After the large price I paid for this software, I was disgusted to see the announcement that it is now moving to a subscription price model. I suppose this is a case of "everyone else is doing it, so why can't we", but I wanted to voice my opinion that it is not appreciated.
Honestly, I'm fine with it. It's worth to heavily emphasize that this isn't a software-subscription but "just" an update-subscription. You can use whatever version is current before your subscriptions ran out forever. So, it's not like, for example Microsoft 365, Adobes software or, quite recently, Fences (which is, why they lost me as a customer). I understand that subscriptions aren't a nice thing for customers in general and I agree with that, however, with DOpus they have used the most user-friendly option if they have to go that route (which, honestly, is understandable if you consider how long and active this software is developed and how rarely they have made actually money with a new major version in the past)
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What I don't like with this approach is that bugfixes are going to be limited to active subscriptions.
New features - OK, let's pay, but bugfixes should be free.
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I'll pay. Not an issue. I really like and use this product.
However, your new website says you won't have upgrade info for 1 - 2 weeks.
I think the certificate runs out before then (end of the month I believe).
I really can't afford to be without this program so what do we do?
Did I mention this is a GREAT program and I appreciate all that you have done to improve it.
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I couldn't upgrade because (after turning off ubo I couldn't see where to enter the email. I had to turn off my VPN as well.
I upgraded so you're richer now! Thanks again.
Would be interesting to know if that is the case. In general it would be possible to release a bugfix release between feature releases and for the bugfix release you need no active maintenance (or with a date in the past).
I think this is the case e.g. for PDF-XChange from Tracker Software. At least for bigger bugs or security bugs.
Interesting would be also a small discount for buying maintenance for more then one year at once. e.g. 2 years, 3, years, 5 years...
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We have two years to prove to them that they should change their minds.
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You do not have to pay anything after your first purchase. So that's fine by me. And I'll gladly pay 
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Nothing has changed for the worse. Updates will come out more often, and if you want them you’ll pay a smaller amount annually instead of a much larger amount every few years.
There’s no longer a reason to worry about “buying at the wrong time” in the release cycle, as you get all updates for a year (or two) after purchase, and they come out as soon as they’re ready instead of big updates on unpredictable schedules.
Bug fixes in Opus 12 weren’t free to people who only bought Opus 11.
You pay us and get the entirety of our past work, and a year (or two, in this case) of our future work as part of the bargain. Seems a good deal to me.
In 2 years from now, if you don’t think our new work is worth paying for, then don’t pay; continue using what you already own instead. The version you own will continue to work, the same as always.
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- Just wanted to ask, how you link new code into profile here, and it was done automatically.
- When bought it mentioned 1 license, does this still mean one Desktop and one for Portable device, or those no longer available. (Found it, app says portable option remains).
This piece of software is very nice so I almost live in it, and rarely see desktop.
Also main reason for me to buy update is the small but active community, where forum people or even developers themselves often help to figure out things in almost every started topic.
Thanks.
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I see the new pricing just as a perpetual license with 1 year (or 2 years) of updates.
By default, you won't have to do anything. The new code (or opuscert file) is only for new installations.
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You don't have to do anything, if you want to stick with 12, but if switching, cert must be updated.
Paying a small amount every two years, even voluntarily, makes up for not having to wait another five or six years for a major version, in my opinion.
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I payed 60$ less then a year ago, now I get ver. 13 for free and two years "for free", but 60/3=20. I bassically already paid those 15-17 USD per year, but payed it three years forward. So... Thanks for the "two years free", but they are not free and I payed for them.
When I bought this software, I was under the impression I am buying somethin that's gonna cost me 50-60 USD every 6-7 years. Now it is going to cost me 110-130 USD. For each license! Basically 2.5x price growth. And that's if prices won't grow. And they will, because look at the economy in the world...
At least I wish Dopus team wouldn't present this total downgrade in price as a plus. Dopus is worth it, but at this price I am not going to promote it to my friends, for the simple reason most of them can't afford it. Also at this price there will be even less adoption... like who will make vids like ThioJoe for a file explorer that costs you 89 initially and then 25 per year? But if this is what it takes to survive, than do whatever you consider neccessary, I guess...
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Except that less than a year ago, you probably weren't under the impression that version 12 would last another 6-7 years on top, nor would you have known if version 13's lifetime would be as ridiculously long (for prior versions didn't last as long either). So you wouldn't have updated to 13 or you would already have spent double the amount you base it on.
Had I not gotten any of version 13 for free, I wouldn't have updated immediately and stayed with 12 for another year at least. You can save yourself some money by just staying on the latest version when the license runs out. Only Dopus Light suffers a little, but no one is forced to update.
Instead of license once every 5-6 years, you will pay amount every year. The second variant is more money spent, especially if you will have to pay when moving to newer versions or will have to pay for the years you skipped your annual payment. Getting two years with no pay is a bonus, but in the long run you'll spend more (2x-3x) on Dopus now. It looks like a price hike and nothing else and what I'm saying is there are negatives to this approach: less adoption, more piracy, people spreading the word about this software less, etc. I found about Dopus from Thio's video, where he had a hard time explaining people that 60 australian dollars is worth it. Now He will have to explain that 89 + 25 yearly is worth it and that seems much harder.
You only spend more if you decide to spend more. Of course this is a way for them to have a more steady income (I'm surprised they even made enough over the last 7+ years), but it also really doesn't cost you more if you just don't renew it and stick with a version for a while.
For all we know they may release a new version every year now, it doesn't matter now. Either way, there really is no need to upgrade every single year. There still are people who are on older versions without complaints, and version 12 still works well too.
PS: You are confusing the USD and AUD prices. The program has been 89 AUD (60 USD) for the longest time, even when Thio reviewed it. There is no price hike, except for the additional updates afterwards which are optional and may or may not be a new version altogether.
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Perspective:
| Version | Release Date | Years Before Next Major Version | Cost per Version (AUD)* | Cost per Year (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06 | 6/18/2001 | 3.3 | $115 | $34.89 |
| 08 | 10/4/2004 | 2.5 | $85 | $33.82 |
| 09 | 4/10/2007 | 4.1 | $89 | $21.95 |
| 10 | 4/30/2011 | 2.6 | $89 | $33.76 |
| 11 | 12/18/2013 | 2.7 | $89 | $33.44 |
| 12 | 8/16/2016 | 7.4 | $89 | $11.97 |
| 13 | 1/23/2024 | N/A | $89 | $25.00** |
*Full purchase price
**2 Years after initial purchase price
Historically since the v8 release, cost has equated to $23.45 AUD per year ($530 AUD over 22.6 years) if one bought each major version since v8 at full price.
Given the age of 12, advances in 13 and trust the development team has earned by continually delivering value, the new pricing approach seems reasonable.
Edit: Factoring in v6 historically - thanks @David - cost has equated to $24.90 AUD per year ($645 AUD over 25.9 years) if one bought each major version since v6 at full price.
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Thanks for the data !
But, the mean age of this population is what ?
The trouble with the subscription model is that potential new users can be 'turned off' by knowing that after a seemingly large purchase, that they have only 12 months before another bill is due.
In the end, this may result in a loss of new money for GPSoft.
At this point it seems a half baked idea with a foggy future.
I totally agree that after this many years GPSoft deserves upgrade earnings.
In the interest of meaningful data, I must point out that the calculated Cost per Version is for a new license, not an upgrade. But, upgrade price data is rightly not available to users.