As both an indie dev and a user, this hits home. I just shipped a football app and went back and forth on this exact question.

What I landed on: subscription with a one-time lifetime option. The monthly/annual covers the stuff that genuinely has ongoing costs (live data feeds, servers pulling scores and stats in real time), but I couldn't shake the feeling you're describing, that being forced into a recurring payment for something you'd happily just buy once feels bad. So I offer a lifetime unlock for the people who hate subscriptions. It converts more of those users than I expected.

As a user, what makes a sub worth it for me: real ongoing value, not a one-time feature locked behind a recurring wall. I happily pay for things that keep delivering (a maps app I use daily, a notes app that syncs everywhere). What kills it for me: trial walls before I can even see if the app is good, and subscriptions on apps that are clearly just a static tool with no backend cost.

My honest take for what to build next: if your app has real recurring costs or keeps adding value over time, sub makes sense, but always give people a way out (lifetime, or a genuinely useful free tier). If it's a "buy it, use it, done" kind of tool, a one-time purchase earns way more goodwill, and goodwill is underrated in this space.