After 14th of February 2023, new perpetual license purchases do not include any feature updates (16.x)
This means that any updates containing new features and functionality will not be included in your license purchase. However, major bug fixes and optimizations will be included (16.x.x) until a new paid version is released (16.x).
As a subscription always provides you with access to the latest version, subscribers are not affected by these changes.
How does it affect you?
Please select from the following:
- I have a subscription to Capture One Pro
- I have a license for Capture One Pro 23 purchased before February 14, 2023
- I have a license for Capture One Pro 23 purchased after February 14, 2023
- I have a license for Capture One Pro 22 or an older version
- I have a multi-user license
- I have an enterprise license
- Frequently Asked Questions
"I have a subscription to Capture One Pro"
The changes outlined here have no impact on Capture One subscriptions.
Subscribers will continue to receive all updates including new features, improvements, and new camera & lens support for as long as their subscriptions are maintained.
If you are unsure on the type of license that you have, check the 'Plans & services management' section of your Capture One profile.
"I have a license for Capture One Pro 23 purchased before February 14th, 2023"
You receive free updates until September 30th, 2023.
If you wish to get a new version of Capture One Pro after September 30th, 2023, you need to buy a new license. Find out what discount you can receive in compliance with our Loyalty Program.
"I have a license for Capture One Pro 23 purchased after February 14, 2023"
You receive major bug fixes (16.x.x) up until a new paid version (16.x) is released. The service updates (16.xx) do not include feature updates.
If you wish to get a new version of Capture One Pro, you need to buy a new license (16.x) – which will contain new features and functionality. Find out what discount you can receive in compliance with our Loyalty Program.
"I have a license for Capture One Pro 22 or an older version"
Your license is perpetual and yours to keep, for as long as you can meet the minimum system requirements and run it on a compatible OS version. To check these details, please refer to our
Capture One system requirements and OS support article.
"I have a multi-user license"
Unless specified otherwise in the terms of your agreement, you will receive free feature updates (16.x) for 12 months when you purchase or upgrade a multi-user license
"I have an enterprise license"
Please check the terms of your agreement with Capture One.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are you getting rid of the perpetual license option?
A: No. The changes we are making allow us to shift to the latest software development practices without removing perpetual licenses altogether. While over half of our users are on a subscription and close to 80% of new users choose a subscription, we still understand that perpetual licenses are important for many of you. That’s why we’re committed to keeping the option open.
Q: I have a license for Capture One Pro 23 I purchased before February 14, 2023 and I will get free feature updates until September 30, 2023. After that date, what happens if I want to get the latest version of Capture One Pro?
A: You will need to buy a new copy of Capture One Pro to be covered under our new license model from October 1st 2023 onwards.
Q: I have a license for Capture One 22 or older. What are my options?
A: If you are happy on your current version of Capture One Pro, great! If you want the latest version of Capture One Pro, you will need to purchase a new software license.
Alternatively, if you’d like to receive all our updates as we release them, you may wish to try out one of our subscription plans.
Q: The current version used to be a year, but how long does a current version last now?
A: We are moving to a ‘release when ready’ model, which allows us to deliver new features and improvements as soon as they are ready. As such, the length of a version will vary based on the time it takes us to develop each feature.
Q: Will there be any change to iPad & Live Support?
A: No, we will continue to support the current (dot) version, plus the previous (dot) version.
For example:
- Current version = 16.0
- iPad & Live support = 16.0, 15.4
Q: Will the number of seats/activations change?
A: No. We are not making any changes to the number of activations you can make per license.
Capture One Pro (perpetual and subscription, and trial) allows up to 3 activations
Q: Why are you removing licenses?
A: We are not removing licenses.
We offer a perpetual license which contains exactly what is stated in the release notes at the time of purchase, and we will continue to do so. This license is yours to own and keep.
The change being implemented from February 14, 2023, will affect new customers and license holders of Capture One 22 and older who wish to purchase a license for the latest version.
These license holders and new customers will have the opportunity to stay on the license they have purchased for as long as they like at no additional cost.
Q: Will I need to pay and upgrade multiple times a year?
A: It is always your decision when and how often to get the latest version of Capture One Pro.
If you always want to have the newest features as soon as they are released, a subscription plan is really the best option.
If you want to make sure that you get the latest version of Capture One Pro each year (as it works under the current model) and don’t need new features as soon as they are released, we want to make sure your cost of ownership does not go up.
Comments
1064 comments
This, exactly. Comments like, "Many of you have expressed a desire for us to make changes faster and to implement features more quickly," ring hollow given how this is coming on the heels of a promotion to upgrade to 23 and we aren't even getting a full year out of the upgrade we just purchased.
What a brilliant way to let every know just how tone deaf the company is.
This is disappointing and again it's all about the money. They want more money and would like to lead us to a subscription. Sure, you have the customer on the hook and can do whatever you want. That's unfair and I was hoping you would never do that. Shit !!!!I feel so f*cked. I bought my first C1 license about two weeks ago, because I don't want Adobe subscription prison, and now you make this announcement. And you give me updates for only 10 month, not 12, that's a steal.
"Many of you have expressed a desire for us to make changes faster and to implement features more quickly," prove it, I don't think anyone here would agree to this move, and seeing all comments here I don't think I'm wrong.
If you expect me to buy a new license instead of an upgrade, you're delusional, you will only loose a client.
Personally I don't see what's wrong with this move. It's industry standard to withhold feature updates to the next major release. Many software companies do it the same way. If you don't need the new features, nobody is forcing you to upgrade. You only upgrade when you need it. So I'm not sure what's the fuss. Please enlighten me if I miss something.
The only problem here is perhaps free updates for 10 months instead of 12 months.
I’m very very disappointed. I hesitated to upgrade to C1 23, because there no real new features that I wanted. But I did eventually buy an upgrade, because of all the updates I thought I would get during the whole year of 2023. Now I possibly need to pay for full license in early October for any features you add then that I was hoping I would get for what I paid for the upgrade. And I imagine I need to purchase yet another full licence, like each year or so if there are any new features. Doing perpetual ”upgrades” each year as I normally do will be painfully expensive. I moved from Adobe LR some years ago when they moved to subscription only. I really don’t want to pay for just using the software, I want to pay for the new features you add, when there are any that I like. If I do that I expect to get it with a rebate, not paying full price each time I upgrade. As many said before me, I you force me to subscribe I could much rather subscribe to the Adobe suite. I will consider that. It all comes down to what a annual perpetual ”upgrade” would cost me. Will it be at the current price point for a full license, I will perhaps upgrade every two years instead of each year. Quite the opposite of what you intended with this strategy.
I will be removing my recommendation to my students on the University courses I teach to use C1, but to go to Adobe.
I never thought I would say that, but when a company fail to live up to their sales pitch so soon, its tells me that they cannot be trusted any more.
I get the upgrade and pay each year, but I think 23 is the final one.
Its a shame
So sad!. I was an avid C1Pro user for many years. Its too bad that the marketing folks did not have the decency to announce this prior to release of 23. I guess its time to go back to LR in the next little while.
@...
The question is not to choose to switch to the subscription system. Capture One is free to do it.
The question is that they are being proved unreliable. They first waited to collect the renewals of perpetual licenses ... and then to launch this announcement.
This means "not being serious". And when a photographer has to invest, time, resources in a service, he claims seriousness.
@...
But there are no more upgrades. You always have to buy a full version again
I just bought a license for Capture One version 16 and currently sit on version 16.0.1.17. Prior to this announcement, the only time it would cost me to upgrade would be if I wanted to buy version 17. Now, based on this announcement, I would have to pay for version 16.1, not withstanding the "free" upgrades until September 2023. So, it's no longer an issue of paying to upgrade major versions (16 -> 17) but an issue of paying to upgrade minor versions (16.0 -> 16.1). In other words, the software that I purchased will go stale (with regards to updates) much quicker than it did in the past.
So how about you make it so that a license includes a year of updates from the time of purchase, which is how it should have always been to begin with. I already refused to upgrade to C1 22 when you released it literally weeks after I purchased C1 21 and wanted to charge me the full upgrade price for it. Glad now that I didn’t bother with C1 23 either. Telling me that I’m going to have to pay the full upgrade price every time I want a new feature (right down, it would seem, to support for a new camera)? Nope.
Meanwhile, I’ve mostly switched over to DxO PhotoLab at this point anyway, so I think I’ll just stay with that.
Wow, Capture One in suicide mode!
Really, really annoyed by this move.
It's your right to do this, but limiting update access to September 30th is outright stupid and criminal, leaving us with only 10 months of support instead of 12. Prolong this deadline to Dec 23 at least!
I have to say that ever since Rafael Orta became CEO, the company has gradually lost my support due to the continuous stream of bad (for customers) ideas and decisions.
It's such a shame.
Totally unbelievable!!!!
I had to read the email twice to get it whats the plan of C1!
About 5 years ago, I decided to change to C1 in order to have a good solution for the future- but now, I have to think about alternatives. I am convinced that there will be no loyality for longtime customers and atractive prices any more...!
@management of C1:
I urgently ask you to think about it again if you should do this to your faithful customers!
I loved your webinars with David Grover (and Alexander Flemming) – could you make one about switching from Capture One to Lightroom? Thank you!
Bravo, exactly Iris Weeber!
This is actually a very reasonable alternative to the subscription only offering. Most Pros only update once a year as they can’t risk the instability of new software during photo shoots…. However… communication could have been handled better.
Here’s what I would have liked to have seen in the announcement::
1. Pricing for the new “feature” version a perpetual license holder will have to buy in Feb 2023. There’s anxiety that it will be way more than the upgrade license costs that exist now.
2. A sweetener for existing perpetual license holders. An extra year of feature updates would have likely squashed the debate entirely.
3. An “upgrade to subscription” offer for existing perpetual license holders that gets you a discounted subscription for life. similar to what Adobe did when they put out the low cost “Photography” plan at the dawn of creative cloud.
Chances to licensing is always tricky and it’s impossible to please everyone but I think these few additions would have gone a long way.
At the end of the day we all want Capture One to succeed. Just give the larger community (Pros and non-pros) a reason or two to feel more valued during this transition.
@Markus Ullius Yes, you're totally right, DxO it's a great option to go! A good advice for all the people here!
Peter Adams
Exactly. Over the years, I have lived various changes in the business models of companies. But I have always had a serious, sensible treatment that would make situation acceptable.
Here instead they first launched the new version (3 weeks ago!) By collecting the renewals of perpetual licenses (with a increased price ...) ... and only now made the announcement.
They totally lost my trust. I have been a customer for over 10 years that he had renewed every year.
If there will not be a Capture One 24, what will it be called when perpetual license owners buy a "new license"? How will we know we're getting something new? Will this new license scheme mean we can still get a perpetual license every year or will the aforementioned "new license" only be a subscription? If that is the case, I worry about the future of Capture One.
I sincerely hope February's fully fleshed out explanation is more forthcoming.
I believe a company can do whatever it wants with its products just as customers can do whatever they want with their money but I hope Capture One hasn't just shot itself in the foot with this "new licensing model."
I guess we'll see in February ...
I think a many annoyances can be avoided if Capture One doesn't wait until February 2023 for the announcement of the 'new loyalty scheme'
The FAQ section on the pricing page (still) reads:
– that was the premise under which I bought a perpetual licence for Capture One 23 a few weeks ago. To say the above statement is misleading is an understatement … very disappointed!
Is it, though? Considering that we would only get fixes for the minor version that we have purchased (16.1.x fixes, for example) our copies of the software will go stale quickly. Prior to this announcement we could count on fixes over the course of a year, but now it sounds possible that we would only get fixes for a few months. That doesn't sound reasonable at all.
This feels and smells like blackmail and extorsion.
I'm very disappointed. The upgrade prices were already outragous.
I will NEVER EVER buy a subscription C1. The reason why I am using C1 is that it had versions to buy without subscription model.
To be honest I don't feel like spending too many words on this:
Way to go Capture One: missed opportunity ;-(
Allesio Furlan
Yes, but you do get a year of feature updates for having bought early so that’s not really any different that the old model economically speaking… just could have been handled better if coupled with the other changes I mentioned.
I think it's very telling that Capture One are comfortable dropping this bomb on everyone and then waiting until February to make additional announcements.
For most of 2023 only. From September 30, 2023, and beyond you only get months worth of fixes before your license goes stale. That's unacceptable.
See this part of the announcement for reference:
"bug fixes and optimizations will be included(16.x.x) until a new paid version is released (16.x)."
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