Thanks everyone for the responses and clarification, especially Derek for providing the official explanation of how the legacy license upgrade path works.
I understand the options much better now. Unfortunately, based on the information provided, upgrading doesn't make sense for my situation at this time.
I had an active legacy license with SSA for many years, but my SSA expired in 2023 during a period when I wasn't able to maintain it. Looking back, I wish I had kept it active because the old perpetual license + SSA model worked very well for small businesses and independent users like myself.
I completely understand that Chief Architect is a business and needs a sustainable revenue model. However, from a small-business perspective, the current subscription model feels much more aligned with larger firms than with solo designers, owner-operators, and smaller residential design businesses.
One of the reasons I originally chose Chief Architect over products like Revit and AutoCAD was that it was more accessible and practical for smaller operations. The perpetual license combined with SSA provided a predictable cost structure, and if life happened or business slowed down, there was still comfort in knowing that the software version I had reached remained mine.
What makes the current model difficult for me is that once I move to the subscription version and begin working in newer releases, stopping the subscription means losing access to those upgraded versions and returning to my older legacy version. Since plan files are not backward compatible, that creates a situation where continuing the subscription becomes almost mandatory if those newer files need to remain accessible.
As a result, I'll likely continue using my legacy X15 license for the foreseeable future and only consider upgrading if there is a compelling reason that requires it.
Personally, I think there would be value in a middle-ground approach where long-term customers who subscribe for a certain period could retain access to an older release when newer versions are introduced. That would provide some protection for small businesses while still encouraging participation in the subscription model.
Regardless, I appreciate everyone taking the time to answer my questions and help me understand exactly how the current licensing works.
Thanks everyone for the responses and clarification, especially Derek for providing the official explanation of how the legacy license upgrade path works. I understand the options much better now. Unfortunately, based on the information provided, upgrading doesn't make sense for my situation at this time. I had an active legacy license with SSA for many years, but my SSA expired in 2023 during a period when I wasn't able to maintain it. Looking back, I wish I had kept it active because the old perpetual license + SSA model worked very well for small businesses and independent users like myself. I completely understand that Chief Architect is a business and needs a sustainable revenue model. However, from a small-business perspective, the current subscription model feels much more aligned with larger firms than with solo designers, owner-operators, and smaller residential design businesses. One of the reasons I originally chose Chief Architect over products like Revit and AutoCAD was that it was more accessible and practical for smaller operations. The perpetual license combined with SSA provided a predictable cost structure, and if life happened or business slowed down, there was still comfort in knowing that the software version I had reached remained mine. What makes the current model difficult for me is that once I move to the subscription version and begin working in newer releases, stopping the subscription means losing access to those upgraded versions and returning to my older legacy version. Since plan files are not backward compatible, that creates a situation where continuing the subscription becomes almost mandatory if those newer files need to remain accessible. As a result, I'll likely continue using my legacy X15 license for the foreseeable future and only consider upgrading if there is a compelling reason that requires it. Personally, I think there would be value in a middle-ground approach where long-term customers who subscribe for a certain period could retain access to an older release when newer versions are introduced. That would provide some protection for small businesses while still encouraging participation in the subscription model. Regardless, I appreciate everyone taking the time to answer my questions and help me understand exactly how the current licensing works.