topic SSA 2024 COST INCREASE? in Licensing

SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

Fritz T — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 08:01:07 GMT

Good morning all.

I would like to ask comment from SSA users in other international locations on if they have been advised of an increase in monthly SSA cost for 2024?

SSA subscribers in South Africa have been advised of a cost increase for 2024 that equates to 21% over the previous year, and I believe it excessive and out of proportion to previous years.

The local AC Graphisoft licensee claims this increase was brought about by Graphisoft, so this just to query that.

please assist?

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

Jp1138 — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 11:49:15 GMT

In our case, the yearly SSA price went up a 35% from 2022 to 2023... We are in Spain.

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

rdo — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 20:50:23 GMT

We in New Zealand just got hit with 96% in 2024 and like you, I believe it is excessive. It will hurt small and solo Architecture firms.

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

jl_lt — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 06:53:33 GMT

Evidently, the increase is on pace with recent archicad development of features along with the solution of past problems. Nothing to be angry about

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

Fritz T — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 07:52:56 GMT

So in your opinion it goes to "recent archicad development of features" and "solution of past problems".

In the first instance, the question to be asked then, will the additional improvements equate to a similar ROI on design speed and documentation solutions, not yet in use? What could these be?

In terms of "solution of past problems", I think it a simple and reasonable expectation that a product should work as promised. If not it implies an oversight by the development team that should be resolved as part of the existing purchase. Why should you pay for it twice?

As with any other expense, it would be a reasonable expectation that annual increases on business expenses can be expected to be in line with inflation, exchange rate fluctuations, etc. and one can plan accordingly, especially for a practice with multiple licenses. In our case this should be no more than 5-6% pa. Eurozone inflation rate is even less, maybe 2 - 2,5%.

96% is crazy! I'm not up to date with NZ/Euro currency exchange rates, and local inflation seems to be similar to that of SA, but I can imagine it not to fluctuate wildly, also maybe warranting no more than a 5-6% increase?

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

Jp1138 — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 12:23:52 GMT

They are raising maintenance price every year so getting a suscription becomes a better deal and we jump off perpetual licenses before they are discontinued. Then, they can begin the rise of suscription prices as there is no other alternative...

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

Martin Jules — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 12:10:40 GMT

In business, and in the field of technology, there's always an alternative.

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

Jp1138 — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 12:23:03 GMT

Of course. But companies count on the investment already made will keep most of their current customers tied to their solutions. Their asumptions may be proven wrong, though...

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

jl_lt — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 15:51:08 GMT

It was a little joke man, but thanks for all the useful data!

If anything, they should be paying US for having to put up with so much indolence for the last 5 years.

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

MASz — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 21:40:03 GMT

Yes, hit by the price increase in Australia. I have raised a complaint about it.

It would be more palatable if Archicad 27 were actually usable and there were actual plans to fix the core problems. As it stands, the 2d drawing infrastructure is broken and unusable, the 3d window performance is broken and unusable, Graphisoft comes up with excuses why they should not improve core features such as IFC interoperability and their developers are very unwilling to address bugs. I am very skeptical the situation will be any better in Archicad 28, not that I should have to wait for a whole new version to have functional software.

Therefore, I would like to see the justification for why Graphisoft should raise the price of subscription. Just because everyone else is doing it?

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

Martin Jules — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 23:42:50 GMT

The high percentage of the rising costs every year becomes a scam. Generally, price increase should follow the inflation curve. Beyond 3 to 4%, it’s worth questioning.

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

Fritz T — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 06:22:38 GMT

🙂no offense meant...

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

gpowless — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 13:16:55 GMT

The increase in prices of any commodity has little to do with the research, development or maintenance of the product. Rather it is about a return on investment for shareholders. You see as companies grow and then enter the investment market their duty switches to the shareholders - not the consumers. When ROI looks good it increases stock value and entices more investment.

Graphisoft is no different.

They develop just a little - just enough to keep current users continuing purchasing subscriptions or renewals - and as long as we pay, companies will not change their corporatist behavior. That isn't to say that the lower end programmers and developers of the technology don't care but they are limited by budgets and upper management decisions to delay the release of important improvements .So like the OCD plagued masochists we imagine ourselves to be, we keep coming back for more. They know how hard it is for architects and designers to divest after using their proprietary software for decades.

They have only offered us the blue pen. To realize change we must be willing to go back to using the red pencil instead. (Something I have always realized in life in general that while it may not be as fast or efficient, low technology will always win over new technology.)

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

rdo — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 19:18:20 GMT

Hi MASZ, What is the percentage increase in Australia in 2024? We get hit by 96% increases from April 2024.

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

MASz — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 21:44:41 GMT

The yearly subscription cost has risen from AU$1980 to AU$2300 excluding tax.

Central Innovation, my Archicad provider, wrote the following:
"This price increase is due to a significant increase in the product price by Graphisoft. While we've absorbed a significant portion of the increase, we've had to adjust our prices to ensure the continuity of our services."

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

KB-at-CWA — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 01:35:02 GMT

The finance person in my office just worked it out at 18% if you take in to account there was a price increase already this financial year and it is 21% increase if you don't. This has me very worried as the office I am at is only 18 months into its Archicad journey and they still have an old software package and they may just stop their subscription over this and go back. The management team are very offended over what has happened. As for my personal solo license I think I will have to cancel my subscription as I can't cover the costs.

This is a disaster.

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

KB-at-CWA — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 02:21:32 GMT

So who signed off on this disproportionate increase?

Graphisoft has announced that American Huw Roberts is leaving his role as CEO by mutual agreement. He has been replace by Daniel Csillag.

Csillag has a background at Nemetschek, having served as CEO at Nevaris and General Manager of Bluebeam (DACH region) from 2017 to 2022. Since then, he has been Chief Revenue Officer at Thinkproject, a software company focused on construction and asset management. His LinkedIn states his experience leading “units up to 600 employees” and has successfully reorganized three firms to “turn around declining revenues back into double-digit growth.”

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

mthd — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 02:31:25 GMT

😳

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

MASz — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 07:03:39 GMT

At this point, I am seriously considering not renewing my subscription. I need to explore that option with my reseller. Perhaps I can resume it in future when Graphisoft have cleaned up their act, but the state of Archicad 27 is really poor and based on recent communication with Graphisoft, I have very little hope in the future of Archicad.

I would encourage others to consider whether renewing their subscription is worth it. Possibly raise complaints with the local reseller. Graphisoft are begging to lose customers with their current trajectory.

I have to assume that there is a deep incompetency there, internal problems, business culture problems. Just look at how badly their bugs are handled, bugs that should not even be there in the first place. Replacing the CEO probably only goes so far. Many instances in the corporate world where a change of leadership does not result in any improvement. Would be nice to be proven wrong, I'd like to see some fireworks soon.

Re: SSA 2024 COST INCREASE?

mthd — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 07:30:20 GMT

Everyone has to make his own business decisions for the future and what they can and can’t budget for. The problem is that when you drop the SSA, it costs a lot to upgrade again and who knows when they will catch the sub only bug ? I hope they don’t follow the US market and only provide subscriptions only. If they do that there is probably one good side to that, in that they are forced to compete for business and that may cause them to lift their game. Who knows but I detest subscriptions only but if the price is right and the product is very good I might be persuaded to change.