It should be “made for profit, we need to pay mortgage/loan as most of people”… this would be more honest :)

Buy-me-coffee / you can donate / payments in bitcoins accepted / pay as you use / etc.

But I am curious what could work so people wouldn’t be discouraged immediately?

Subscription (monthly/quarterly/annual) is annoying as well…

Adobe has started this wave, I remember it vividly.