A new subscription option combining Designer Pro and Xara Cloud

[louyo]

We're excited to announce a totally new option for customers who want to get the best of Xara products and services.

With our new product bundle Xara Cloud+ you get access to both our desktop application Designer Pro+ and our online editor Xara Cloud. It's the perfect all-in-one solution for those who value the ability to design anything, anywhere and on any device. And as those of you who've already used Xara Cloud know, it's ideal for collaborating with colleagues or friends on your Xara documents. Another bonus is the much larger template pool, combining the contents of the OCC with the 1500+ templates in Xara Cloud - good news if you need to quickly create a new document, or you're simply looking for a source of inspiration and creative ideas.

Xara Cloud+ is a pure subscription model with monthly and annual options, and will benefit from the frequent updates that you'd expect with a subscription (to both Xara Cloud and Designer Pro+). Xara will also provide direct support for Designer Pro+ bought as part of this bundle.

Last but not least Xara Cloud+ is extremely cost effective compared with the cost of subscribing to Xara Cloud & purchasing the Designer Pro Update Service separately – especially during our short launch offer for desktop owners who start new subscriptions - and that can never be a bad thing! Simply enter coupon TALKGRAPHICS during purchase to get 50% off Year 1 (existing Xara Cloud subscribers contact us). Find out more @ https://www.xara.com/xara-cloud-plus/new-bundle/ or check our FAQs at https://help-cloud-plus.xara.com/ - or simply sign up for the free Cloud+ trial @ https://cloud.ixara.com/. If you already have a Xara Cloud account with an existing but expired trial, contact us via PM or the FAQs page.

Kate Moir @ Xara

Sorry for being in the slow group. I upgraded to XDPX last August. So what are my $$ if I decide to go with the cloud + thingie. I don't understand these:
Xara Cloud & Designer Pro+ * sole Subscription by Year £102.00 £204.00 £204.00 £204.00 £714.00
Xara-owned Subscription Model Subscription by Month £138.00 £276.00 £276.00 £276.00

Louyo

[Acorn]

Sorry for being in the slow group. I upgraded to XDPX last August. So what are my $$ if I decide to go with the cloud + thingie. I don't understand these:
Xara Cloud & Designer Pro+ * sole Subscription by Year £102.00 £204.00 £204.00 £204.00 £714.00
Xara-owned Subscription Model Subscription by Month £138.00 £276.00 £276.00 £276.00

Louyo

Louyo, for argument, say you will bought in at v16.1 and are currently using v17.0:

1. You could use it for nothing without the Update Service from September 2020 at v17.0...
2. You could use it for nothing without the Update Service from September 2020 at v16.1 if you are forced to re-install...
3. You could spend £100 and renew the Upgrade Service and start again for another year at v17/v18, depended on what Xara has upissued to. (1) & (2) then replay up to September 2021 and you choose again.
4. You could take up Xara's 50% discount offer now and pay £100 for on year's subscription. Annual renewal would be £200 thereafter. Xara might offer to align your remaining 5 month Update Service somehow. That is between you and Xara.
5. You could keep your current XDPX and dip in at monthly-paid rates to access Pro+ for specific projects so options (1), (2) or (3) could be in play.

The bottom line is if you keep current with XDPX it costs you £100/y, If you choose the Pro+ route is it £200/y with £100 off the first year.
You have a range of choices from £0 to £200 and you can buy back in for XDPX at £100/y (a trail of perpetual licences) or subscribe £25/m or £200/y for the Cloud.

Acorn

[louyo]

Louyo, for argument, say you will bought in at v16.1 and are currently using v17.0:

1. You could use it for nothing without the Update Service from September 2020 at v17.0...
2. You could use it for nothing without the Update Service from September 2020 at v16.1 if you are forced to re-install...
3. You could spend £100 and renew the Upgrade Service and start again for another year at v17/v18, depended on what Xara has upissued to. (1) & (2) then replay up to September 2021 and you choose again.
4. You could take up Xara's 50% discount offer now and pay £100 for on year's subscription. Annual renewal would be £200 thereafter. Xara might offer to align your remaining 5 month Update Service somehow. That is between you and Xara.
5. You could keep your current XDPX and dip in at monthly-paid rates to access Pro+ for specific projects so options (1), (2) or (3) could be in play.

The bottom line is if you keep current with XDPX it costs you £100/y, If you choose the Pro+ route is it £200/y with £100 off the first year.
You have a range of choices from £0 to £200 and you can buy back in for XDPX at £100/y (a trail of perpetual licences) or subscribe £25/m or £200/y for the Cloud.

Acorn

Thanks much. Might just keep what I have. Running on 17

Louyo

[handrawn]

once again I am reminded how much respect I have for those companies who have a product and they sell it at a given price [maybe with the odd discount], and that is that

xara/magix reminds me of a market stall seller that gives you half a dozen options in the hope that you will think more about what you may be saving/gaining than whether it is what you actually need

[Acorn]

Thanks much. Might just keep what I have. Running on 17
Louyo

As I have tried to explain, when you cut through the crap, it is a good deal but possibly not for the solo designer.

The Xara products actually have a very good Return on Investment once you have cracked how to use them and have more than one paying customer.

In the end I stick with Xara as the ongoing support I provide is far easier to manage.
I have been luck with large corporate clients who are rarely after the latest whiz-bang.

Xara's delivery approach has been next to deadly for the hobbyist.
I still design with v12 as I have it configure to my needs.
Every new version is like throwing away a well-worn jacket for a new one with toggles instead of buttons and pockets slightly in the wrong place.
I have the time, patience and TG to get me through. I shudder to think of the lost souls cast aside in the quest for new features that don't quite work.

Acorn

[handrawn]

I still think just the one product, or '+' combimntation is best... and it will end up that way because of who the target market is long term

[SignPig]

If only Xara would spend as much time improving features and adding updates for their software as they do in trying to come up with ideas to get more money from us!

[onlye]

So do I understand there are now 2 versions of Designer Pro; Xara Designer Pro X (with no support from Magix) with an annual update service fee or Designer Pro+ (with claimed support by Xara). And the point of the annual update service was to push out updates and enhancements faster than 1x per year. But now there id Designer Pro+ that will be updated more frequently.

So is this just a way to push the pretty much-abandoned desktop users to use the Cloud? Just a signal to the end of life of Designer Pro X?

Sorry if I seem a bit skeptical but what's the benefit to me?

I use Designer Pro X almost daily for graphic design. It was my website building platform for years but I moved to another program due to some specific limitations and now all new sites are done with the other program. Is the xara/magix graphic design next to go? I have waited weeks for support from Magix, and typically I never received it at all. The new program I use for web design, the developer responds to forum support usually within 24 hours.

[handrawn]

depends how you look at it:

some advantages of pro +:

goodby magix
regular updates such as the 4K enhancement already here
integration with xara cloud [if you need this]

one disadvantage:

it's a subscription; do not renew and you loose it completely... but then if pro+ is no longer done on the cheap and the updates flow as promised that has to be a good thing if you need it