Same company acquired two very similar apps.

One required a $14/year subscription, the other $90/year

So, why are you using a subscription at all, and not a free and open source app?

You know what Blender is? It's the industry standard. Why is it the industry standard? Because it's free, open-source GPL, it can never be taken away from you, it can never be "acquired", everybody's using it, and everybody is contributing towards improving it. Nobody is bitching about how Blender is extracting millions of dollars from its users and reducing its feature set at the same time. (*cough cough* Photoshop *cough*)

Free and open source software. Every. Single. Fucking. Time. Fuck subscriptions.

God i hate subscriptions. All it does is encourage them to charge more and do less.

Nomad is a one time price like procreate and is very good. Blender for everything else.

Related https://www.stopkillinggames.com

In anicent China, the writer and statesman Su Xun (蘇洵，苏洵) wrote a article named “On the Six Fallen States” (六國論, 六国论) about why the six states (韓、趙、魏、楚、燕、齊) were conquered by Qin (秦) during the Warring States period (戰國時代，战国时期)? The following is an excerpt from the relevant paragraph.

今日割五城，明日割十城，然后得一夕安寝。
One day five cities could be ceded, and on the next day, another ten cities could be surrendered just so that a certain person would have a single night of good sleep.
起视四境，而秦兵又至矣。
But in waking up and looking around, Qin troops again were approaching.
然则诸侯之地有限，暴秦之欲无厌，奉之弥繁，侵之愈急。
However, there was a limit to the available land of the lords and callous Qin’s avarice could never be satiated. The more there were giveaways, the more earnest Qin’s aggression would become.
故不战而强弱胜负已判矣。
So, even before going into battle, the odds-on-favorite and the most likely victor had already been decided.
至于颠覆，理固宜然。
As to the ultimate toppling, that was a forgone conclusion.
古人云：“以地事秦，犹抱薪救火，薪不尽，火不灭。”
Ancient people said: “Using land to serve Qin State would be like carrying firewood to put out fire. As long as there’s firewood left, the fire would not be extinguished.”

In ancient, the six states use land to serve Qin state; in modern, the people use money to serve the companies provide subscription. The more people who pay for a subscription, the more power they have over price increases and control over your data.

Pirate zbrush and try Nomad. I don't have a tablet so I never gave it a go.

As for Zbrush, Maxon has done absolutely nothing of value to it since its acquisition. I purchased the perpetual license when it was still Pixologic and that's what I keep using. I hear from industry professionals that I don't miss out on absolutely anything new at all.

Auh, proprietary software and subscriptions combined (proceeds to put on a strap-on.)

any alternatives?

Buying things is so fucking stupid.