I would like to express a respectful concern regarding Cubase’s recent updates and pricing policy. Each year a new major version is released, yet previous versions receive very little maintenance once the new version arrives. At the same time, upgrade prices have increased to the point where updating now costs nearly half the price of a full new license.
As a long-time user, I value Cubase greatly, I’ve been purchasing it since Cubase 6. But this model is becoming difficult to justify. If things continue this way, many users may naturally start looking at alternative software solutions with more sustainable update cycles.
This feedback is offered with full respect and with the hope that Steinberg will reconsider its approach for the benefit of its loyal user base.
Well, to be fair, the update price has been consistent for several years now, despite lots of inflation happening.
And you can get the update for usually half price in the summer sale, if the regular price is too expensive for you. If you do the “wait-until-the-grace-period” thing, you can even get two major version updates for ~50. That is definitely not expensive.
There will of course never be a completely bug free software, but agree that some critical bugs (like crashes or audio render errors) should be fixed in the current version before a new one is released and you have to pay money to get theses fixed eventually.
Actually, in Germany since 2022, software vendors are required to provide updates for software to maintain full functionality and security. So if the software doesn’t work as described or advertised, you have the right to request updates or, failing that, get your money back (as with physical goods). As always with law stuff, the devil lies in the details. It is also only valid for two years after aquiring the product.
Cubase Pro 15 costs the same in actual pounds (£480 (£1250-ish today)) as it did on release in, what, 1989? In 1992 I paid £250 in a half-price sale for Score 2.
Mind you, I’m one of those who think that 15 should have been 14.5 and £50.
I agree with your reply, but right now I’m with Cubase Pro 13 and to update to version 15, the price of the update is 199€. Buying a new Cubase Pro 15 is 579€. So the update it seems too much, if you miss one version you pay twice.
You don’t actually need to gamble on the grace period, last time I bought the update to 13 in the sale, waited until C14 was released activated my download code. Worked like a charm, immediately got the update to 14. Of course, as always no guarantee that it will work next time. But I will most likely do the same, nothing in 15 that I urgently need.
I’ll wait to see if there is any offer coming soon. Things are going so fast these days with software versions. Cubase 13 is not supported for Mac OS Tahoe so I need to step up my Cubase version. Hope Steinberg will publish some Black Friday discount or something soon.
Supported versions (not just the latest version) should get any possible bug-fix updates–people should want to upgrade to newer versions because of improvements and new features. I usually upgrade because I want to use some of the new features and I just want to help keep Steinberg in business.
I’m sure there are some other good DAWs out there, but I’m not sure there are any “alternative software solutions” that have better (productivity) features than Cubase Pro. So, at least for me, it’s worth what it costs–it does what it’s supposed to do. What am I missing?
There are typically four or maybe five update cycles per version. Seems reasonable to me. It makes no business sense for Steinberg to continue patching older versions once a new one is released.
Where I live, A full Cubase pro license costs $840 CDN. The annual update price is $145 CDN. Not anywhere near half. If you choose to wait two or more years to update then yes, it costs more.
Continue what way? What would you do differently?
I am, presumably, a member of the ‘loyal user base’ and I’m perfectly OK with the way Steinberg is doing it.
It’s great to read all your replies. Maybe I’m just getting older, and sometimes it feels like everything is changing too fast. And while Steinberg has actually kept their prices stable, the cost of living keeps going up. With inflation rising so much, even stable upgrade prices can feel harder to manage.
Thank you all for your feedback, wishing you all the best.
