Most SaaS subscriptions are noise. Here are the only 3 I still pay for and why they’re worth it.
1. Claude - My Development Partner
Not just another AI tool. Claude is my:
- Code reviewer before I push
- Debugging partner when logs don’t make sense
- Writing assistant for documentation
- Architecture sounding board
Probably... Saves 5+ hours every week.
2. 1Password - Cross-Platform Security
Vault to manage:
- Passwords..obviously
- Ditched Google Authenticator (see this article)
- Passkeys
- AWS accounts
- Database connection strings
- API keys for 10+ services
Why not iCloud Keychain? I need Windows/Linux/Android support. Suppose logging in to my account from a raspberry pi, it won’t be possible with iCloud Keychain, but very possible with 1Password. While i do love iCloud Keychain, it only works in Apple’s ecosystem.
Remember: One security breach would cost more than a lifetime subscription.
3. Linear - Issue Tracking That Doesn’t Suck
After trying Jira, Trello, Asana, and everything else...
What makes Linear different:
- Lightning-fast keyboard shortcuts
- Clean UI that doesn’t overwhelm
- Works great solo or with teams
- GitHub integration that actually works
No bloat. Just issue tracking done right.
The Simple Test
If a subscription doesn’t clearly save me time or prevent disasters, it gets cut. These three pass that test every month.
What’s on your essential list?
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