Is it normal to have to pay extra for a Ryanair seat?

[JMSA]

Just checking-in online for my upcoming Ryanair flights to Barcelona. I can't tell you the last time I flew with Ryanair, so I'm not au fait with their booking system. I just want to double check that I'm understanding correctly.
I'm travelling alone and am not bothered about where I sit. However it seems to me that you need to pay extra no matter where you sit. The cheapest seats are £12.50. This is bizarrely grabby when I've already booked and paid for the actual flights

I assume you’ve not paid for baggage? You get to choose where you sit when you purchase the luggage option.

If you don’t want to pay then you’ll just get a randomly allocated seat, which sounds fine as you said you’re not bothered where you sit.

You pay if you want to choose where you sit. If you don't care, you don't have to pay.

This is the baggage I've added. Ok, I think that if I wait until 24 hours before the flight, I can get a randomly allocated seat for free. They charge you to check in at the airport, I believe, so I'll set a reminder on my phone!

Yes, but I am an unable to check in at the moment without purchasing a seat. I need to wait for 24 hours before the flight. Obviously so they can make as much money as possible in the meantime

I can't remember exactly how it works but if a choice of seat is included in your ticket price then you should be able to do that further in advance than 24 hours.

Is the seat you are trying to pick a 'premium' one? IIRC the ones you get to choose from for free as part of your ticket are restricted to certain areas. Seats with more leg room etc you have to pay extra for.

Ah, I see your confusion now. Yes, you have to wait until nearer the flight time to check in, if you don't want to pay.

For their profit margins, of course, but understandably, I feel. Those of us who don't care where we sit fill the 'gaps' when those who DO care have paid extra for their seats. It should only take minutes to check in, and you don't need to print anything, so it can be one of those last minute packing things. Have I got my passport, toothbrush, medication? Have I checked in?

You often get quite a good seat if you check in late on, like 4 hours before departure (the deadline is 2 hours). Sometimes even the exit row (extra legroom). You can see what's still left by going to the "buy a seat" screen but not actually buying one.

They used to try to nudge you into buying a seat by saying "Watch out, you might end up in the dreaded middle seat" (B or E). But then people realised that if you're travelling as a couple and sitting together, one of you will be in a middle seat pretty much by definition. In fact the window and middle seats tend to go first.

Depends on the flight and demand I think
We've just flown
Seats I picked on way out were free
Same seats on way back were £5 each

Thanks everyone!

Random allocation is 24 hours before the flight . Just wait till then. I second a poster above who said to wait till later in the check in window.
We live in Dublin so fly with them a lot . If you wait you might get a 'better' seat . Checking in the minute check in opens tends to result in 'middle seat'.

It must depend on the flight. I’ve got a flight booked with the same baggage package as you and I can select certain seats for free.

Just a heads up, it's not just 24h before your holiday, it's 24h before each flight, so if you don't want to pay for the seat for your return flight, you need to make sure you have either WiFi or data to check in the day before you fly home.

It’s irritating! Check in with easyJet is 30 days and Ryanair I got a reminder to check in (like OP) and am a bit paranoid as don’t want to be charged… and lo and behold it costs if you try and check in more than 24 hours in advance. I’ve been row 1 and 2 which is great checking in for free at the last minute.

This has worked for me a few times on least touristy routes, got the leg room seats