Ask HN: Would you pay for web browser?

#1

Post by monkin » Tue, Aug 13, 2019, 8:44 PM UTC

Would you pay a monthly fee for a web browser? What features would it need to have? How much could you spend on it?

If not, then why not? :)

Re: Ask HN: Would you pay for web browser?

#2

Post by elliotec » Tue, Aug 13, 2019, 8:49 PM UTC

No, because we already have some really really good free options. Closest I'd get to paying is Brave, which is built on Chromium anyway and does crypto micro-transactions for ads etc.

Re: Ask HN: Would you pay for web browser?

#3

Post by PatrolX » Tue, Aug 13, 2019, 8:56 PM UTC

I would, if it promoted my business. And I'd spend as much as humanly possible on it if it got my LTV:CAC ratio to 4:1.

Re: Ask HN: Would you pay for web browser?

#4

Post by calais » Tue, Aug 13, 2019, 8:57 PM UTC

I would pay a monthly fee for a web browser if

1. It could be bundled into my monthly internet bill

2. The fee was not more than 10 USD

3. The browser had actively developed ad blocking and

4. Nuisance blocking and

5. Tracking protection and

6. The browser used less memory than competitors

By nuisances I mean cookie notifications, subscription requests, anti-ad-blocking messages, etc. By actively developed I mean I get an update every month, and the developers are actively testing and researching the features. Strict standards compliance could take a back seat to these features, as long as it could adequately render a page. Features that might make up for one of the desiderata above would be

1. Media ripping (if this could be done in a way that would respect publisher rights) or

2. Macros, down to mouse movements and key presses