I always pay to remove ads from apps I use, as opposed to using blockers, to support the devs, but this is the first time ever I see it cost this much.

I'll pay if it's in the oven a bit more, but not like this. This is barebone

Honestly, if you're paying to support the dev, ads won't even needed to be added to the app.

While I do like Sync and Laurence, your argument is far from the truth, there are people that will think about paying just to remove the ads. Supporting the dev will be just the bonus there.

Edit:

Also valid to say that a smaller user base don't suddenly mean that you have to charge more, that thinking is, in all honesty, mind boggling to me.

On Reddit we had native ads, that paying for Sync Pro removed, a lot of tracking and data scrapping, well lots of negative points on using the official app, Sync there was a solution to have a better experience, here it's just prettier (imo at least), smother, well polished and makes Lemmy feels like home since it's the same way we used to browse reddit.

Other than that, it actually made the opposite, bringing ads to an ad free experience.

I know Laurence needs to have a income, everyone does. Sync is indeed awesome and being closed source is not a bad thing as some like to argue about, but again not an excuse to raise the price because there is less users currently.

If wasn't for Lemmy existing Sync would be just dead. Simple as that, but I guess no one really think about this.

Anyway, I reached out to Laurence to see if there is a way Sync can at least help with instances also, that would make a huge difference on the way people feel about paying for a app that works on a 100% free and opensource platform.