In this guide, you’ll discover which payment option might be best for you based on how you plan to use our software.
Subscription or Perpetual License?
Find out the differences between our payment options and the cost of ownership for you.
A subscription is for you if:
You always want to have the latest version of Capture One Pro and get all new features and updates as soon as we release them. If you choose our annual payment option, it will be the cheapest option for you.
When you stop your subscription, you will lose access to the software. However, our subscriber Loyalty Program allows you to purchase a perpetual license with a 20% discount for each year you have been a subscriber (yes, that means after 5 years you can get it for free). That way even if you stop your subscription, you will always have a version of Capture One Pro to keep and that supports your catalogs and sessions.
Read more about how our Loyalty Program works here.
A perpetual license is for you if:
You don’t need new features and improvements and don’t plan to invest in new camera hardware any time soon. The copy of Capture One Pro you have will continue to work as long as your hardware and operating system support it. You are happy to buy a new copy of the software if you want to get the latest version.
You own the software outright and it will continue to work as long as your hardware and operating system support it. You are happy to buy a new copy of the software if you want to be on the latest version.
Please note that our Loyalty Program allows you to purchase a perpetual license at a discount if you stop a subscription. You’ll get 20% off for each year you have been a subscriber (yes, that means after 5 years you can get it for free). That way you will always have a version of Capture One Pro that you own and supports your catalog.
Read more about how our Loyalty Program works here.
Which option is best for me?
I want new features and updates as soon as they’re ready
An annual subscription is always the cheapest option for you.
I want new features and updates as soon as they’re ready, and have access to my catalog after I stop my subscription
The cheapest option for you is to get an annual subscription, and then get a perpetual license through our Loyalty Program when you want to stop the subscription.
I don’t need new features right away and I don’t buy new camera gear often
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If you would like to get new features and updates more than once a year, it will always be cheaper for you to have an annual subscription and then buy a perpetual license through our loyalty program when you stop your subscription.
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If you would like to get new features and updates once a year and plan to use Capture One Pro for at least three years, it will be cheaper for you to have an annual subscription and then buy a perpetual license through our loyalty program when you stop your subscription.
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If you would like to get new features and updates once every 2 or more years, a perpetual license is the cheapest option for you.
I don’t want a subscription
A perpetual license is the best option for you.
What are the differences in the cost of ownership?
For those of you that want to dive into the details, we’ve done the work for you. Here is a breakdown of how much it will cost you over 6 years, including the difference after changes to our perpetual licenses coming on 14 February, 2023.
Annual Prepaid subscription vs. Perpetual License
Prices are in USD and are indicative. Prices may vary in your local currency set by our payment provider. Prices are excluding sales tax / VAT. If you have a business number this charge will be removed on checkout.
Annual Prepaid subscription, then move to a Perpetual License vs. Perpetual License
Prices are in USD and are indicative. Prices may vary in your local currency set by our payment provider. Prices are excluding sales tax / VAT. If you have a business number this charge will be removed on checkout.
The Terms and Conditions of your license purchases (made via our web store) are always accessible from your Capture One account under the 'Plans & Services Management' section:
Comments
219 comments
You have a perpetual license for an older version of Capture One Pro. You have 3 options before February 14, 2023.
I suggest showing this to university students as an example on how to ruin a business and customer trust.
Adobe will appreciate this. 9,99 per month for Lightroom AND Photoshop? See you there!
I have used Capture One since v3. Almost 20 years now. And you reward this loyalty like this. This is very confusing and terms are getting worse and worse every year. Greedy. In long Run you won’t benefit this at all. There are other options on the market.
This is the most incomprehensible document I have ever read. As a former 13 year employee of Phase One I can say I have never seen anything like this. I am forced into this because I have so much riding on Capture One and so many years of sessions and catalogs, and I AM NOT HAPPY. Worst presentation ever to convince people to move to a subscription model. They don't even throw in the iPad version, which is pretty much useless compared to other apps out there. Jeezzz, I'll do a subscription model because I have websites I run and workshops I run where I will need to have Capture One. But I am having a lot of fun in Lightroom these days, and more people use Lightroom. I also haven't seen all that many new features in Capture One these past few years. No printing module that is worth anything, Catalogs I still don't trust, and no history pallet, LR has shown some brilliant AI masking features that work really well. You could have at least teased us with what features you may be releasing with the subscription model through the reast of the year. I am so disappointed in this uter mess. Who does the marketing there these days? I have also heard support is not there. For these prices you should be doing so much more. Tonight as let my nrevs and anger ettle down I'll make choices what will be my platofrm I use for teaching and such. Right now Capture One isn't sitting pretty. You guys between the iPad and this new model are costing a small fortune. So, while I never thought I would say thgis it looks like I will go over the LR and PS side. Shame on you guys.
I chose Capture One years ago to escape Adobe subscription rip-off and because it was better. Now it is becoming a greater rip-off than Adobe. All that your so-called ‘loyalty scheme’ does for me is to seriously diminish any feeling of loyalty that I previously felt towards the company.
Jake, you gave me no choice :), I have to choose 1... and learn Lightroom or Affinity Photo in the meanwhile
Well, I used to love and respect your software, but unfortunately the only thing I have to add, is that I agree to all previous commentaries that have been made...
This is just bewildering. I’ve never seen a more confusing way of explaining a so called loyalty plan.
I’ve had C1 for many years. I’ve resisted moving to subscription, and this just seems like a slimy way to push the holdouts onto subscription.
Last few years the annual upgrade has hardly felt worth it in terms of upgrades either.
This smacks of bad business. You already duped me into paying for an upgrade early before it was even released. Is the business in trouble?
I’m sure it’s hard to compete in this market. I’d rather just pay more and get upgrades by version. You’re just milking the promise of upgrades in advance now and that doesn’t sit well for me.
I’m now going to change from only C1 to seeing what else I can use. Please reconsider. This is madness.
I have had Capture One Pro for the best part of 20 years. I have always used it in preference to Photoshop or Lightroom (which I also had but stopped at CS6 when Adobe went to subscription)
I stopped at C1P at 22 as for me there was little if any benefit for C1P 23 and at a relatively high price.
The fees I have paid for Perpetual since e.g. Jan 2017 INCLUDING VAT (sales tax) are:
£143.10 date 31-10-2021 ypgrade to 22
£111.30 date 28-11-2020 upgrade to 21
£134.00 date 13-02-2020 upgrade to 20
£111.75 datre 15-04-2019 upgrade 11 to 12
£142.80 date 13-12-2017 upgrade 10 to 11
£118.80 date 12-01-2017 upgrade 9 to 10
Am I attracted to any of the new prices and options? Not in a million years!
Those price comparison tables for the Perpetual License are dishonest.
They imply that the new Loyalty Scheme is cheaper than the Upgrade Program it is replacing. It isn't.
There were 30% discounts on the previous upgrade price. I am currently being offered, up to the end of this month, an upgrade for £199. Under the new scheme the price is £239.
Guys, just read the first sentence of your article again, and then start scratching your head. Completely transparent looks VERY different.
Endless confusing tables with weird prices (the upgrade once per year was NEVER 299), selling bug fixes separate from features, what the hell?
Just look at the comments you are getting for it and someone come to reason over there. You have been notoriously bad in admitting when you get it wrong, so I don't have much hope, but come on, read the room.
I am POCP and I'm thinking of jumping ship because you make it such a mess.
Just be honest and say we are getting more expensive. Or save money by letting go the people that come up with this complicated mess and just stay on reasonable prices.
So will Affinity!! I have used some of their software for a little while now, mostly Publisher, after I ditched Adobe years ago to go back to Quark Express. But now that you guys are trying the "Adobe trick" of subscription coercion, I will go to figure out Affinity Photo a bit more and how it really competes with Capture1 workflow. It seems you guys are as hellbent to piss off small customers as Adobe were a few years ago.
I understand that you guys want to sell the C1 at a high price.
Don't get confused by complicated prices. Reward your customers with simple and affordable prices.
Customers are much colder than you think.
This article is just marketing way to say - cmoon guys, we will milk you even more... So, no. If you go this way, 23 will be most probably last capture one i buy.
These are great news for Adobe, unquestioningly! And all the tables and clarifications are a big mess. It's almost impossible to understand the amounts involved in each option and what they really mean in practical terms. C1 is seriously trying to commit suicide.
It's clear now the company thinks the target audience for Capture One Pro are 'Professionals' and not Amateurs/Enthusiasts. They tried to attract new users with 'simple' HDR and Panorama tools, but the recent updates (including Capture One Live) seem to be geared toward fashion/wedding/product photographers.
Remember the time Adobe sold perpetual license for Lightroom and Photoshop: they were aimed at professional users with hefty price tags. By moving to the subscription model and effectively lowering the prices (especially for the photographers plan) they managed to increase the user base and the total revenue.
Capture One seems to take the opposite direction: trying to increase the revenue by increasing the prices (while decreasing the user base...).
OK...then it is clear for me.
C1-23 was my last version and then good bye C1.
It is my hard earned money that you will not get. There are other possibilities.
Really? It's like trying to work out your electricity bill.
Sorry C1 you must publish all this stuff in German, French, etc. Even native English speakers seem not to understand all that stuff...
Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof…
I can't understand anything about it. Having to interpret the Excel table to find out which license to buy is deleterious.
That is not a loyalty plan, that name is just not honest. I paied less until now with the upgrades per year and did not have to fear to loose access to my catalog without paying.
You want to get rid of your customers. Well done! This is really annoying.
I just published my thoughts on all of this... please take a look at the article.
https://photopxl.com/capture-one-we-are-breaking-up/
I switched to Capture One 4 years ago. I have been a big and vocal fan, telling many other photographers they should try it. But all these confusing games and price increases and left me with the same response as many above... I no longer trust Capture One as a company and will be seeking new options. Capture One seems to be caught in there own greedy echo chamber and doing a money grab without listening to customers. Very sad.
Wow, I'm not sure how you could have made this any more opaque. If I'm interpreting this new model correctly, it is far more expensive than the competition. A very bad business strategy.
Hi, last year I spent 140 Euro to upgrade from 22 to 23. Quite a difference from your upcoming “loyalty” statement. I’m using your software since v3 and I can imagine how much it costs to develop and improve constantly as you do. Having say that is a 30-40% increase since last year, not a small step.
>Those price comparison tables for the Perpetual License are dishonest.
Also table tells nothing about features you get. Previously if you upgraded once per year, you basically had latest features all the time. Now, if you upgrade once a year you only have what you originally purchased plus some period of bug fixes (not a year as new version with feature updates will come sooner - which was their reason (sorry, I meant excuse) for this change). In worst case scenario you may need to upgrade couple of times in one year if your bugs are fixed together with new feature version.
Then let's hope that the bill works out for you after all the cows that don't want to be milked like that have jumped off. Sitting on a high horse can also be dangerous. Fortunately, there are still alternatives.
Tables aren't clear at all. I only upgrade when there is something worthwhile in the new version - nothing in 23 over 22 for my use. I also only upgrade when a discount is offered - if no discounts are going to be offered in the future then may be Lightroom, or one of the others, here I come, or I would put off upgrade for 3 years thereby keeping cost down to £100 pa. I am retired so can't afford major costs every year.
Subscriptions need to be more competitive with Lightroom/Photoshop, if they were I might then switch to subscription. I am sure many users use CO because of the perpetual licence, so don't change it! Why would I spend £1074 over 6 years when Lightroom/Photoshop would only cost me £720? Why is it that US pricing $179 per year is so much cheaper than UK pricing at £179?
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