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Own: What happens after you buy · Tech & software

Lifetime software deals that change later: fair or not?

Many people buy software, a WordPress plugin or theme, or a desktop app because the deal includes free or lifetime updates. Later the seller changes course: updates now need a yearly fee, or the product moves to a subscription. The copy you have usually keeps working, but without updates it can slowly fall behind. Is changing the deal after you paid fair?

Is it fair to sell software with free or lifetime updates, then start charging for those updates later?

Be one of the first to vote.

What happens

A developer sells a license with updates included, sometimes called lifetime, unlimited, or free updates. Months or years later, a new owner or a new business plan takes over. Updates now require renewing a yearly license, buying a new major version, or switching to a monthly plan. Older buyers may be moved to the new terms or told their deal only covered the old version.

In WordPress, many premium plugins already sell yearly licenses. When a license lapses, the plugin usually keeps running, but updates, downloads, and support stop, and some features may turn off. Over time, WordPress and other plugins change, and an un-updated plugin can break or leave a security gap. Desktop apps follow a similar path when a maker moves to subscriptions.

Why many people say it’s not fair

  • Buyers paid partly for a promise of future updates, and that promise was changed afterward.
  • Words like lifetime often mean the life of the product or company, which buyers rarely expect.
  • Without updates, software can become insecure, forcing people to pay again just to stay safe.
  • Some licenses turn off paid features when they expire, not just updates.
  • Fine print can let the seller change terms, and few buyers read it.
  • Moving to subscriptions can cost long-time users far more over the years.

The other side

Developers say updates are ongoing work. WordPress, browsers, and operating systems keep changing, and each change can require fixes, testing, and support. One-time sales do not pay for years of that work, and a product that cannot pay its makers may be abandoned entirely, which is worse for buyers.

Many sellers say the version you bought keeps working, and some offer loyalty pricing. Some companies, like JetBrains, let subscribers keep a permanent license to an older version after a year of paying.

Options you may not be told about

Your copy often keeps working after a license lapses. Yoast and Smash Balloon both say their plugins keep running, though updates, support, and some features stop.
WordPress plugins and themes are generally GPL-licensed, according to WordPress.org. The GPL lets you keep, change, and share the code you received.
Ask the seller to honor your original deal in writing. Save your receipt and the sales page showing what was promised.
Look for vendors that offer a perpetual fallback license, like JetBrains, which lets you keep an older version after 12 months of subscribing.
If a seller made a specific promise and broke it soon after purchase, ask your card issuer how to dispute the charge.

What you can do

  1. Find and save your original receipt, license email, and a copy or screenshot of the sales page.
  2. Read the current license terms to see what you keep if you do not renew.
  3. Keep a backup of the last version you were entitled to download.
  4. Decide whether you need updates now, or can safely wait and renew only when needed.
  5. Look for maintained alternatives if security updates matter and the price no longer makes sense.
  6. Report misleading lifetime claims to the FTC or your state attorney general.

Rules and your rights

No federal law requires software sellers to provide updates for a set time; what you get depends mostly on your license terms. The FTC Act bars deceptive claims, so a lifetime promise that a seller did not mean to keep could be challenged, but no agency rule specifically covers lifetime software deals. WordPress plugins generally fall under the GPL, which lets you keep and modify code you already have. You can report problems at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or to your state attorney general.

Has this happened to you? Share what happened so others know what to expect.

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Related

Common questions

Does a WordPress plugin stop working when the license expires?

Usually not right away. Yoast, for example, says its plugin keeps working but updates, downloads, and support stop until you renew, and some features need an active subscription. Smash Balloon says feeds keep displaying but Pro settings lock after a grace period. Without updates, a plugin may eventually break as WordPress changes.

What does lifetime license usually mean?

It depends on the seller's terms. Often it means the lifetime of the product, or a specific major version, rather than your lifetime. Read the license agreement and sales page closely, and save copies. If a seller clearly promised something and then refused, a written complaint or card dispute may help.

Can I keep using old software after it moves to a subscription?

Often yes. The version you bought usually keeps running, though it may stop getting fixes. When Adobe moved Creative Suite to Creative Cloud in 2013, it said Creative Suite 6 would still be sold and get only bug fixes and compatibility updates. Check your license for any activation or account requirements.

Sources: Yoast: Does my plugin expire? ↗ · Smash Balloon: Will the plugin continue to work after my license expires? ↗ · WordPress.org: License ↗ · Open Source Initiative: GNU General Public License version 2 ↗ · JetBrains: What is a perpetual fallback license? ↗ · The Loop: Adobe shifts from Creative Suite to Creative Cloud (May 2013) ↗ · FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov announcement ↗

General information, not legal, financial or real estate advice. Whether a practice is fair is a matter of opinion; votes and shared experiences are the views of site visitors, not AblePro, Inc. Rules and company policies change; check current terms and your state’s rules.