The story behind our subscription value calculators
Like millions of people, I fell into the subscription trap without realizing it. It started innocently enough - Netflix for weekend movies, Spotify Premium for ad-free music, Adobe Creative Cloud for the occasional design project. Each subscription seemed reasonable on its own.
But then the list kept growing. Disney+ for Marvel movies I rarely watched. MasterClass for courses I'd start but never finish. Peloton App for workouts that happened maybe twice a month. LinkedIn Premium for networking I wasn't actually doing. Before I knew it, I was paying hundreds of dollars monthly for services I barely used.
The wake-up call: When I finally calculated my actual usage, I discovered I was paying $8.50 per Netflix movie, $0.47 per Spotify song, and $73 per completed MasterClass course. I was essentially funding these companies while getting minimal value in return.
Total: $218.36 per month
The math was sobering. I was spending over $2,600 annually on subscriptions, but my actual usage told a different story. I watched maybe 6 Netflix shows per month, listened to 150 Spotify songs, and completed one MasterClass course every three months.
The moment everything clicked was when I realized I wasn't alone. Conversations with friends and family revealed the same pattern everywhere - people subscribing based on good intentions rather than actual usage. Everyone had stories of gym memberships for workouts that never happened, streaming services for shows they never watched, and software subscriptions for projects they never started.
That's when I decided to build something that could help people - including myself - make better subscription decisions based on real data rather than wishful thinking.
ValueFocal exists to help people calculate the true value of their subscriptions through honest, data-driven analysis. We believe everyone deserves to know exactly what they're paying per movie, song, workout, or article - so they can make informed decisions about their money.
Privacy was crucial from day one. I didn't want to create another service that collected personal data or tracked usage patterns. That's why ValueFocal performs all calculations locally in your browser - your subscription data never leaves your device.
We also kept it completely free because subscription analysis shouldn't cost money. The goal isn't to make money from people struggling with subscription costs - it's to provide a valuable tool that helps everyone make smarter financial decisions.
After using my own calculators consistently, I reduced my monthly subscription costs from $218 to $67 while actually increasing my satisfaction. I kept Netflix (watching 15+ shows monthly), Spotify Premium (600+ songs monthly), and Adobe Creative Cloud (8+ projects monthly) - services where my usage justified the cost.
I cancelled Disney+ (wasn't watching enough Marvel content), MasterClass (courses were entertainment, not skill-building), Peloton App (preferred outdoor running), and several others where the math simply didn't work.
ValueFocal isn't anti-subscription. Many subscription services provide genuine value when used appropriately. Our goal is helping people identify which subscriptions truly benefit their lives and which ones are just monthly expenses disguised as convenience.
We want to normalize the conversation around subscription analysis. Just as people comparison shop for major purchases, they should regularly evaluate their recurring subscriptions based on actual usage rather than aspirational intentions.
Our hope: That everyone using ValueFocal will save money on subscriptions they don't truly value, while feeling confident about keeping the services that genuinely enhance their lives.
ValueFocal will continue expanding to cover more subscription services and provide better analysis tools. We're committed to keeping the service free, private, and focused on helping people make informed financial decisions.
If ValueFocal helps you save money or feel more confident about your subscription choices, we've accomplished our mission. The best outcome is when people use our calculators to discover they're getting great value from their subscriptions - that means they're spending money on services that truly improve their lives.
Thank you for using ValueFocal, and we hope it helps you take control of your subscription spending.