Came here to say at this price I will not upgrade. DEVONthink is a nice but, at least for me, niche software. It had a hefty upfront cost before, but since it has been well supported I’ve considered it worth the cost.
Sorry to have to leave DT behind.
I think you can continue to use DT3 without incurring additional cost. If you were a DT2 user, you will likely have spent the original cost plus one update fee for a software that served you about ten years and that you can continue to use. You haven’t been charged at all in the last six years since the change from DT2 to DT3.
DT4 (which I haven’t tested yet but read about on the website and in the manual) offers exciting new capabilities around external AI which justify a higher price tag in my view. I also look forward to having new features more quickly than through „big“ updates.
But nobody is forced to upgrade to DT4.
Problem is: How do You know what the features in the next year will be. DEVONthink doesn’t contains a crystal ball.
So in fact you alway can decide by hindsight (and not profit from an annual discount).
Why do you “have to leave DT behind”?
My understanding is that DT3 users can continue to use the product
without paying any upgrade/extension fee
You don’t, of course. When the time comes, you make a judgement based on how the developers have acted up that point – frequency and usefulness of updates so far, and so on.
So yes, I agree, you’re basing part of the decision on experience, and you can wait till you’ve accumulated enough meaningful updates if you want (and then you get the next 12 months anyway).
Seems straightforward to me, naturally anyone who doesn’t want to upgrade will have to start planning for a future without DT3 as its support will cease sooner or later.
I’d say “sooner”; with the announcement that “DT4 is Here”
I’m expecting no further software updates for DT3
What I’ve learnt from this topic:
New License: Standard $99, Pro $199, Server $499
Upgrade from 3 to 4: Standard $55, Pro $110, Server $UNKNOWN (maybe $199?)
Continuously subscribe 1-year update plan: Standard $49, Pro $99, Server $149
With interruption for 1-year update subscription: Standard $55, Pro $110, Server $UNKNOWN
Example 1)
Apr 2025 - Upgrade 3 Pro to 4 Pro (costs $110, with update as of Apr 2026)
Apr 2026 - Continue to subscribe 1-year update plan (costs $99)
Apr 2027 - Continue to subscribe 1-year update plan (costs $99)
Example 2)
Apr 2025 - Upgrade 3 Pro to 4 Pro (costs $110, with update as of Apr 2026)
Apr 2026 - Not to subscribe. You can keep using the last version as of Apr 2026.
Apr 2027 - You decided re-subscribe. (costs $110, instead of $99)
Please confirm and open for public this pricing list on the upgrade page of the DEVONtech website. I think precise pricing information is crucial for decision to purchase.
I’m a relatively new user (purchased DVT3 Pro on Nov 2024, during Black Friday discount) and planning to upgrade to DVT4 Server, but can’t see update subscription pricing so I can’t decide)
So you do understand, excellent
At least that’s not a clear NO.
As an avid PKM user, I am not sure you will find an adequate replacement with equivalent functionality. Do I love the subscription aspect? No. The price is fair with all that is received, especially in comparison to other software. Maybe DT3 meets all of your needs then. I do wish you luck, though
@DTLow and @FrankT:
That’s not quite accurate as version 3 is still the public release and under development’s care. We have never blindly abandoned an application. Is DEVONthink 3 considered feature-complete and only in maintenance mode? It’s likely the case, though development will assess that as they will.
Totally agree!
Personally, I think this para might be the cause of some of the confusion. Perhaps the word immediately is meant instead of directly? Otherwise I’m not sure what “extend directly” means.
“Extend the updates for your license at your convenience . Before the period for included updates is over, we will remind you in good time, and if you extend directly, you will receive a discount. You can also choose to pause a while and extend the updates again later.”
The anguish over pricing is justifiable for the DT4 Pro version but not for the poor man’s DT4 version, which only costs $50 per year. This is an incredible bargain, given what the standard version of DT4 can do for you. The improvements to the Markdown editor, especially type-writer scrolling, are game-changing. I expect to pay $50 yearly, so the pricing scheme amounts to a subscription.
I don’t need the Pro features, and I would bet that many DEVONthink users don’t need them. The excellent search built into the standard version allows me to find the articles I need when writing. I don’t need AI summaries when abstracts already exist for that purpose. Of course, AI can be useful, but you always have access to it in a browser or a separate app.
Have people also complained about the licence model - that it is not a subscription?
Yes, of course.
I am really disappointed about the "more flexible and modern license model.”
First of all I do not see what is more flexible and what is more modern.
“Flexible” because I can continue after one year when ever I want? Hmmm, this is not really the meaning of “flexible”. And “modern”: is the subscription model a modern licence model? (nope, it is not).
You know that most of the users dislike subscriptions. Many user even “hate” subscription.
But you know very well that many users are not able to switch to another app, so they are tight to DVT.
I don’t know about the number of paying users (for the former licence model/v3) but was it such a little bit of money you made? Is this step now really needed? It seems to me that you multiplicate the income now - just by the new subscription model.
Ok, I am not a developer so I just guess …
Or you mainly develop DVT for professionals and companies. And the private user is not in focus anymore.
It would be nice if you would rethink the subscription licence model and the prices. I think just to extend the period to 18 months would make a big difference.
People wanted a subscription, paying yearly € 99 instead of paying one time for a v3? I must say, I do not get it.
Why yearly? No one is forced to do that