If the package wants to install an awful amount of dependencies it means those dependencies are only used by that package on my system. Flatpaks contains all dependencies, so the required disk space would be similar to the flatpak.
My feeling is flatpak install time is quicker in this case, to install 1 flatpak vs 138 AUR packages. I never measured it though.
I only do this if an insane amount of dependencies needed. Some dependencies are normal, if more than 50 than I think AUR is not an ideal way to distribute a software, or also include a -bin package.
If no flatpak available I still install the 137 dependencies, so nothing wrong with that, it’s simply the way I like to manage my system.
Beside what @[email protected] wrote:
-binpackage.