Next phase of subscription transition announced

[Richard Doll]

Dear Community Members, 

Following my recent Graphisoft Insights post on the Subscription transition update, we know how important this topic is for you as our clients and anticipate your comments and questions. To streamline communication, we’ve created this thread to gather everything in one place. We’ll also use it to identify topics that may need further clarification, which we’ll address on our FAQ page.

Please note that while we cannot respond to individual questions in the forum, your local representative is available for personalized support.

Best regards,
Richard

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

[Jp1138]

You are completely right: once you enter the subscription realm, you are at the mercy of GS. That´s why nearly every software tries to go to this model, as it has no drawbacks for them - if they convince their clients to start paying, of course.

[Karl Ottenstein]

True - just as we had no idea what the SSA payment would be from year to year either.  But, Graphisoft is at least offering a known 3 year (to 6 year) contract price upon certain conversion options... giving a predictable budget for that time period:
https://graphisoft.com/convert-ssa-forward-to-archicad-collaborate

[Rex]

Good point Karl - that's why I locked in on a conversion option early on. Been enjoying the Collaborate SAAS improvements

[ryejuan]

Yes, I understand where you are coming from but what I understand is that for the 3 year contract that you will subscribe you will get the almost same price you are paying in your SSA/ Forward (if you manage to get the promo they offer) which is like the same as having a perpetual license then after that contract period you can either decide if you want to continue or just revert back to the perpetual license which they coined perpetual fallback which gives you that current Archicad version.

At the end of the day we are just using their tools and they are in command to whatever they want to do... 

[Koji]

Graphisoft has been unable to understand something very simple. If you intend to make a subscription program by eliminating the perpetual license, at least this subscription has to be really affordable.

Adobe charges €70 per month for its ENTIRE suite (Photoshop, Acrobat, Lightroom, illustrator, premiere) while Graphisoft intends to charge more than double.

It is an absolute shame and for my part my relationship with Graphisoft is over, which I should remember that greed has made larger companies disappear.

[Jp1138]

The example they are following is Autodesk, that charges double of what they are askinig, so in their view they are very cheap...

[mthd]

There is also a big difference between Architectural and Engineering software when you make an honest appraisal. True Archicad is one of the best Architectural solutions out there but not the only option available. I personally prefer to own my software like many others do too. We will see what the future holds. I don’t mind using an older version of Archicad becuase future versions will not exactly be re-inventing the wheel. The new CEO has been recruited as the terminator of the perpetual upgrade of AC. Asta La Vista Baby ! 😆.

[Jp1138]

I´m in the same boat as you.

What worries me is the support GS will give to perpetual users when you lose your license in a computer malfunction...

Sooner or later they are pushing us to look for other options.

[Lingwisyer]

I was very disappointed when there was no option for a hardware key when we got a new licence for that reason...

[mthd]

Please also read the fine print in the updated FAQ’s on this web page for more information about conversion to subscriptions. Here is the link for those that need more information. 

https://graphisoft.com/convert-ssa-forward-to-archicad-collaborate/

In my circumstances I am happy with the last perpetual version they can offer me.

If a GS representative would like to negotiate, please negotiate with GS HQ to not terminate perpetual license upgradability. If you can’t then I am happy with last version you can provide me with. After that I will leave my future options open.

[jl_lt]

we have simple tastes, so we are happy with 22 or 25. we dont care about anything GS has offered after that.

[stoneunturned]

I imagine shorting Nemetschek SE near the end of the year would be wise.

[Eric Milberger]

Graphisoft.  IT is hard to find Engineers I I can work with as there are none I can find in a 4 hour drive.  

So I am am island and lose a lot financially coordinating with those in other software.

I would like to make a suggestion.

1. Keep the license and keep a year refresh update.  
2. Create a yellow pages for all your customers (on their approval)              
   1. We need to work with others but cannot find others to work with.
   2. include there names and disciplines
3. grow your base - and do not handicap your base. 
   1. If you have to stop perpetual license - go ahead. 
   2. But do not punish your current users.

[MDunkin]

I just discovered today that if you are not current on your perpetual maintenance you lose access to the Python palette and PARAM-O retroactively. 

We have paid our maintenance from version 24 through version 28 on 11 licenses.  We are currently in discussion with GS about migrating to the subscription model and have not yet paid for 2025 and as of today I have lost access to these tools in all versions that my maintenance is current on.

Show me in my contract where it says GS can remove features from the software we have already paid for.

[Botonis]

Strange.I only thought that only the AI Addon needed Subscription . There was no other discussion for other addons.

[Barry Kelly]

---

@MDunkin wrote:

Show me in my contract where it says GS can remove features from the software we have already paid for.

---

Graphisoft have not removed anything.

You have chosen not to pay the SSA support, therefor, you no longer get what you were paying for - support, license insurance, SSA only features, etc.

To be honest it is something I had not thought about (the SSA extras).

I was happy to not switch to collaboration subscription, and continue with SSA until it stops.

But I might have to re-think that if SSA features will also stop.

Paramo being an SSA feature - that does not bother me as I don't use it.

Same for Echo Designer * - I think that might be an SSA feature - again I don't use it so it does not affect me.

I am not sure about Python being an SSA feature - not that I have gotten into it, but it could be useful.

But what else is there?

Access to the additional surface catalogue - fortunately once downloaded you no longer need access.

There must be other items I am sure - I will need to keep my eyes open.

Barry.

[MDunkin]

So me where it says Python is only available with an active SSA?  

We are working with GS to finalize our 3yr subscription deal, but at this point I think we are not switching to subscription, but rather back to Revit. 

[Barry Kelly]

---

@MDunkin wrote:

So me where it says Python is only available with an active SSA?  

---

I can't show you where it says this, I said I was not sure if that was the case - I don't use Python so have never looked into it.

That is something you will have to ask Graphisoft.

All I can see in my searching is that you need to install Python and simply have Archicad 24 or above.

No mention of it being an SSA feature.

And there is a Python Palette that needs to be turned on in the Work Environment ...

Barry.

[MinhNguyen]

You guys raised a valid point. I'm learning Python API from time to time so this is kinda important to me. I looked into GS's documents and indeed, Python API is part of SSA/Forward benefits. References:

https://graphisoft.com/forward/

https://graphisoft.com/legal/forward-services-and-benefits/int (point 2.9)

Bummer, guess we have to go to subscriptions, there's no other way to keep Python alive with perpetual licenses

[Barry Kelly]

Thanks for the links Minh.

So it seems SSA/Forward benefits are ...

• Free and discounted access to online product and upgrade training courses according to Graphisoft’s Learn Program official pricelist
• BIMx model hosting in Graphisoft’s cloud
• Extra capabilities in the Software to customize and automate workflows via the Archicad Python API
• Extra capabilities in the Software to enable the creation of custom parametric objects with Param-o
• Extra capabilities in the Software to create high-quality photorealistic renderings with the built-in Maxon Redshift rendering engine
• Extra capabilities in the Software to create manufacturer-specific library content with Library Part Maker
• An Additional Surface Catalog
• Technical support
• License insurance

Something to think about, are these features important to you if you stop the SSA/Forward support and don't take up the collaboration subscription?

Barry.

[Jp1138]

The moment they started putting aleatory things into SSA, it was evident we were in some kind of subscription lite. The problem is now you can´t continue to pay for it even if you wanted. Another preasure measure from GS, as those things had no reason to be SSA only.

I can understand AI features to be SSA/subscription only, as they "consume" CPU time and someone has to pay for it. But many of these other things were always an artificial addon to SSA, and another way for GS to thread waters about people willingness to pay a mandatory subscription, first for some features and later for the complete suite.

It would be very easy for GS to "liberate" all this on latest perpetual version, as a small gesture to old time users. I don´t think they will do it, sadly 😑