Pricing?

[carca]

ok, ok, I see that the topic interests a lot of people!

I follow the developed arguments and as far as I am concerned, I have been with the Serif Affinity software since the first beta version of Photo. I have now bought and downloaded the complete suite. So dont you please throw stones at me!! It remains that a big rebate does not mean much... Important in the end is the net price you pay...And I admit we have here a fair offer...

 

[garrettm30]

17 minutes ago, Jolinar said:

I've seen some concerns about it, especially when people don't know how long they're paying for until V3 comes out. A year? Six months? Three months? (Realistically, no, but the question is still valid, I think)

All we have to go on is Serif’s past history with the Affinity line. That line began with Designer in 2014, and this is Designer’s first paid update, so 8 years in that case. The newest of the three is Publisher in 2019, so about three and a quarter years in that case.

Who knows what Serif will do going forward. Now that all three apps are available for all three platforms, I assume that it won’t go as long as 8 years, but I don’t think two or three years will be so unlikely.

[Armelline]

1 hour ago, Pšenda said:

Yes - and that's why you get a 40% discount!!! Doesn't it seem like enough? How much would you imagine?

It's a fair discount but it's very time limited so it's not upgrade pricing.

 

1 hour ago, Pšenda said:

Did you not receive an email?

Nope.

[dominik]

1 hour ago, Jolinar said:

At least the old versions are not made obsolete and as long as there's file compatibility (I hope?), then it's not an issue.

Hello @Jolinar,

welcome to the forums.

File compatibility is one way only. V2 apps can open V1 files but not the other way round.

d.

[David Gill]

When you compare Serif to other software companies, most release new versions on a yearly basis with a few tweaked upgrades to try and bait customers to pay an upgrade price. I see this with Corel for example, every year they do this, with all their software. Whereas Serif has given free upgrades for 8 years, and now, with some significant upgrades they've not only offered a 40% discount to everyone, but they offer the Suite of 3 apps at even lower price than if you bought each one individually. On top of that, you can use each of the 3 apps on 3 different devices for one bulk price. Personally I see Serif as company worthy of paying the price, I want them to keep feeding the art community tools to work at a reasonable price. On top of that, they've shown themselves to be very generous over the past few years selling their software at 50% price points during covid - which is what got me hooked on their software. I'd be considered a newer customer, I think I've only used it for a year and a half and I don't mind paying the price for the latest version of Affinity. Keep in mind too, there aren't just key new features that have been added, they made some vast improvements to current features, such as fantastic upgrades to the layers panel. I'm sure there's much more to explore!

[Armelline]

1 hour ago, David Gill said:

When you compare Serif to other software companies, most release new versions on a yearly basis with a few tweaked upgrades to try and bait customers to pay an upgrade price. I see this with Corel for example, every year they do this, with all their software. Whereas Serif has given free upgrades for 8 years, and now, with some significant upgrades they've not only offered a 40% discount to everyone, but they offer the Suite of 3 apps at even lower price than if you bought each one individually. On top of that, you can use each of the 3 apps on 3 different devices for one bulk price. Personally I see Serif as company worthy of paying the price, I want them to keep feeding the art community tools to work at a reasonable price. On top of that, they've shown themselves to be very generous over the past few years selling their software at 50% price points during covid - which is what got me hooked on their software. I'd be considered a newer customer, I think I've only used it for a year and a half and I don't mind paying the price for the latest version of Affinity. Keep in mind too, there aren't just key new features that have been added, they made some vast improvements to current features, such as fantastic upgrades to the layers panel. I'm sure there's much more to explore!

I suspect the view people hold will depend on how long they've had their licenses. If you've had it a year, you're much more likely to be looking for upgrade pricing. If you've had it for 8 years, you're probably not at all fussed. I personally don't see any reason to upgrade my Photo license given the lack of new features that will matter to me and the way Affinity completely ignore long-standing and relatively simple feature requests, to the extent it feels almost like disdain, especially when I've only had my license about a year (maybe more, but feels like about a year).

[jamratt]

This is somewhat related to the pricing commentary. With this being the second full suite release, has anyone seen a definitive version release goal?

Will this be a 12, 18, 24 month full version cycle?

I hope it doesn't go the old Adobe route of 12-18 months and fork out more dough. It's why I moved to Affinity for my freelance work. Less frequent outlay of cash for a side hustle.

It has been a wonder when this, inevitable, step would come from Affinity/Serif. Serif doesn't sell hardware or other services, having a forever-perpetual license was never going to be reality. (Apple sells hardware and services so Final Cut being truly perpetual can work)

I'm not butt-hurt over the lack of special pricing for existing users (Even if we did buy multiple OS versions of each software). Existing users get lots of extra offers for Affinity brushes and the like anyway.

[walt.farrell]

17 minutes ago, jamratt said:

With this being the second full suite release, has anyone seen a definitive version release goal?

Will this be a 12, 18, 24 month full version cycle?

Serif hasn't said anything publicly. V1 was what, a 7 year version cycle?

We can't know if V2 will last that long, but it would be a big change (and a surprise to many of us) to see it as short as 24 month.

[debraspicher]

2 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Serif hasn't said anything publicly. V1 was what, a 7 year version cycle?

We can't know if V2 will last that long, but it would be a big change (and a surprise to many of us) to see it as short as 24 month.

Maybe not if they really push themselves hard with v2 and knock out their roadmap. That's a best case scenario. If it means they move to v3 faster than expected, then that would be welcome in my view if it means quality competition. I somehow doubt they would move to v3 with fewer changes than what they delivered in v1. Many would notice that.

[Metalhead]

25 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Serif hasn't said anything publicly. V1 was what, a 7 year version cycle?

We can't know if V2 will last that long, but it would be a big change (and a surprise to many of us) to see it as short as 24 month.

Designer was a 7 year version cycle... Publisher was launched in June '19 as 1.7 and got to 1.10 in August '21 and still lacks of essential features for magazine production. Most of Publisher's updates were just bug fixing in the past.

[Armelline]

People keep talking about 8 years and 7 years and ignoring that the number of years is pretty much irrelevant. What matters is the number and quality of updates in that time. Which, since I've bought anything from Affinity, at least, has been few and minor. Maybe the pace and substance of updates was better in the early years?

[garrettm30]

4 minutes ago, Metalhead said:

Most of Publisher's updates were just bug fixing in the past.

Preflight, templates, IDML import, save as package, data merge. Those are several big features added in V1 after Publisher's release.

[chakko007]

7 hours ago, cookepuss said:

They're still cheaper than anything from camp Adobe.

Well... maybe we shouldn't see that as the benchmark.

The Affinity apps cost 54.99 € originally (with occasional discount prices of 24.99 €), then they bumped the price in Covid times to 64.99 €, and now they cost 84.99 €. Pretty steep... my math says that's a raise of ~57 %.

I surely won't upgrade anytime soon... as a mere hobbyist, I also have to keep my money together.

Edit: Looks like the original price at release was even lower... 49.99 €.

[gabriel_komorov]

7 minutes ago, chakko007 said:

The Affinity apps cost 54.99 € originally (with occasional discount prices of 24.99 €), then they bumped the price in Covid times to 64.99 €, and now they cost 84.99 €. Pretty steep... my math says that's a raise of ~57 %.

So... you're complaining about 60% increase in 6+ years time span?

[ipaqrat]

A hundred bucks!  I'm THRILLED. I'd be thrilled to pay full price, but their site won't let me. I made a point to avoid the Apple Store this round, so Serif could keep more of the money.

But for Pete's sake, can we PLEASE have bitmap auto-trace.  In 1995, I convert a helicopter parts catalog from paper-pasteup into true modern digital publication. There were hundreds of illustrations, with callouts. If Macromedia Freehand hadn't been able to auto-trace from the current catalog pages, I'd have jumped, I swear I would 🤪 

Oh, and since I'm down this rabbit hole... Can you please also build/acquire/integrate an asset cataloging tool? No matter how Adobe pisses me off, I still can't quit Lightroom. Obviously, neither MacOS Finder/Photos, nor Windows Explorer/Photos is worthy of consideration; they're not only garbage, they're parasites, constantly trying to trick you into uploading everything to their clouds.  

OK, sorry to whine on V2 Day. Do carry on! God save the King (since you have one of those again)! Cheerio!

[Metalhead]

1 minute ago, garrettm30 said:

Preflight, templates, IDML import, save as package, data merge. Those are several big features added in V1 after Publisher's release.

I wouldn't call it "big features" to get absolut basic functions that should have been included in the 1.7 launch version. I started with InDesign CS2 from 2005 - I don't know a dtp world without "save as package" or templates. Maybe my expectations were too high for Publisher's release und now I'm disappointed to pay again for more basic features like span columns or global layers they are still not present.

[chakko007]

10 minutes ago, gabriel_komorov said:

So... you're complaining about 60% increase in 6+ years time span?

Yeah. 60 % in 6 years is a lot.

Developers are not the only ones which are affected by higher costs of living.

[garrettm30]

1 minute ago, Metalhead said:

I wouldn't call it "big features" to get absolut basic functions

Everyone has a different idea about what are basic features. How many people even know what preflight is? It is greatly useful once you get to know it, but I think some people would consider it a pro feature rather than absolutely basic. And IDML import is much appreciated but far from required. It must have been a lot of work to implement too, even if we only judge from the outside when we remember how much beta testing went into that feature. Basic perhaps, perhaps not, but it was still a lot of work to develop.

[walt.farrell]

10 minutes ago, chakko007 said:

Yeah. 60 % in 6 years is a lot.

I'm curious: have you factored in the savings with a Universal license, assuming you would otherwise purchase 3 desktop apps?

[chakko007]

The Universal license is new though, isn't it? And, with the discount, it's 199 € as well, which is about 40 € more than the three v1 apps would have cost a few years back.

Not to mention that not everyone needs all the apps. I have no use at all for Publisher, for example. And almost no use for Designer.

I bought both APhoto and ADesigner on a sale, by the way, 27 € each, IIRC. That's 54 € in total for those 2 apps. Buying v2 of both apps would cost me 98 €. That's almost double the price.

Just saying. Admittedly, 27 € for each was a steal, but, you get used to it when a software is priced like that, and find it hard to justify such an increase in price, when you're merely a hobbyist who doesn't use the software on a daily base.

[Pšenda]

30 minutes ago, chakko007 said:

and find it hard to justify such an increase in price

Then obviously this sw is not meant for you, and there is nothing easier than to leave it and pay attention to another.

[chakko007]

No. I'll continue to use Photoshop Elements and Affinity Photo v1. I wouldn't know why to "leave it and pay attention to another", just because I don't like the new version's pricing.

Life isn't black/white.

I'm sure you'll agree that I'm as entitled to an opinion on the price as the people who insta buy it though.

[Pšenda]

5 hours ago, Armelline said:

Nope.

Have you shopped at the Affinity Store? Then I would expect yes. But if you bought in another store, then of course Serif knows nothing about you, and therefore cannot give you any information.

[Pšenda]

10 hours ago, carca said:

What? no special upgrading price for those who bought and own version 1???

In case you're wondering:

 

 

[rcsilber]

I'm not sure what the rationale is for those upset with the price. I was with Adobe products since around 1999-2000, and their update prices were much higher. Not satisfied with their subscription model, where one loses access when payment stops, I had to leave. Affinity however is simply a purchase, and one is able to upgrade or not.

Seriously, $40 is a bargain for an upgrade that is as significant as version 2. And let's be fair: research and development is not free. So one should expect and new version at no cost? As stated by Affinity staff:

Quote

Ashley Hewson concludes: 

“The ability to buy for a one-off payment is something that makes Affinity the only viable option for many of the brilliant and inspiring creative people around the world, who would otherwise not have access to the highest-quality tools. There has been a lot of speculation about us moving to subscription recently, so I’m pleased to confirm that isn’t the case!

“For our existing customers we have also been very conscious that, considering many of our sales are generated via app stores, it’s not possible to provide upgrade pricing. That’s the main reason we have decided to offer such a large launch discount – to give users a chance to upgrade at an incredible price.”

Users who don’t require the full package will still be able to buy Affinity Photo 2, Affinity Designer 2 or Affinity Publisher 2 individually for Mac, PC or iPad with the same 40% launch discount. All apps, including the V2 Universal Licence, are also available as a 30-day free trial.

With the great work and quality product that Serif staff is turning out, I will expect another cost when version 3 comes about. It's the cost of business. For me, I'm happy to update a mere $40 for the must-have features that are in Version 2. Your expectations may be different. 😉