That's 18 dollars I was willing to donate without anything in return, so that they maybe perhaps possibly would implement this feature. Which is a lot more money than 100% of FOSS users are willing to contribute.

With paid apps you get exactly the features you pay for, you get customer support, and you get a fair and polite exchange.

It is already a lot for people to swallow to be asked to donate in advance for a feature you need, without any guarantee or even likelihood that it is going to be implemented. But it's a whole different level to put a minimum amount of $20 for such a donation.

I'm just telling my experience as an end-user, and why I avoid FOSS at all costs. Maintainers have only themselves to blame for the situation they've put themselves in.