Generally speaking, I am always happy to pay $3-6 (once) for an Android app, and if I find a piece of software (Windows, mobile, plug-in, etc.) especially useful, I seek out the developer’s PayPal link and heap gobs of money into it.
For example, I’ve happily paid all of this year’s pocket change to the creator of Reactor, which is (by far) the best and most useful application I’ve encountered to date. I call it “The Tasker of the Vera ecosystem!” Discovered it in late February of this year, and estimate it’s worth at 50 cents a day so far.
I’ve never used a “custom dashboard” product like Imperihome, and would doubtfully do so in the future. Why? First and foremost: Cost. Not just of the software, but of the hardware involved in deploying it beyond my phone or PC (where I already have all the UI I need). Secondly, complexity. Setting up, maintaining and using an ex parte interface to mimic and control a system that I’m already the only manager of (nobody else in my household cares about nor wishes to learn anything about “Vera” or “Alexa” or home automation at all) only consumes more of my limited time and energy.
Third, installing tablet- or phone-based panels for family use would only lead to confusion (not if but) when something doesn’t work as advertised. “Not working as advertised” is – as we all know by now – the very cornerstone of Vera products!
As for pricing, what would I pay? Maybe up to $10 one-time? Not sure. I certainly would not pay an on-going monthly fee for such a product (and would happily steer others away from doing so … in fact, I often read that is the rationale behind people leaving Imperihome and rolling their own).
I initially purchased my (first) Vera for being self-contained, approachable and low-cost, with free support being touted among its many features. At the time, it was the best fit for what I wanted. Along the way, I’ve never felt the need for having a customizable dashboard, although I clearly understand it having value in some homes and workflows (not least of which is exposing a simple UI for a complex system). For me, it would just become another thing to maintain and explain.
I am eager to see what @rigpapa and others create, as that is where the true talent lies! Intrepid, gifted, generous devs like him have my unwavering support.