap up development and refocus on marketing or change the monetization strategy to be able to earn from new features. We love STAmina 💙. We want to see it evolve. We enjoy helping our users by bringing new features that they need. And we'd like to continue on this path. So we have chosen to introduce subscriptions.

What changes for existing users? 

By existing users, we mean users who paid to get the app.

  • All features that they had will remain free for existing users forever.
  • It becomes possible to change platforms (Android <> iOS, and later Web) without additional payments.
  • The app will still receive updates — bug fixes and new features.
  • Some of the new features will require a subscription.

What changes for new users? 

By new users, we mean users who download the app for free. Existing and new features are split into two tiers: the free tier and the pro tier. Users are able to use the free tier without any limitations.

Free tier features:

  • O2, CO2, Mix, Custom tables where apnea intervals are less than 4:30.
  • Wonka tables where apnea time after the 1st contraction is less than 10 seconds.
  • Pranayama tables where the total exercise time is less than 3 minutes.
  • Support for certain HR monitors / pulse oximeters to see real-time data in the app.
  • All other features of the app that are not listed in the PRO tier (e.g. reminders, history log, PB timer, etc.).

PRO tier features:

  • HR / SpO2 charts (note that you can still use HR monitors or pulse oximeters to see real-time data in the app for free).
  • Contraction stats (charts and a list of contractions in the history log).
  • Export history log records into a .csv file for further analytics.

A personal message from Valeriy: 

Let me add some emotions here — This change scares me a lot! I know that there are very few people on the planet who prefer the subscription model. Almost two years ago, I quit my job to work on STAmina full-time. The app today is way more than a pet project; there are many wonderful and talented people involved (both in the team and among users). But the development still burns my savings (see the reason in the "Why" section above). Those of you whom I was lucky to speak with may confirm that I am dedicated and willing to see the app grow and evolve. So I kindly ask for your support if you like STAmina.

A great example of a subscription model that I like to refer to is the Duolingo app. In that app, you have everything you need to learn a new language for free. For persistent and devoted users, there is much more with a subscription. I hope that one day STAmina will also offer a huge and competitive set of features for free and provide additional value for professional athletes or result-oriented people. Please chat with me and let me know what you think.

Will you support STAmina?

Published on 11.02.2023

features