Is the one-time purchase model viable for business software in 2026?

I've been running an AI automation agency for a while and noticed a pattern — every small business owner I work with is frustrated by the same thing: $200-1,000/month in SaaS subscriptions for tools they barely use.

It got me thinking about whether the subscription model is actually necessary for business tools that don't require continuous cloud infrastructure. CRM, accounting, project

management — these could run locally.

So I built a desktop app that bundles 11 AI agents (sales, accounting, marketing, operations, etc.) with a one-time purchase model. No monthly fees, runs locally, data stays on the

user's machine.

The core AI is free (full functionality, not a trial). Domain-specific agents are a one-time fee each.

My questions for this community:

1. Is one-time pricing sustainable for software like this, or will I inevitably need recurring revenue?

2. For those of you running SaaS — do you see subscription fatigue from your customers?

3. Would you personally switch from a $50/month tool to a $299 one-time alternative if it did the same job?

Genuinely trying to understand if this model has legs or if I'm fighting against the market.