One-time · no subscription, ever
Pay once. Or don't pay at all.
The service on your box, the piece that touches your network, is fully open source (MIT). The app is source-available: read it, or build it onto your own phone for free, for personal use. The one-time price buys the ready-made build from the App Store or Play, kept updated, and it supports the work behind it. Everything's a subscription these days. I hate that, so Couchside isn't one. Try every feature free for 7 days, then unlock it forever, or build it yourself for free. Pick your path:
“I love opening my phone, finding my favorite game, and hitting launch, so by the time I've walked over to my gaming spot it's loaded and ready to go. Once it fits your setup, you'll get it. That's why the unlock is one payment instead of another monthly bill.”
— Taylor, maker of Couchside
Try free for 7 days, then unlock once
Download free and use every feature for a full week, no commitment. If it earns a spot in your living room, keep it forever for less than a cup of coffee: $4.99 through August, then $7.99 from September 1. One payment, one time, no accounts. Unlock before September 1 and the app shows a permanent Early Adopter badge. The money funds this project and supports my family. I hope you enjoy it.
Build it yourself, free
The app's full source is on GitHub: read it, compile it onto your own phone with Expo, tweak it for yourself. It's source-available for personal, noncommercial use (PolyForm Noncommercial); the service and installer are MIT, so you can even build your own client. Same software, your labor instead of $4.99. All I ask is that you don't repackage and sell it.