Users of the popular podcast app, Pocket Casts, are voicing their frustration after discovering ads appearing in the app, despite having paid for a lifetime ad-free subscription. This unexpected development has sparked outrage among long-time users who feel betrayed by the company’s decision. The initial reports surfaced in early September on the Pocket Casts support forum and subreddit, with users detailing their annoyance at seeing banner ads interrupting their listening experience.
Pocket Casts initially operated as a one-time purchase app, charging users a fee of up to $10 depending on the platform. However, in 2019, the service transitioned to a subscription model, offering a free version alongside a premium, ad-free tier. Following significant backlash from users who had previously paid for the app, Pocket Casts offered lifetime access to its premium service, Pocket Casts Plus, to those affected. This lifetime access was later rebranded as ‘Pocket Casts Champion’ in August 2024, with assurances that the rebranding would not affect users’ ad-free experience.
Now, however, many users with these lifetime memberships are reporting the sudden appearance of ads, often accompanied by prompts to upgrade to a paid Plus subscription to remove them. This has led to accusations of deceptive practices and a significant erosion of trust.
Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic, the parent company of Pocket Casts, has addressed the issue, claiming the ads appearing on lifetime member accounts are a bug and not a deliberate change in policy. He stated that the company is actively working to rectify the situation. Mullenweg also clarified that Automattic does not generally offer lifetime purchases but has honored the legacy commitments made by Pocket Casts before the acquisition.
While Mullenweg’s statement offers some explanation, it does little to soothe the anger of users who feel their past purchases have been devalued. One user, commenting on the Pocket Casts forum, expressed their disappointment, stating that the introduction of ads makes them feel the company is prioritizing increased conversion rates over honoring its commitments to loyal customers. A Pocket Casts employee’s response on the same forum, suggesting that the only way to remove the ads is to pay for Plus, further fueled the controversy.
The situation highlights a complex issue regarding lifetime subscriptions and the evolving business models of digital services. While Mullenweg’s commitment to resolving the ‘bug’ is encouraging, many users will remain skeptical until the ads are completely removed and assurances are provided that this will not happen again. The incident serves as a cautionary tale for both consumers purchasing lifetime subscriptions and companies offering such deals.
