We understand that this decision has been met with disappointment by some of our most loyal community members and we sincerely apologize for any frustration or inconvenience this change may cause.
Grandfathering is a transition practice that allows users to adjust to new pricing plans, but it cannot be maintained indefinitely, as it would be worse than a lifetime plan that at least provides some initial investment capital. Lifetime plans are not sustainable for software as a service, unlike software you buy once, running an ongoing service requires continuous investment.
We did respect the grandfathering promise for a very long time until now, as evidenced by the fact that many VIPs are still on 10+ year old pricing plans. However, it is no longer feasible to continue this practice in the future. The costs for all VIPs are the same and our infrastructure expenses have doubled in the past year to accommodate the increased load and improved reliability with 99.9% uptime.
We want to be clear that this decision was made after careful consideration of the long-term viability of the service. @justin, who voted against this change, is not the sole decision-maker at Trakt, so please refrain from making personal accusations. We appreciate more constructive feedback and ideas.
We recognize that some users may find the updated pricing less accessible or perceive a change in the value proposition. We’ll have some announcements soon about new TV apps, better mobile apps, media center integrations and more partnerships. We remain committed to demonstrating the value of a VIP membership and continue to offer flexible monthly subscription option, as well as the free plan, to suit different user needs. For further information, please also read this post that explains the initial price change.
We deeply appreciate your long-standing support and hope you will continue to be a part of the Trakt community.