macOS updates haven't cost money since 2009
this post was submitted on 05 Oct 2025
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But... They did?! (Never had a mac)
No, major OS releases used to cost money for a license. The same way a Windows 11 license costs money. Apple stopped charging for OS releases but Microsoft still does.
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Every 10.x version of OS X cost money up through 10.6, just like how every version of Windows has cost money unless you use one of the keygens Microsoft doesn't care about.
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I have a vague memory of spending $30 for an upgrade to MacOS more than a decade ago. Then Apple stopped charging for them. So, this comic is pretty off base, but people love to bitch, so what can you do.
Yeah, the last time they charged was Snow Leopard in 2009. Everything has all been free since. Snow Leopard was really a dream to use, though. If paying $30 would get us back to that kind of luxury, I would gladly pay for the privilege.
They used to charge for the OS, which was changed/updated every ~~year~~ 2 years to a new version. I remember prices around 20-30, so it was still cheaper than windows
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Linux update is more like… “uh oh, please don’t break anything, I just got my graphics drivers working last week.”
This take is based on a true story.
That is the same with nvidia drivers on windows nowadays. They keep pushing updates that just break shit.
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Android apps:
The free features are now removed. Watch a video before you can send texts for a week.
Similar - this free app has now been acquired by a Chinese conglomerate and will soon have micro transactions and tracking added. Also for some reason it needs all permissions now to even function.
like spotify: "listen to this ad and get 30 min ad free :D"
but then show ads again after 1 song
Huh, never had to pay for a Mac update.
That's because Apple hasn't charged for OSX/MacOS updates since 2013 with OSX 10.9
Edit: I also don't think they were ever $99. I upgraded from 10.5 to 10.6 back in 2009 and I think it was only like $30, and they had to ship me a disc with the update so it's not like they didn't have any overhead they had to pay for
They were more expensive in the early 2000s.
See, for example, this MacRumors thread from 2003 entitled “Mac OS X 10.3 Panther. Why Is it still $129?”
Jaguar (10.2) was also $129 in 2002.
10.1 was free.
Going up from 2003,
- 10.4 Tiger was $129 in 2005
- 10.5 Leopard was $129 in 2007
- 10.6 Snow Leopard was $29 in 2009
- 10.7 Lion was $29 in 2011
- 10.8 Mountain Lion was $29 in 2012
- 10.9 Mavericks was a free update in 2013
Ah! Shoulda done more research, my bad. My first MacBook came with Leopard on it and I eventually upgraded it to Snow Leopard. I think that computer eventually died before I could upgrade it any further than that
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An update for this comic is available:
The Mac one could be a lot more realistic:
"Mac OS Yellowstone is available for your Mac, and will update tonight."
"Mac OS did not update last night because you left some windows open."
"Mac OS will update tonight, but you must enter your fingerprint and password to make it happen."
"Mac OS did not update last night because you didn't enter your password again at 2AM and we weren't sure if you really meant it"
You're right; also realistic would be the Mac user who simply refuses to reboot their Mac at any time ever.
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Depends on distro, snapshotting and if it's a immutable distro.
Though Windows users should be worrying more, they don't have backups and have silently activated bitlocker but ignorance of that is bliss.
Mac user don't have to worry in my experience.
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MacOS updates don't cost money. They're also completely optional (even security updates) and major OS versions introduce new features.
The comic is from 2011. The upgrade to OS X Lion, released that year, was paid originally and then made available for free.
I think this comic is more about the feeling of it. I certainly feel like my work-issued iphone gets more and more bogged-down with every major update, with less and less room for apps and media. It certainly feels like the only reason for the bloat is to goad me into buying cloud storage and/or a new model.
And just to be clear, I'm not hating on apple. Given the predatory nature of late-stage capitalism, apple is probably the least-shitty of the IT megacorps.
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Meh, a linux user: Nah. (there's a major version update I'll really have to do in the next month or two, but my setup has so many customizations that the update will probably break a couple of things that I'll have to set up again, and I've been really unmotivated to do that)
Or, I really don’t want to reboot so I’ll put it off
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It is amazing how much I dread new Windows features.
I mean, I was pretty optimistic for a long time. I loved the DRM/presentation changes and hardware scheduling. I like a new task manager or finishing half-finished settings menus or little security optimizations. This was even going into Windows 11.
Now...
I know they're not going to finish anything, like UWP or the settings menu they overhauled in Windows 8.
I know, in all likelihood, I'm not getting improvements to performance, presentation, latency, audio, resource utilization. No new filesystem or neat features...
We're getting bloatware. Or ads. Or tracking. Or broken Copilot in yet another orifice I don't want it in, and that's speaking as a fervent local ML runner.
And every time it updates, I know I have to check the programs, task manager, services, and purpose made debloating programs to see what crap I have to castrate next. It's unreal. No wonder folks are dumping it for Android/iOS.
Microsoft changes from a retail software seller to a service seller.
Windows is shit on purpose now. Before it was shit only because MS is inept.
Also Linux: oh good. Maybe it’ll fix this issue so I don’t have to lol
Me, a Debian user: "Wow, been 5 years already? Cool beans"
Linux update: .... click ... forget about it as it runs in the background
Windows update: ... why is my system running like molasses???? .... oh there's an update .... click .... now it's running even slower!!! ... I'm in the middle of something!!! ... I DON'T WANT TO SHUT DOWN!! ... WAIT FOR THE UPDATE TO INSTALL!!! ... How long is this going to take?????"
Mac update: ...... I wouldn't know, I've never owned a Mac because I could never afford one.
Mac update: ......
It downloads in the background, and sends you a toast notification that it’s ready to install. It gives you the option of restarting “Now”, or it’ll do it “Later Tonight” when it determines you’re not using your computer.
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TBH, I say "Not again!" on Linux if it's a kernel update, because it means I'll have to reboot.
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