The reason we can't charge a one-time lifetime fee is because Transcribe is a web app and web apps require constant on-going maintenance. The benefit of an annual license for you as a user is that for the duration of the license year, you get new features and updates we release with every version at no extra cost. This is unlike traditional desktop software where you have to pay extra for every new version. We believe that an annual license, coupled with constant improvements and updates is a win-win for everyone.