The Subscription Trend

[jim1960]

In recent years there has been a trend away from buying software and towards subscribing to software. I've been very resistant to this move and have tried to avoid it where I can. However, I do understand there's an argument to be made on both sides of this issue.

On the plus side, a subscription can give a user access to a lot of plugins for a relatively cheap price that can make a lot of sense in the short haul. On the downside, subscription models limit the user to a small number of providers unless the user is willing to take on a large number of subscriptions.

Subscriptions are a win for the business ledger. A steady flow of cash coming in monthly is certainly more desirable than a one-time purchase, so I get why companies want to go this route. However, I feel the limitations that subscriptions put on people does long term harm. I'll explain...

I own plugins and vst instruments from a lot of companies (more than 60, I'd guess) I don't use them all but I just did a quick survey and I'm probably still using about 30 of them. Not on every song obviously, but there are plugins and instruments from at least 30 unique companies that I still use over the course of a year. If all those companies went to a subscription model, the monthly cost of 30 subscriptions would be prohibitive. I'd have to do without some of them and that would leave me with fewer choices of plugins I actually want while giving me a glut of plugins I may not want at all.

For example, Kush Audio offers a subscription for $10 a month that gives one access to all their plugins. But if the only plugin I want from them is the Clariphonic, which is $200 at full price, I wind up paying for a lot more than that and the subscription cost quickly overtakes what I would have spent on the individual plugin. In less than two years the subscription winds up costing me more than the plugin and that cost keeps mounting, year after year, until I decide I no longer want access to that plugin.

We're currently in what looks to be a transition period where companies are moving towards the subscription model. And that creates another problem... what intentions do companies have for those of us who have bought individual plugins. In the Before Time, I could expect to see occasional free updates and new version releases for which I'd pay a reduced free. What we don't know at this point is whether that will continue or will companies present us with the choice to buy the subscription or drop the software?

I alluded to the issue I just described with respect to Izotope in another thread. Izotope is the latest company to move towards the subscription model. Many of us are invested in Izotope products to some degree. I own Ozone 9 Advanced. I purchased that as an upgrade from Ozone 8 Advanced. I have a decent chunk of money invested in Izotope software. The announcement of the subscription plan was alarming to many people and questions have been directed at Izotope to explain where this shift leaves those of us who have purchased the software. The initial response was that the subscription would be offered at a reduced rate. That was certainly not met with any enthusiastic applause. We already own the software and we have no desire to subscribe to what we already are fairly heavily invested in. What people really want to know if whether Izotope will continue to service those of use who own the software by updating it when necessary and releasing new versions for purchase. Izotope has made no commitment to those of us who are already invested and they're continued dodging on the issue has many believing the company has no intention of servicing existing owners of their software other than offering subscriptions.

I don't mean this to be an anti-Izotope thread (although I'm not spending any more money on their products until the make some commitment to those of us who own their software). I'm simply using them as an example of the problem the subscription model presents.

Wytse Gerichhausen gets deeper into the issue in this video. The first few times I watched Wytse's reviews I found him a bit annoying but over time I've come to appreciate the honesty he brings to the table. He doesn't blow smoke in order to garner favor with companies so they'll throw him free stuff. He's just as likely to give a bad review as he is a good review so it never feels like he's trying to sell me on something.

[tadol]

I agree with you entirely - and I also have no intention of supporting izotope any further due to changes they’ve made. That said, the subscription model is really a form of digital “feudalism” - keep the serfs from owning anything, and keep them indebted - and it seems to be becoming the standard model for much of our lives. Rent or lease your home, your business, your car, your furniture and electronics, your books, music, software - and anything you actually create you need to store on services that rent you the space -

World is going a very different direction than I’d have hoped - but I own my guitars!

[Bob Womack]

Interestingly, the studio where I work has avoided getting into that model. We have seven DAW emplacements running Steinberg Nuendo. We've also got extensive collections of Waves, UA, iZotope, etc. that are shared between those DAWs and several consoles and we buy outright there as well.

Interestingly, we've bought maintenance subscriptions for several of our consoles that have come in extremely handy. For instance, our Calrec consoles are always running reasonably new software and firmware though we avoid the latest in order to enjoy reliability. Calrec has also on occasion written new code in order to optimized our application (two consoles that have the ability to access and share each others' resources as needed) and we've had the hardware (console buckets, etc.) replaced a couple of times to keep us on the latest hardware. It is an expensive service, but Calrec are serious about service and often response with fast overnight freight to get hardware to us and will connect up to our consoles and update software within the same day at times to fix or optimize. We had the same relationship with Solid State Logic. They overnighted loaner modules and circuit cards to us to keep us going and then repaired ours at their leisure. They also had a 24 hour service line where they could talk me through repairs in real time.

We've got enough investment with our software suppliers that they will typically get on the phone 24/7 and talk us through issues. That's nice.

Bob

[godfreydaniel]

Regarding graphic design software, I’m definitely not a fan of subscriptions. I’m talking about Adobe software. I’m retired, but would’ve kept my hand in it if it weren’t for the cost of subscriptions. Adobe also bought most of its major competitors over the years. The lack of competition effected how Adobe updated their software. I remember they really dragged their feet upgrading from 32 bit to 64 bit.

[keith.rogers]

I don't think the video was well organized, or all the analogies apt, but as mentioned, and another post suggests, subscriptions for professionals/businesses probably make more sense than for consumers, or even folks that do things only on the side.

Since it did come up in another thread, and the company mentioned in the video, iZotope still does not have native Apple silicon support, but wants me to subscribe? What they've reinforced is that they [still] don't consider Apple product support a priority. (Moral: if you do buy into a subscription, I'd research their update history to make sure they're actively supporting and fixing issues that are important for your personal situation, whatever that is.)

Personally, subscriptions only make sense to me for media (real or online). I can't see myself ever signing up for one for my audio hobby. And, I tend to "freeze" my audio hardware platform for as long as possible. When/if I move to new Apple hardware [silicon], if I lose iZotope support, I'll find something else to replace it. (And, I'll have a backup Intel platform I can always run RX 8 on. )

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by godfreydaniel

Regarding graphic design software, I’m definitely not a fan of subscriptions. I’m talking about Adobe software. I’m retired, but would’ve kept my hand in it if it weren’t for the cost of subscriptions. Adobe also bought most of its major competitors over the years. The lack of competition effected how Adobe updated their software. I remember they really dragged their feet upgrading from 32 bit to 64 bit.

Adobe is one of the few subscriptions I have and I held out a long time with CS6 before I pulled the trigger. But at some point, the new features became to much of a lure for me to hold out any longer.

[godfreydaniel]

Originally Posted by jim1960

Adobe is one of the few subscriptions I have and I held out a long time with CS6 before I pulled the trigger. But at some point, the new features became to much of a lure for me to hold out any longer.

If I was still working I’d definitely subscribe. But I’d just be using it occasionally, and the price of subscriptions just isn’t worth it to me now.

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by jim1960

Adobe is one of the few subscriptions I have and I held out a long time with CS6 before I pulled the trigger. But at some point, the new features became to much of a lure for me to hold out any longer.

Some times they even *remove* functionality from the installed version, which is incredibly annoying. Quicken eliminated support for downloading data files from your bank unless you migrated to the online/subscription version. So I'm back to balancing things by hand.

[KevWind]

Hum ? Had not thought about it much.
I do have some subscription services I like , netflix, hulu, and Amazon Prime for TV and I don't mind them because they are relatively nominal .

Never had Adobe so when it went subscription I just decided I could live without it.
Like many PT users I was at first upset when Avid moved to their hybrid subscription options. Tried some other DAWs like Reaper, and Studio One. Could not really get on with Reaper so I now have Studio One as my Back up DAW. I also have Reason 11 having had Reason since 5 as a VI slave to PT.

I still have a PT Ultimate perpetual as my main DAW and so far keep renewing the update and support annual subscription.

As far as 3 rd party plugins I do Have iZotope 8 RX
And UVI Falcon some AIR, a few Plugin Alliance, and Slate Drums and Rack

I still Have the Waves Dimond bundle but have not updated it to work now with the current PT Version.

[sdelsolray]

I decided last year to freeze my recording software (because my 2011 iMac's OS can't go above High Sierra), and wait until the many software companies I deal with have fully become Apple Silicon compatible (without having to use Rosetta 2). Once ProTools, Waves, Altiverb, Izotope and a few others have completely migrated to Apple Silicon I will get a new iMac and update the applications and plugins, which will likely be sometime next year.

I did something quite similar with my old Mac G4 and froze things for about four years before jumping on the Apple/Intel bandwagon.

I don't like software subscriptions at all. We'll see how things are when I get around to upgrading.

[juststarted]

I will speak from amatuer photographer point of view who sometimes processes the RAW images.

I could have bought the monthy subscription of Adobe. But then the numbers did not add up if we look at multiple years of subscription. I ended up buying software from a different vendor when it was at half price promotion. Many people who did not like Adobe model ended up going towards Darktable or RAWTherapee.

The subscription business model ironically is providing a boost to a number of vendors who are still selling licenses. It is all about learning another tool I guess. And for amatuers who are not power users of the tool it is easy.

[Glennwillow]

I have avoided all subscriptions, and like everyone above, I really don't like the added cost over time.

I understand that the software developers need enough cash flow to keep their folks employed. But my music hobby has already cost a fair amount of money and now that I am retired, I have to be careful with expenses. My current "job" is to live within my means, not support somebody else's employment.

So far, I have avoided everything with a subscription. I may not be able to hold off forever, but we'll see.

Jim, I will check out that video later. I want to watch it when I can really concentrate.

Thanks for your detailed opening post. I have noticed this trend towards subscriptions, but your OP presents a much more alarming situation of which I was not quite aware.

- Glenn

[Joseph Hanna]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

We've got enough investment with our software suppliers that they will typically get on the phone 24/7 and talk us through issues. That's nice.

Bob

Gosh......you guys must have some serious clout 👍 I don't see that kinda stuff much here. We’re usually left to hire another studio until things are worked out. Getting on the phone with Waves (or any vendor) 24/7...impressive!

[DupleMeter]

I don't mind subscriptions. From a business standpoint they are actually a good move because they are ongoing business deductions. I get a tax break for having the subscription that is much better than buying one-offs because the tax break occurs every year.

I pay to subscribe to a few different plugin bundles. In all cases these subscriptions are typically about what a single plugin from said manufacturer would cost. That coupled with an ongoing yearly deduction makes it a much better business move than to buy indivudual plugins.

If you mix professionally, like I do, another benefit is having plugins that are in sessions that get sent to me. Even if I may never use the plugin myself, just being able to open a client's session & see their settings is really helpful.

And, one last benefit, with so many plugins from so many manufacturers, if you subscribe to the "everything" bundles you can test drive everything they make for a year, don't renew the subscription & just buy the ones you liked/used. So, even if you don't plan on keeping the subscription, it's a relatively cheap way to test drive a company's full product offerings to make an informed purchase decision. Sure, you could download trials, but, in my experience, when I do that I use the trial plugin a lot & to get a feel for it and may think I will use it a lot. The real test is what plugins I'm using day in & day out a year later.

I realize it's a much easier decision if you know you'll make your subscription cost back by using the plugins on projects. I suppose if it were a hobby for me I'd feel differently about having an ongoing cost with no real ROI opportunity from it.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

And, one last benefit, with so many plugins from so many manufacturers, if you subscribe to the "everything" bundles you can test drive everything they make for a year, don't renew the subscription & just buy the ones you liked/used. So, even if you don't plan on keeping the subscription, it's a relatively cheap way to test drive a company's full product offerings to make an informed purchase decision.

You're making an assumption that companies are going to offer both subscriptions and individual purchases. While we have that option now, I suspect that's not the long-term plan in most cases. If it were, there would be no reason for Izotope to be so intentionally vague about future support for non-subscription owners of their software. If companies did commit to giving consumers the choice in perpetuity, I'd be all for it.