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So, you use Pro Tools (or Sibelius or Media Composer). You've just heard there's a new version available, and you want to get it, but how do you move forward and get it?

Why The Terminology Feels Confusing

For a few years now, there's been a ton of misunderstanding about Avid's terminology surrounding full perpetual licenses, updates, subscriptions, and what honestly seems like a never-ending list of options. Well, hopefully we're going to be able to clear that up today.

How Upgrades Worked in the Past

In the old days before electronically-delivered licenses, when buying software meant buying a box full of disks, upgrading your Pro Tools version was simple. If you had version 7.3 and you wanted to get to version 7.4, you went to a retailer, bought the update, installed it, and away you went. Things haven't been that simple in years.

How Upgrades Work Today: Updates & Support Plan

These days, when you buy the full version of Pro Tools, it includes one year of 'free' updates and support. Think of it as an insurance policy of sorts. At the end of that year, you can buy another year of the Update & Support Plan. This updates your version to the current version and also gets you any subsequent updates for another year. It's a little unusual to be sure, but essentially a simple-to-understand system at its core.

Subscriptions Explained

Some time ago, Avid also brought out a subscription model. In other words, you could essentially 'rent' Pro Tools for a month or a year. It's just like saying a magazine subscription or using Netflix. When your period is up, you no longer have access. While many people, myself included, are not fans of 'renting' software, for some, it makes sense: occasional users, students, and others.

Why Both Systems Create Confusion

The biggest issue is that both systems are currently in place at the same time. We regularly get calls from customers saying they need to 'renew their Pro Tools, ' not even knowing if they rent or own. Additionally, through the Avid store for a while (possibly still true), when your Update & Support plan was due to expire, you'd get a message asking if you wanted to convert your license to a subscription.

This is not asking you to update your Update & Support plan; it's asking you (encouraging you, really) to switch to a subscription version, charging your credit card directly. Of course, if that's what you genuinely want to do, then that's fine. Of course, many people do not, and if they don't get downright angry, they often are at least confused.

Which Route Should You Take: Owning vs Renting?

So, you may be asking, which route should I take? Well, that depends, really. Let's do a quick comparison:

Perpetual license (owned)

• This feature allows you to update at your leisure as updates become available.
• Continued access to previous versions if needed.
• If you own your copy, nobody can take that away from you. It's yours. You may choose not to update it, but nobody is taking that away from you.
• More expensive

Subscription (rented)

• Always the current version of Pro Tools
• In the end, once expired, you don't have anything.
• Less expensive.

So what's better for you?

If you're a regular user or a professional, you should probably own it.

If you're a hobbyist, just testing the waters, or a student, you might be a good candidate for a subscription. Schools particularly like the subscription model as yearly renewals line up nicely with their annual budgets.

About Renewals vs Reinstatements

Until a year or so ago, it was actually even more confusing.

Previously, if you let the Update & Support plan expire for more than a month and then wanted to renew, Avid would charge you an extra fee for what was referred to as an Update & Support Plan REINSTATEMENT (as opposed to merely renewing while your current plan was still active).

Happily, that part has gone away for now, and even if you have a 5-year-old version of Pro Tools, you can now get back on the 'plan' with a simple renewal.

Mac Users: OS Compatibility Matters

While all of the above is true whether you're on Mac or Windows, Mac people have a harder time keeping up for the simple reason that every time Apple updates its OS version, older versions of Pro Tools may not run properly or even be supported.

It's an issue for sure, and if you're on a Mac, you should definitely keep track of which version is compatible with your current OS version. In extreme cases, when people update their Pro Tools after being away from it for a while, they may need to purchase an entirely new computer.

Here is a link to Pro Tools' current operating system compatibility chart. It's worth bookmarking so you can stay on top of things.