Is Premium worth it?
Tue Mar 01, 2005 11:53 pm
I'm asking for two reasons.
a) I'm thinking of subscribing, and
b) I'm planning an article on the subject.
So, subscribers, and nonsubscribers, what do you think? Is Premium worth what it costs?
(Please indicate if you aren't okay with being quoted in my article, otherwise I'll assume it's fine. If you want to be referenced as something other than your PPT username, please say that as well.)
a) I'm thinking of subscribing, and
b) I'm planning an article on the subject.
So, subscribers, and nonsubscribers, what do you think? Is Premium worth what it costs?
(Please indicate if you aren't okay with being quoted in my article, otherwise I'll assume it's fine. If you want to be referenced as something other than your PPT username, please say that as well.)
Wed Mar 02, 2005 12:00 am
Ive always wanted to subscribe but everytime I try it says there are no spots left! 
Wed Mar 02, 2005 12:03 am
Eh, I'm a nonsubscriber (as you know, Nani) and I'm hesitant to support premium. I know that if enough people subscribed, they might be able become less sponsor-dependant, but I still think that Neopets was meant to be free. Who knows where this might go? If Dohring finds that enough people submit to paying for Premium, maybe he'll cut back on what regular members get to encourage us to buy into it.
I can't see anything at face value.
I can't see anything at face value.
Wed Mar 02, 2005 2:09 am
I do have premium, have had it for a few months now. I was very hesitant, I'll be honest. First there's the cost ($7.99 monthly or you can pay yearly ... but I'm superstitious so I pay monthly). Then there was the whole thing of the site supposedly being free, and this just seems like the first step to complete pay to play.
Then the banner ads came ... and I was unhappy. Then the huge bannerzillas arrived and I had to make a choice - go premium or quit (firefox just won't work right for me and why should I have to change browsers, etc. for one site). Quit because I'm on dial up and those banner ads really DO slow the site down. Also the tracking cookies, adware, etc. are a concern to me. Lastly because I do have physical problems and the moving, flashing, blinking things were just too much for me to handle.
So there was an opening and I joined Premium. I only have the portal and the email. I don't have the toolbar or the ISP.
The good:
No ads - top or bottom. The site runs so much faster for me, and it's so much easier on my poor eyes and head (and computer).
The premium board for the most part has wonderful, helpful people. This will probably, unfortunantly, change once it's released to everyone but for now, it's great. And there are a couple of wonderful staffers who do post there to help us or try to clear something up.
The email - I only use it for corresponding with other premium members - I'd NEVER use it for regular email. My friends already think I'm crazy. But it is nice to be able to, say, send someone a css code without having to worry about the filters being triggered or just talk about something *gasp* non-neopets related and getting a warning or frozen.
The space faerie scratch card - though I've only ever won 300np from it.
Beta testing games - no np for playing, but if there is a new game we get to try it out first and send in bug reports or suggestions.
For some reason, I like being Stealth.
The Bad:
It is expensive, IMHO. I wish it cost less.
You can only have it on one account unless you either a) pay for it on another account; or b) get the ISP for (I think) $15 a month - then you can add your other accounts (I believe 2).
If you pay yearly (or monthly) and either quit, change your mind, get frozen - whatever - you don't get a refund.
The perception of non-pm people who seem to think that all the pm get some sort of special treatment - we don't. Like, I've seen boards where people are complaining because they've been frozen for something and start ranting that if they were premium, they could just call a number and get unfrozen. That's not true. There is a phone number - but that's tech support for the portal, nothing more.
The So-So:
The "special" avatar that you get when you sign up is the Neomail av - which alot of people already had and just about everyone did get.
More RE or SHH - I haven't seen any real increase in either.
The site works the same way whether or not you have premium. If it's lagging, there's a glitch, or the dfm page comes up - it happens to everyone whether you pay or not.
Is that enough?
Then the banner ads came ... and I was unhappy. Then the huge bannerzillas arrived and I had to make a choice - go premium or quit (firefox just won't work right for me and why should I have to change browsers, etc. for one site). Quit because I'm on dial up and those banner ads really DO slow the site down. Also the tracking cookies, adware, etc. are a concern to me. Lastly because I do have physical problems and the moving, flashing, blinking things were just too much for me to handle.
So there was an opening and I joined Premium. I only have the portal and the email. I don't have the toolbar or the ISP.
The good:
No ads - top or bottom. The site runs so much faster for me, and it's so much easier on my poor eyes and head (and computer).
The premium board for the most part has wonderful, helpful people. This will probably, unfortunantly, change once it's released to everyone but for now, it's great. And there are a couple of wonderful staffers who do post there to help us or try to clear something up.
The email - I only use it for corresponding with other premium members - I'd NEVER use it for regular email. My friends already think I'm crazy. But it is nice to be able to, say, send someone a css code without having to worry about the filters being triggered or just talk about something *gasp* non-neopets related and getting a warning or frozen.
The space faerie scratch card - though I've only ever won 300np from it.
Beta testing games - no np for playing, but if there is a new game we get to try it out first and send in bug reports or suggestions.
For some reason, I like being Stealth.
The Bad:
It is expensive, IMHO. I wish it cost less.
You can only have it on one account unless you either a) pay for it on another account; or b) get the ISP for (I think) $15 a month - then you can add your other accounts (I believe 2).
If you pay yearly (or monthly) and either quit, change your mind, get frozen - whatever - you don't get a refund.
The perception of non-pm people who seem to think that all the pm get some sort of special treatment - we don't. Like, I've seen boards where people are complaining because they've been frozen for something and start ranting that if they were premium, they could just call a number and get unfrozen. That's not true. There is a phone number - but that's tech support for the portal, nothing more.
The So-So:
The "special" avatar that you get when you sign up is the Neomail av - which alot of people already had and just about everyone did get.
More RE or SHH - I haven't seen any real increase in either.
The site works the same way whether or not you have premium. If it's lagging, there's a glitch, or the dfm page comes up - it happens to everyone whether you pay or not.
Is that enough?
Wed Mar 02, 2005 2:16 am
I have very similar views to everconfused, in fact I have nothing really to add. lol I do want to say that I like Premium a lot, and I'm glad I made the decision to buy it. I've met a lot of really wonderful people on the PC board, and being able to navigate ad-free is heavenly. I wouldn't complain if it was cheaper, but I also don't mind paying $8 a month for it, it's worth it to me.
I haven't had many more on-site RE's, but I get one on my portal pretty often, depending on how many times per day I view it.
everconfused wrote:More RE or SHH - I haven't seen any real increase in either.
I haven't had many more on-site RE's, but I get one on my portal pretty often, depending on how many times per day I view it.
Wed Mar 02, 2005 2:22 am
Even for people that want to sucscribe, it's very hard. I am still considering it. The ads, I block them. The avatar, one avatar won't make a huge difference. The portal, I WANT IIIT! - kostyaf
Wed Mar 02, 2005 2:40 am
I would never pay to belong to a site if I could play it for free. If you seriously can't stand the ads, switch to a different language. If you've been playing long enough, you should be able to navigate the site needing to know what everything says.
What's the portal?
What's the portal?
Wed Mar 02, 2005 3:04 am
I don't agree with that at all, fzun.
And go to Invinciblade's petpage, you can see what jazz_invincible's portal looks like there. The page explaining what the portal is seems to have vanished.
And go to Invinciblade's petpage, you can see what jazz_invincible's portal looks like there. The page explaining what the portal is seems to have vanished.
Wed Mar 02, 2005 3:06 am
If I could actually get IN to neopets premium I would! GRR its always full
Wed Mar 02, 2005 7:23 am
I don't have Premium for a few reasons.
1. I can't really afford it....I mean, there's no reason to pay $8 a month when that money would be better spent on bills and groceries. The price also seems too high in my opinion.
2. Neopets has made too many promises then broke them, and has had too many site problems for me to want to pay them even more money than they're getting now. I have to be impressed with how a site is running before I put my money into it.
3. There really isn't much incentive for me to join. I don't need another board, or scratchcard, and we all know how to get rid of the ads. And, I already have the avatar. The portal is nice, but it just makes things easier...I can still do all that stuff on my free account.
1. I can't really afford it....I mean, there's no reason to pay $8 a month when that money would be better spent on bills and groceries. The price also seems too high in my opinion.
2. Neopets has made too many promises then broke them, and has had too many site problems for me to want to pay them even more money than they're getting now. I have to be impressed with how a site is running before I put my money into it.
3. There really isn't much incentive for me to join. I don't need another board, or scratchcard, and we all know how to get rid of the ads. And, I already have the avatar. The portal is nice, but it just makes things easier...I can still do all that stuff on my free account.
Wed Mar 02, 2005 8:22 am
Hmmm... Does anyone have the link for the trial thingy? Last time I did it it didnt work...
Wed Mar 02, 2005 8:26 am
dargonz wrote:Hmmm... Does anyone have the link for the trial thingy? Last time I did it it didnt work...
It's http://premium.neopets.com .Still not working for me unfortunetly, I really want to sign up, but like others have said, everytime I try it gives me the "beta full" page
. Come one neopets, I want to give you money, but I guess you don't want it 
Edit: Link changed.
Last edited by Sterl on Wed Mar 02, 2005 8:18 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Wed Mar 02, 2005 8:42 am
Hi! if ya wanna quote me feel free.
I have been a member since it started and got in on the lower price. So I did luck out there.
I do like the portal. It gives me a space for my stoks, my active pet, the calander, the current news, my multiplayer games, fast bank access, even movies if I want them. I have almost everything I need within a click of my hands and it saves me from nav'gating all over the place.
I also like not having those big clunky adds in my face and its nice and relaxing. the tech support which I have needed a few ties is a fast answer as well and were able to answer some problems I had with things.
The beta testing is enjoyable. You get a sneak peak at games and often get a random event neomail some time later for just giving a bit of yer time for a game yer gonna try anyways later.
All in all I think its well worth the money as I'd spend that on a TCG pack or a plushie every so often so why not suppoirt a site I love.
-Sy
I have been a member since it started and got in on the lower price. So I did luck out there.
I do like the portal. It gives me a space for my stoks, my active pet, the calander, the current news, my multiplayer games, fast bank access, even movies if I want them. I have almost everything I need within a click of my hands and it saves me from nav'gating all over the place.
I also like not having those big clunky adds in my face and its nice and relaxing. the tech support which I have needed a few ties is a fast answer as well and were able to answer some problems I had with things.
The beta testing is enjoyable. You get a sneak peak at games and often get a random event neomail some time later for just giving a bit of yer time for a game yer gonna try anyways later.
All in all I think its well worth the money as I'd spend that on a TCG pack or a plushie every so often so why not suppoirt a site I love.
-Sy
Wed Mar 02, 2005 9:37 am
After hearing what was said I find Premium not worth it at all.
1) Ads can be blocked (in both IE and Firefox, I'm not sure if you can block bottom ads in IE), or as fzun mentioned, evaded by changing languages to your second language.
2) The Portal feature can be easily recreated on your part in the form of bookmarks. In fact, I have a custom Neopets bookmark toolbar which just about gives me access to every page I visit regularly on Neopets.
3) The avatars, weekly scrathcards etc are gimmicky items not worth real money paid.
4) You will be pouring money into an evil faceless corporation which has broken promise countless of times. Or maybe you can call it "supporting a beloved site".
Therefoer, IMHO, Premium is not worth it unless you are rich and have cash to burn.
1) Ads can be blocked (in both IE and Firefox, I'm not sure if you can block bottom ads in IE), or as fzun mentioned, evaded by changing languages to your second language.
2) The Portal feature can be easily recreated on your part in the form of bookmarks. In fact, I have a custom Neopets bookmark toolbar which just about gives me access to every page I visit regularly on Neopets.
3) The avatars, weekly scrathcards etc are gimmicky items not worth real money paid.
4) You will be pouring money into an evil faceless corporation which has broken promise countless of times.
Or maybe you can call it "supporting a beloved site". Therefoer, IMHO, Premium is not worth it unless you are rich and have cash to burn.
Wed Mar 02, 2005 10:19 am
I can't affoard premium. I'm a poor college student who has problems having enough money for rent, tuition and books that sometimes I can't affoard food. I have 'net 'cause it comes with the rent (yay!) but I don't really think it's worth it (premium). The only advantage I see is no ads, which depending on your level of tech savvy, you may be able to deal with.
Me, I've got a double firewall running among other spiffy stuff, so it's not really an issue with me. I probably would try out premium to see how I liked it, but like I said, money is a huge issue with me. If it was a little cheaper, like how livejournal does it...like...$5 for two months, then I could probably test drive it.
Me, I've got a double firewall running among other spiffy stuff, so it's not really an issue with me. I probably would try out premium to see how I liked it, but like I said, money is a huge issue with me. If it was a little cheaper, like how livejournal does it...like...$5 for two months, then I could probably test drive it.