Pro Tools 2019 Perpetual or Subscription?

[chad_strung]

I just bought a new (used) Macbook Pro. mid-2014. My old laptop was a mid 2012. I have been running Pro tools 10/11, since Feb. of 2014.

I have some newer hardware I'd like to start using (First gen Apollo, specifically).

So I want to upgrade my new computer to a new version of Pro Tools. I'm just not sure if I should do the perpetual for $599, and then buy updates for it, for $199? Or do the subscription for $299/yr?

If i do the perpetual for $599, can I update it for $199, at anytime, or do I have to do that every year? I heard that I could buy the perpetual license, and then update it for $299 at anytime?

Who's got some info?

[kslight]

I’m pretty sure the current perpetual (changed in last few months) scoop is $599 then $199 per year, if you let it lapse it’s either $299 or $599 to reinstate it...I don’t remember. Actually now that I think about it they may require you to forfeit your perpetual and subscribe instead (meaning it won’t work if you quit paying). Don’t quote me on that.

I’ve been on the perpetual plan and when they announced the price doubling per year I made a commitment to stick it out — I’m not paying $200 a year for one or two minor updates, the same performance glitches that have plagued pro tools for years, general lagging behind other DAWs... if you don’t absolutely need Pro Tools I suggest not starting this cycle back up now, move on to another DAW when there’s a good crossgrade sale (probably Black Friday ish), or stick with your old pro tools.

IMHO it’s especially not important to have the latest pro tools if you are not using the latest computers, Mac OS (as long as it took to get avid to support Mojave, I’m sure it’ll take another year to support Catalina), etc...

Just my two cents. Take the opportunity to at least demo some other DAWs before dropping the big bucks. Unless you already know that only pro tools will do for you.

[Nick Sevilla]

Go here:

https://www.sweetwater.com/shop/pro-too ... de/finder/

They are great at advising you honestly.
Talk to Matt or Kenny Bergle at extension 1270.
Been buying from them since at least 2001.

[chad_strung]

I'd love to stick with PT 11. but I am running mountain lion, and I cant upgrade to El Capitan, or something a little newer, (but not Mojave because PT 11 isn't compatable) (i don't trust buying an installer on ebay or something like that) or anything else that will run 11. But I can't get my Apollo to work properly with mountain lion.

I'm in one of those Mac/pro tools/ hardware black holes. I gotta make a move before the Apollo first gen doesn't work with anything!

[chad_strung]

OK. I'll call Sweetwater. I think they have great customer service, in my experience.

[mwerden]

+1 for perpetual vs subscription. What a money suck. I've had a perpetual license for at least a few years - theoretically if you use a perpetual license for 3 years you've saved $$$, depending on where you go from there. As kslight said, things with ProTools are not so awesome that you need the newest buggy version every release, so if you can commit to an OS and computer situation for 3 years with a perpetual license that seems like a good deal to me. Four years and now you're talking.

For your particular situation it seems to come down to the computer/OS. Maybe you can get 3 or 4 more years out of your comp, but maybe not. Still, older comp means you shouldn't want to keep upgrading as time goes on so that's another argument for perpetual.