I'm looking for the best monthly subscription model for vsti instruments (guitar/bass etc) - not for mixing

which one you would recommend?

THanks

 

R2R zero dollar subscriptions.

 

UVI

 

For sound content, I agree. There aren't that many of them to start with. Most subs worth considering are effects.

 

Possibily someone can explain me (warez culture noob) people on here that both are into the combination of both are into finding bargains or best offers for plugins when at the same it's most likely you are here because you also get R&R relases and such and can get them for free. I would guess that if someone wnats to to support a creator, then the bargain or tbest offer will not support the creator as much as the regular price and if you do not want to pay it, then why not get it for free? I mean you did not ask for any of these things...but best in whcih terms>? I am curious how value for money really "matters| in a place where things are free?. If you want to have the product, you can likely get it for free. Maybe I am missing something..but it seems like there are 2 worlds existing at hte same time in here. It's like a thief wanting to know what is the good deal is in the store, while he can just get it for free?

To be clear, I am not judging anyone or anyone's actions, but rather actually try to understand the line of reasoning.

 

Last edited: Apr 25, 2024

Obviously you have no comprehension of "Try Before Buy". Also, there are lots of things you cannot get "for free". A whole lot.

Maybe you enjoy a "free demo" only costing you your personal information and an email to get spammed at? Most people do not "go 100% legit" all at once. They buy things as they can afford to, or when they actually need them.

How do you know someone on this forum with 3 posts is not 100% legit to start with? And who better to ask about software you are thinking about buying, than a bunch of users who have tried them all already?

He asked about subscriptions for software, not for your moral analysis of the scenario, because who cares what you think either way?

Nobody.

 

- I meant to express I do not understand something, which is something else than a moral analysis of anything as there were no morals involved in anything I said. Maybe I should have be more clear that I was actively looking to understand it by expressing the parts I did not understand the line of reasoning. Thank you for somewhat explaining it to me though and it's always good to know no on cares wbout what I think apparently..?

 

The words "good" and "subscription" shouldn't even be used in the same sentence.

Subscription is cancer. Don't support software you can't own a personal copy of. The whole reason they make it subscription based is so they can own your ass, as opposed to you owning the software.

 

I was told back in the nineties, that products will be replaced by services and I didn't believe it, because Shirley, I mean surely not everyone wants to rent products forever. It's good for the developers to have the customer on a hook with full control over the product, but that control is now missing on the receiving end, the customer.
On the other hand, what are you going to do if really need that specific software, that doesn't have a alternative for work and pirating it is not an option.
It's tricky.

 

I think your best bet is acquiring good plugins one by one (as I do). I mostly buy second hand, because the prices are much better and sometimes you can even find a once in a lifetime deal, that's how I got Eventide Clockworks (and I still feel like crap, because I don't allow myself to use it because "they're too expensive to use", which is a weird excuse, right? even though I paid less than 20% of their price) or SSL Essentials for 25.

I do have to say, when you "own" the absolute top of the line plugins (and I own a few, because of the insane deals I got on them), you start to realise that you don't really need them.

Anyway, sorry for my ramblings.

My advice is to always research sales, look out for the best one (and never buy it if it goes higher - this is very important, don't ever allow yourself to buy anything if it's higher than the historic low on it) or buying on buy/sell forums.

 

Last edited: Apr 25, 2024

I don't think there is a good subscription model for instruments really. Most subscription services only offer a limited amount of instrument plugins, if any. I don't think it is a good idea anyway. If you lose the sound source once you stop paying, you might get in trouble later on. Sure you can bounce all the channels, which is a good idea regardless whether you own the instrument or not. Still you might run into problems later, if you can't go back to the sound source because your subscription has run out.
Plus they could stop offering certain instruments completely at any given time.

Then again, you don't really need an insane amount of VST instruments and most of the ones that I do use regularly you can't even use with a subscription program. There is always the option to wait until you can get them second hand or grab them when they are on sale.

Personally I think “rent to own” is a far better concept as you will eventually own the product. Especially when you can just pay for it when you are actually using it, and your payments add up until you finally own the product. I think it is something that could be much more successful and more prominent.

It depends on how the subscription model is designed. With Plugin Alliance for example you get a certain number of plugins that you can keep after your subscription is over. For me that meant that I had the subscription for a few years. Now I own all the plugins that I actually use on a regular basis, so I don't need the subscription anymore. I think that is a fair model somehow. It enabled me to check out and test all the plugins and settle for the ones that fit my workflow.

 

Last edited: Apr 25, 2024

There are only three good types of subscription services: those who provide you with sample banks and sounds that you can own, and backup, rent to own, and no subscription. These services are meant to make significantly more profit for the company/developer for literally no work or not much work at all.

Let's say I release a BestPluginX and sell it for 49.95 squid (S ). 1000 people buy it and I make 49950 S, less when you deduct taxes. There will be bugs for sure, and I will have to make some updates, which don't generate any money, so unless you sell something, you are working for free. Only if I make another version of the plugin, with more features, people will possibly buy it for another 49.95 S and I make another 49950 S.

But then I have a brilliant idea... why not offer this plugin for 9.95S per month, so people see 9.95 instead of 49.95, I protect it so they can't use it without paying, and since they see 9.95S instead of 49.95S they will have a feeling they are paying less? But in the long run I get almost 120 S per customer every year, 120000 S for 1000 customers per year, and they don't own anything! So I can keep it that way forever. I can make some miserable updates here and there to keep them paying, but they have to pay if they want to use it anyway. Perfect, eh? Fair? I admit that is debatable...

But for me it seems like a kind of Ponzi's scheme. Also there's less incentive to make newer plugins with more features. Very cushy scheme.

 

You know what...now I just need to find a developer...

If someone needs a UI designer for these kinds of projects, I'm always here ;)

 

Slate Digital figured this out a long time ago and made some of the smartest choices in the music industry (I mean revenue wise). They really got the price/content ration nailed down perfectly: a bunch of good effects, a whole synth with a bunch of presets, exclusive partnerships with Liquidsonics and others and even TH-U.

But then...they went a step further. Want perpetual? We got you covered! Just...individual plugins/modules cost over ~$149...but at least you can buy them, right? And don't forget to buy the dongle - otherwise your perpetual licenses will be useless.

And I can't even say their subscription is bad, because of the breadth of its' offerings.

So yeah, Slate are geniuses at marketing and analysing client behaviour, choices, etc.

 

i do not use any subscription plan currently
but i think subscriptions could be financially worth it to beginners or people who don't use the product that often.
why buy the product when you can subscribe for a month and never use it again?
this could also be seen as a way of try before you buy it.
having the subscription option could be good thing, if owning option still feasible

 

sure man! but then you could subscribe the daw for a month instead of buying it (after trying the lite/ free version).
i was thinking of doing that with reason, been wanting to try that daw they have a subscription for $1 dollar for the first month.