All Archicad Perpetual Licenses Terminated at the end of 2026

[mthd]

After the end of 2026 we are all required to proceed with a subscription only for Archicad. We will probably be left with last perpetual upgrade version that we have acquired while our SSA/FW contracts are still active ?

There has been an official announcement that has been sugar coated as I see it and put forth for discussions. Maybe hoping to somehow soften the blow for up and coming mandatory subscriptions after 2026 whether we approve of it or not.

Here is a link if you haven’t already read it from the main community page.

https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Graphisoft-Insights/Important-update-Next-phase-of-subscription-...

I personally do not approve of this move and feel like I am being coerced to accept it by a process of gradual announcements. I am not interested in changing to other CAD packages but if Graphisoft comes up with more significant improvements after 2026 we are now required to take out a subscription.

How do others feel about this up and coming change that we have no control over ?

[mthd]

IMHO Archicad should still be available as perpetual as long as a person is willing to pay his yearly fees. It should also be available as a subscription or rent for those who need it for that type of business model. 

Archicad should stick to what it does best “Architectural Construction Documentation” and “3D Architectural Design Modeling”. That should be the primary focus and as long as it collaborates seamlessly with other disciplines, it is all cool with me. When things get too complex and too complicated, certain things get neglected as we are seeing in recent versions in recent years.

For those who do not know what the “KISS” method means, Keep It Simple Silly. Why because that is the best method. With our drawings, it is better to have more specific drawings than to have one with too much information on it. You only confuse the stakeholders, planers and builders. This method has worked well for me over many years. If people get the point easier they will get the work done with less or no confusion. 

[jl_lt]

yeah, but GS wants none of that KISS method. 

however, they are becoming very adept at the MESS method (make everything stultifyingly silly).

peace to all!

[mthd]

lol 😆

[CosminF]

Hi,

My comprehension ability in this regard is very limited.

So, for my clarification, can somebody tell me if I understood correctly:

1. if I have an AC27 license, no SSA, would I be able to use AC27 in 2030 (for example) on my machine as I did until now? Or starting from 2026 I won't be able to access it anymore?

2. If I will want to upgrade to AC35 (or whatever version 2030 will bring) I will have to go into the subscription-based model and pay the yearly tax, correct?

Thank you and sorry if the question is very basic. 

[Jp1138]

You will be able to use your perpetual licenses "forever". as long as they work in your computer and don´t loose them on some hardware crash, etc (GS may help you in that case, usually for a price, but no guarantees) - that hasn´t changed.

And, as you say, no more future perpetual upgrades, you will have to get a suscription for that.

[CosminF]

Thank you! All is clear now. The term perpetual threw me off.

[Sharpeyespanda]

Plenty can happen till then. Anyway (CEO Daniel and or) Graphisoft is taking a turn that is not in their or their (our) clients best interest. Easier to find a reason to switch as soon as you find reasons good enough too. And the way things are on its way you need all assurances to have a stable partner that is gonna work in your favor. Digital canvas is just like universe, expanding. This is not a 5.99 Netflix subscription we are talking about either. As things are now I plan to get an upgrade to latest perpetual and then, we'll see...

[Jp1138]

The turn is clearly not in the clients best interest. If it is in GS´s interest remains to be seen. Spanish distributors tell us they are very happy with the subscription numbers they are getting right now... IS it for real? Will it last? Only time will tell, but if this doesn´t work I´m afraid GS will go down in flames before being able to return to the old ways. Looks like a no-win situation for current users 😥

[pgalante]

Distributors are not clients…

[Jp1138]

I was considering distributors part of GS (which they are really not), asuming that if they are happy with the numbers GS, is happy too.

I don´t think many clients are happy right now 😞

[jl_lt]

We are happy, but only superficially, on our curated instagram profiles.

[Mauricio_br]

Hello everyone,

As already mentioned, this mandatory change won't make much difference for big players, but for medium and small players it was a punch in the gut.

The worst part is that GS keeps changing its licensing and license management policy, which leaves a certain amount of distrust in the air.

At the moment I don't intend to switch from SSA precisely because of this, they might change everything again soon. Also because changing the standard of libraries from "monolithic" to "global" is already a time-consuming task and doesn't work as well as in the gourmet videos they post as tutorials.

[Sharpeyespanda]

This makes me think: back in the '90s, when you bought a PC or PlayStation game, you were done. You got the full experience for a one-time price—no hidden costs, no microtransactions, no endless expansion packs to drain your wallet. Top games were $50-100 to own without in-game purchases or expansion lists, or whatever crap they offer these days. My son  and daughter are playing now that's why I am somewhat in the loop, A game was a game then, and the value was in the product itself. You could enjoy it without worrying about what was going to cost you next.

The route I would advise Graphisoft is to slowly return to that mindset of offering more comprehensive, all-inclusive packages and put it all under one roof for the reasons mentioned (but not limited to), offer different ways of purchase and or subscription on top of ownership packages.

[Mauricio_br]

Sharpeyespanda, you said it right!
They have the Solo version and the Full version. But they lack the vision that they have small, medium and large customers. I'm small and I need to have the FULL version, I'm treated like a large company. But the worst part is the constant change in licensing policies.
Adobe and Microsoft have been offering promotions for their subscriptions because they realized that their customers are not willing to pay a lot for a subscription that does not give them ownership rights over the usage license. This impacts loyalty, we are not ATM's for their investors. We are professionals and workers who trust or not their tool.

[mthd]

Right now GS would have the figures of who has converted to a subscription and who has started one. We however do not have access to that information at present. Definitely the smaller and medium firms have the greater need for continuous truly perpetual licensing. So it would make sense that these companies may either stick to the so called final perpetual version or make a switch to another company that still offers a perpetual CAD product.

It very much appears that we are all being railroaded or herded into accepting or converting to a subscription model if we want to use the latest versions of the software. I would think we would have to accept that that scenario for now at least ? It would certainly be right for GS to let us use the final version of AC that we finish our subscription on so we can have continued access to our projects that were created in that version. Back saving can make things complicated and messy for us. How far back can we back save to ? Many questions like these will need to be addressed once GS end the perpetual licensing policy. My biggest concern with a subscription model is that  we may not have much of an influence on what we would like developed next. 

The recent roadmap changes with the change of the CEO leave me disillusioned with AC. Had they stuck to the original roadmap I would be have been more satisfied as many others would have been also. So future changes of management can and do affect the future development of AC in going forward. No one can predict what AC35 will look like but future clients will choose from what is available at that time. Whoever is the best in the business at that time will win more business, we all understand those market forces. Time will tell.

[jl_lt]

given the current pace, my prediction is that Archicad 35, if it actually gets that far, will be very similar to archicad 28, which is similar to 25, which is similar to 22....   minus the wall tool and the save as features of course, which  will only be available in the Archicad "government assisted office" version, the spiritual and logical succesor of the ill-fated Archicad "studio" version.

[mthd]

It will always be similar but how similar is the question 😆 ! 

[Sharpeyespanda]

The wisest thing Graphisoft could do is to offer me big money/benefits to be their advisor 😎...

[Mauricio_br]

Here in Brazil, Adobe, a software giant, has been working hard to attract consumers to buy subscriptions for its complete suite of applications.
They are running a campaign offering a 49% discount on the annual plan.

The GS window until 2026 for perpetual licenses will be a barometer to measure the success or otherwise of this new-new and aggressive shift in licensing policy.