Graphisoft this month announced its Phase 3 conditions for its subscription conversion program for users. The Budapest-based BIM company, like other Nemetschek Group companies, has been in a multi-year transition from perpetual to subscription-based licensing, a move that has sparked controversy in the AEC industry. While much of the frustration and heat has been directed at companies that led the transition first, no company has been fully immune to some pushback. On the flipside, subscription licensing offers a bounty of benefits, helping companies save on costs as staff levels ebb and flow. Graphisoft offers monthly, annual, and 3-year plans, giving customers choice and control over IT expenditures.
Phase 3 Conditions
As announced multiple times since April 2024, existing customers holding Archicad perpetual licenses with active SSA/FWD maintenance contracts can convert their licenses to Archicad subscriptions under preferential terms. In other words, lower costs than for new customers.
Graphisoft announces Phase 3 Conditions for Subscription Conversion for existing users.
The third phase of Graphisoft’s multi-year SSA-to-Subscription Conversion Program will start on April 1, 2026, and will run for a full 12-month cycle till March 31, 2027. The main change to the current Phase 2 conditions is that during Phase 3, customers’ SSA/FWD contracts will lapse at the end of their next term, independent of their decision about converting their licenses to subscriptions; thus, converting them to a subscription will be the only way to keep their licenses current with future Archicad updates. Please note that local conditions and timelines may vary.
Benefits
The company also says that these preferential terms extend out a bit, assuming there are no significant shifts in economic conditions. Graphisoft CEO Daniel Csillag notes:
We also understand that price stability and long-term predictability are essential to our customers’ success; therefore, unless there are significant shifts in economic or market conditions, we intend to implement modest, predictable annual adjustments to align our conversion subscriptions with the long-term list price gradually.
“Technology in the AEC industry is evolving at lightning speed,” said Daniel Csillag, Graphisoft CEO. “Shifting our product delivery model to subscription allows users to take advantage of agile, responsive, and up-to-date software solutions — as soon as they hit the market.”
To learn more, go here.