vBulletin Licensing Changes

For eight years, Jelsoft has produced feature-rich, professional products and backed them up with high quality support, while always maintaining excellent value for money.

Today, for the first time in our history, we are announcing some changes to the way in which we license our products:

• Increases in the price of all products and services
• Removal of the renewal fee for add-on products

The removal of the renewal fee for add-on products is effective immediately. All other changes will be introduced on June 2nd, 2008. Further details of the changes are included below this message.

These changes apply retroactively, both to existing licenses and new purchases.

Please note that the way in which we provide the software to customers and support it will be unaffected by these changes - active license owners will continue to be able to download the latest versions of vBulletin (including future major releases) via the members’ area on vBulletin.com.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our customers for their continued support. Be assured of our ongoing commitment to excellence in product development and customer service.

Many thanks,
James Limm

Further Details

The following information explains in more detail the licensing changes on a product-by-product basis. If there are any queries about these changes get in touch with our support team on [email protected]. A discussion thread for this announcement is available.

All pricing changes are reflected in US Dollars. Pricing in Euros and Pounds Sterling will be also implemented on the 2nd June 2008.

Leased and Owned Licenses
We currently offer two different types of vBulletin license: Owned and Leased.

The Owned vBulletin license allows you to run the software on your site indefinitely. Along with this license, you will receive one year of free updates. Beyond the first year, a renewal fee is payable to obtain updates for an additional year.

The Leased vBulletin license allows you to use the software on your site for one year and gives you access to product updates for that year. After one year, the license may be renewed to continue using the software, or removed from the site.

Both licenses include unlimited free support via email.

From 2nd June the following prices will apply:

• Owned license - $180
• Leased license - $100

Bulk order pricing for both license types will remain consistent with the current discounting levels.

License Renewals
For a Leased license, it is necessary to purchase a license Renewal in order to continue to run vBulletin on your site. For Owned licenses, it is not necessary to renew in order to continue using vBulletin, but is required in order to extend access to software updates.

From the June 2nd, the following changes will be coming into effect:

• Leased license Renewal pricing will be $100.
• Owned license Renewal pricing will be:
  • $40 if purchased before the license expires or within 60 days after expiry
  • $60 if purchased at any other time
• vBulletin Renewals will now also renew linked add-on products (details below)

If a Renewal is purchased before the license expires, the existing expiry date is extended by one year. If the Renewal is purchased after the license expires, access to software updates is restored, and the expiry date will be set to one year from the date of Renewal purchase.

License Upgrades
License Upgrades allow you to convert a Leased license into an Owned license. There are two products available, depending on when the Leased license was purchased.

If the Leased license was purchased less than 60 days in the past, a special offer is available that will convert the license from Leased to Owned without changing the expiry date of the license. From the 2nd June, the price for this option will be $100.

If the Leased license was purchased more than 60 days in the past, the standard license Upgrade option is available. From the 2nd June, the price for this option will be $180. This option will set the new expiry date to be one year in the future from the date of Upgrade purchase, as is currently the case.

Add-on Products
As well as the vBulletin forums product, Jelsoft also offers two additional add-on products that integrate with vBulletin and add extra functionality to the community - vBulletin Blog and vBulletin Project Tools.

Add-on products are linked to either a Leased or an Owned vBulletin license. Currently, buying an add-on product will give you access to software updates for one year from the date of purchase - and a further year of updates would incur an additional fee.

From today, the renewal fees for add-on products will be removed, and access for add-on product updates will correspond to the status of the linked "parent" vBulletin license. While the vBulletin license is active, you will be able to download software updates for any linked add-on products.

From 2nd June, the cost of vBulletin Blog and Project Tools will be $60.

Additional Products

From 2nd June, the Branding Free option price will be $170 and the Professional Installation and Professional Upgrade prices will be $150.


More on this...

 

What is everyone's thoughts on this? I'm not sure myself. Why are the changing the prices? Personally, I'd be willing to pay double if it doubled the time that new versions and features were released. Though I do fear this simply won't be the case.

 

I am confused as to why it was done. They always used to praise themselves for being the only forum software company that has not yet changed their prices. Now this? I don't like it.

 

Yeah. If I recall correctly, when vbulletin was purchased by Internet Brands (that was the company, right) everyone started to say there would be a price hike. Vbulletin said there wouldn't be. Looks like the naysayers were right.