Important: As of February 2023, Capture One has made changes to how licenses work. Read more about these changes here: Capture One Loyalty Program and Upgrade Pricing.
Capture One offers two license types:
- Perpetual license: one-time payment, lifetime access to a specific version; available for perpetual license only.
- Subscription license: ongoing payments, access to latest versions; available for All-in-One bundle, Pro and Studio versions.
Perpetual license
Note: this type of license is only applicable to Capture One Pro.
Pay once and own a license for life. The license activates the purchased version and any older versions.
Ensure your device meets the minimum system requirements to maintain compatibility.
Check your Max eligible version in your user account under Plans & Services Management.
When you purchase a perpetual license, for example Capture One 16.6, you'll receive all related service updates like 16.6.x, including bug fixes and improvements. However, new features and functionality are delivered in major versions only.
Capture One follows a "ship when ready" release model to provide new features more frequently. This may result in multiple major versions being released in a single year.
Upgrades to major versions are optional and are offered at a discount through the Upgrade Pricing. You decide whether to upgrade or continue using your current version.
If you prefer having the latest features as soon as they are released, a subscription plan would be the better choice.
Subscription license
Subscription licenses require monthly or annual payments. While active, they grant access to the latest Capture One version and allow activation of older versions.
Note: An internet connection is required to validate and maintain your subscription license, but continuous connection is not necessary. Validation occurs once every 30 days.
Subscription plans
| Subscription plan | Description |
|---|---|
| Annual prepaid | One yearly payment upfront. Renewal charges occur on the same date each year via your Order History. |
| Monthly | Pay month-to-month for maximum flexibility. |
Cancelling your subscription
Cancel your subscription through your Capture One account. See detailed instructions here.
Note: You’ll retain access until the end of your current billing cycle. After that, your license key will be disabled and access will end.
The number of activations per license
Capture One licenses are cross-platform compatible (macOS and Windows) and allow activation on a set number of machines. The activation limit depends on your license type.
For more information, see How many computers can I install Capture One on?
Backward compatibility
Capture One licenses are backwards compatible, meaning they can activate older versions as well.
For example, a Capture One 23 license can be used to activate older versions on devices that require them. Download older versions from here.
Important: Backward compatibility depends on whether your license is managed by FastSpring.
FastSpring licensing started with Capture One 11.3.2. You can check if your license is FastSpring-managed by viewing your Order History.
- Capture One Pro subscriptions: from version 11.3.2 onward
- Sony & Fujifilm subscriptions: from version 12 onward
- Nikon subscriptions: from version 20 (13.1.0) onward
- Legacy subscriptions (pre-Nov 2018): from version 8 onward (no longer sold)
Terms & Conditions
You can view the Terms and Conditions of your license purchases in your Capture One account under Plans & Services Management.
Comments
105 comments
where do I cancel my subscription so that it is no longer debited after 12 months
I have Capture One 20 Express for FujiFilm. I have downloaded and installed the full version but still only have the Express functionality (have rebooted, retried, etc.)
Mike Erikson,
There is only one download and installed version. The available functionality is controlled by the activation key. I assume you have Fuji Express activation currently applied.
Do you also have a new usable key for either a Full system trial or a full system?
If so long in to your account, deactivate the "Express" key and then you can run C1 again when it will ask for re-activation by the new key.
There is at least one document in the support site that covers the process in some detail. There may be more.
HTH.
Sieglinde,
A section in the post on which you are commenting has the information you require.
How to cancel my subscription?
HTH.
Hello,
My "problem" has been resolved after you guidance. Many thanks. Once I deactivated ... everything worked as it should.
Thanks!!
Why does it seem to be significantly cheaper to purchase a brand new Sony license with style packs (roughly $163 with the current 25% off deal) than upgrading my current license with comparable style packs at $258? I thought the upgrade was suppose to be the better deal. Even without the 25% off, buying a new license is still a better deal. Am I missing something?
Hi Sheila,
Thank you for the comment.
Note that the Capture One Pro product variant allows working with all the supported cameras and RAW files.
Meanwhile, Capture One (for Sony) can work with supported Sony cameras only.
Please, let me know which license do you currently own? Is it Capture One Pro perpetual license or Capture One (for Sony) perpetual license?
Thanks,
Lily
I currently own a Capture One (for Sony) perpetual license. And when I go to the upgrade page $258 is the price they list. I haven't upgrade since the 10
Hi Sheila,
Thank you for the clarifications provided.
I have forwarded your request to the Support Team.
They will get back to you soon.
Thanks,
Lily
Thank you. I heard back from them quickly. Thanks for your help.
I use 3 computers. Is it possible to swap the activation between the devices so that the license is active only on two devices at any time?
I use a desktop and laptop when at home and use laptop and tablet device when travelling. When I travel, I would like to deactivate desktop and activate the tablet device. When I return I would like to deactivate tablet and activate the desktop.
Is this possible?
Hi RY,
Thank you for the comment.
That is possible for sure.
Learn how to deactivate Capture One in this article.
You can deactivate Capture One either directly from the application on the particular device or from your account on the website. This will reveal the activation seat allowing you to activate Capture One on another device.
Good morning, my name is George Dolan, awhile ago, I was offered to buy Capture one for a one time price of 79.00 for my Sony camera because I am disabled military veteran and I am now 71 years of age, no telling how long I have to live, I am still willing to purchase this software for this price, its like a rain check...I will be happy for any discount you have to offer me..., my email address is , I think I have a registered already, maybe need to activate a license for me...many Happy New Years to come for all of you and please be safe out there, maybe you can use me as a beta tester...this camera stuff I am using as hobby is to help me keep my mentally stimulated...
Hi, I have a pro perpetual license. I've installed 1 license on my personal laptop, can I still install 1 license on company laptop (for which I work, not my company)? I'm the only working on this laptop and softwares.
Thanks
Hi Mirko,
Thank you for your comment.
A single-user perpetual license for Capture One Pro can activate the software on 3 workstations of the same individual.
Hi,
My Nikon camera broke and I purchased a Sony camera. I currently own the Capture One 20 (for Nikon) license (the annual subscription). Is there a way I can switch from Capture One 20 (for Nikon) to Capture one 20 (for Sony)?
the Capture One (for Nikon) license is useless since the camera broke, and because I signed up for the annual subscription I cannot cancel it.
What can be done In this case? I've tried looking it up, but I haven't had luck.
Please advise,
Thanks!
Hi Luisa,
Thank you for your comment.
Your case is now being handled by the Support Team.
I currently have a Fujifilm subscription license. Im curious if upgrading to a regular Capture one license is possible? I didn't think I would need it, but I have other files I want to edit.
Hi Richie,
Thank you for your comment.
I have forwarded your request to the Support Team.
They will get back to you shortly with the suggestions on the case.
I had inquired a few months ago about the same issue as Richie - I’m on a Fujifilm subscription and I’d like to upgrade to Pro. Is this now possible?
Hi Trevor,
Thank you for your comment.
Please, note that upgrading could be applied to perpetual licenses only.
Meanwhile, the procedure is different for switching from one subscription type to another (as was suggested by the Support Team).
Can you spell out the exact procedure here? It seems to be a common request but it’s difficult to find public information on the procedure.
From what I understand, if you have an annual subscription you can only switch to another license type at the end of your subscription. This is very inconvenient - so it is important information for people to know!
Can a single subscription (1 user) operate across both Windows and Mac? I am currently using Lightroom which allows me to be activated on my Windows 10 desktop and MacBook Pro simultaneously. Could I do the same with CaptureOne?
I would like to go back to the question about moving from a subscription licence to the perpetual.
Because I am collaborating with other people using the latest version, I need to upgrade right now but I don't want to pay for the upgrade just a couple of months before the newest release comes out, so my solution would be moving from my Fuji perpetual license to a subscription license.
So my question is: If I decide in the future to go back to perpetual will I have to buy it at full price or at an upgrade price?
--------
I would also like to ask about being able to use the subscription licence offline. Above it says "you must have and maintain an internet connection" I understand that in order to register, etc. But what if I am on the road or shooting tethered without internet. Is the software not going to run without a permanent internet connection?
Thanks in advance for the clarification.
Hi Dale,
Thank you for your comment.
You can activate Capture One on several workstations (depending on your subscription type) regardless of the operating system they run. Thus, you can use the same subscription on Mac and Windows computers.
Hi Loius,
Thank you for the comment.
A perpetual license is a lifetime license, so once you obtained it (for instance, Capture One 12), you will be able to activate Capture One 12 and previous versions. Meanwhile, once the new major release comes out, you can't use that perpetual license key to activate the new major release. In that case, an upgrade would be needed.
Subscription always allows using the latest version of the software and also activate the previous ones (back to Capture One 11.3.2).
If you want to switch from the perpetual to subscription (not when upgrading but when making another purchase of a subscription plan for the same product variant or for another product variant), your perpetual license key will still be active for the corresponding version and older versions, while subscription will allow you to get access to the latest version. You will have to decide which subscription plan you'd prefer: annual, annual-prepaid, or monthly. With the 2 first options, you will have a subscription for at least 1 year (it means that subscription can't be canceled during this period of time), the only difference is that you either pay the full amount for 1 year at once or split it into monthly installments. The monthly subscription speaks for itself meaning that the auto-renew can be disabled at any time.
In case you want to exchange your perpetual license for the subscription (in the Upgrade shop), you will have an option either to have the subscription for Fuji or the subscription for Pro.
You need an internet connection to activate Capture One with the subscription license.
Thanks Lily. Now subscribed and have it activated on Mac and Windows. All very straightforward.
Thinking about upgrading my Nikon pro license to the full C1 Pro but wanted to know when the new version was planned for release and if there is a grace period for free upgrades to the newer version? I don't want to pay the $160 now and then in 2 months have to pay again to upgrade to a newer version. Thanks
Thanks Lily for your prompt and extensive reply. However I feel that my first question was not really answered. In a nutshell here it is: If I have a subscription license and after the subscription is over if I want to obtain a permanent license, do I have to buy this permanent one at full price or will I get some form of discount?
Thanks.
Hi Louis,
Thank you for your clarification.
In general, when switching from subscription to perpetual license, there is no discount as such, however, we often have different kinds of campaigns offering discounts for new and existing users. If you are subscribed to Capture One newsletters, you will get updates and notifications about those in the e-mails.
Also, if you had a perpetual license previously (before obtaining a subscription plan), you can simply upgrade in here - https://account.captureone.com/en/store/upgrade
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