Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

List of products and services with post-purchase license change

2025-08-15T21:31:40Z

Roonie: /* Examples */

{{StubNotice}}

Lifetime licenses (also known as perpetual licenses, or one-time purchases) are granted for software that many consumers and businesses rely upon daily for the simple fact that it is more affordable in the long-term for these products and services. As subscription-based products have become more favorable for investors among various companies,<ref>{{Cite web |last=The ProValet Team |date=Oct 16, 2024 |title=Subscription vs. One-Time Purchase: Which Saves You More Money? |url=https://www.provalet.io/guides-posts/subscription-vs-one-time-purchase |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=ProValet}}</ref> many are forced outside of the licenses that they expected were theirs to own as-is following the terminology of "lifetime." The removal of these licenses combat the consumers' [[right to own]] the products that they paid for.

==Why it is a problem==

===Right to Own===
The sale of these licenses are made with the expectation that the purchaser will forever retain access to this license. When these are revoked among a litany of reasons, via a multitude of methods, such as discontinuing the software or [[Retroactively amended purchase|retroactively amending the agreement]], it defies the [[Right to own|right to ownership]].

==Examples==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Company Name
!Product(s)
!Year of Removal
!Summary
!Relevant Article(s)
|-
|[[Adobe]]
|[[Photoshop]], [[Adobe Acrobat|Acrobat]], [[Adobe Firefly|Firefly]], [[Adobe Premiere|Premiere]], [[Adobe Creative Cloud|Creative Cloud]], etc
|2020-Now
|Adobe has been slowly revoking licenses across its product library that eliminate the ownership of the products that consumers and businesses have paid for.
|[[Adobe Lightroom: Perpetual to Subscription Transition]]
|-
|[[InfiniteQuant]]
|[[VPNSecure.me|VPNSecure]]
|2025
|After the company InfiniteQuant purchased VPNSecure, the company opted to revoke lifetime licenses that users had paid for
|[[VPNSecure.me terminated a "lifetime" license]]
|-
|[[Pluralsight]]
|[[Pluralsight]]
|2023-2025
|TBA
|[[Pluralsight revokes lifetime licenses]]
|-
|[[Tansee]]
|[[Tansee]]
|2020
|TBA
|[[Tansee License Changed from Lifetime to 3 Years After Purchase]]
|-
|[[Malwarebytes]]
|[[Malwarebytes]]
|2014
|TBA
|TBA
|-
|[[Wondershare]]
|[[Filmora]]
|2022
|In 2022, Wondershare updated their licensing terms inside their EULA to mark all lifetime licenses as invalid;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Ernie |date=3 Jan 2023 |title=Filmora lifetime license controversy |url=https://midrange.tedium.co/issues/filmora-lifetime-license-controversy/ |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=MidRange}}</ref> in 2024, consumers sued over this revocation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McCroskey |first=Kelsey |date=26 February 2024 |title=Wondershare Hit with Lawsuit Over Alleged Subscription Auto-Renewal Practices |url=https://www.classaction.org/news/wondershare-hit-with-lawsuit-over-alleged-subscription-auto-renewal-practices |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=ClassAction.org}}</ref>
|[[Filmora lifetime licenses terminated]]
|-
|[[Iconfactory]]
|[[Linea Sketch]]
|2020?
|In 2020,Iconfactory transitioned Linea Sketch into using a subscription model for users, and revoked licenses for V2 users who had automatic updates enabled on the iOS store.
|[[Linea Sketch revokes lifetime licenses]]
|-
|[[Fongo Inc.]]
|Fongo
|2024
|In 2024, Fongo began switching licenses for Fongo's ad-free version from a one-time payment, to a subscription.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 Apr 2024 |title=Fongo App - removing my “permanent ads removal” purchase |url=https://forums.redflagdeals.com/fongo-app-removing-my-c-permanent-ads-removal-c-purchase-2686747/ |url-status=live |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=RedFlagDeals}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sheppard |first=Tom |date=10 Apr 2024 |title=Turns out that Fongo has joined the enshitification march and ad removal has changed to a subscription service with no notice, no warning in the update release notes, and no grandfathering existing customers. Are there any decent companies left? |url=https://twit.social/@TWSheppard/112243898338314374 |url-status=live |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=Mastodon}}</ref>
|[[Fongo changes purchased Lifetime Ad Removal to Monthly Subscription]]
[[FreePhoneLine revokes Lifetime VoIP service for monthly subscription model.]]
|-
|[[Autodesk]]
|[[AutoCAD]], [[Autodesk Inventor|Inventor]], etc.
|2023
|In 2016, Autodesk concluded the sale of lifetime licenses,<ref>{{Cite web |last=AutoCAD life time license |date=Jan 5, 2024 |title=AutoCAD life time license |url=https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/installation-licensing-forum/autocad-life-time-license/td-p/12480109 |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=[[Autodesk]] Community}}</ref> focusing exclusively on a subscription based model; In 2023, they [[Retroactively amended purchase|retroactively amended the agreement]] with the purpose of revoking lifetime licenses from all Autodesk users.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ace_Dragon |date=Jul 1, 2023 |title=Autodesk changes the deal, retroactively cancels all remaining lifetime licenses |url=https://blenderartists.org/t/autodesk-changes-the-deal-retroactively-cancels-all-remaining-lifetime-licenses/1471477 |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=Blender Artists Community}}</ref>
|[[Autodesk retroactively revokes all lifetime licenses]]
|-
|[[MediaMall]]
|[[PlayOn]]
|2021
|In 2021, PlayOn discontinued support for PlayOn Desktop,<ref>{{Cite web |last=JaviPlanma |date=Nov 8, 2021 |title=PSA to Companies: DO NOT OFFER LIFETIME LICENSES if you don't intend to follow through |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/PlayOn/comments/qpi14m/psa_to_companies_do_not_offer_lifetime_licenses/ |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=Reddit}}</ref> which forced users to use PlayOn Home or PlayOn Cloud instead, both of which have no lifetime subscriptions.
|[[PlayOn Desktop discontinued]]
|-
|[[Mailbird]]
|[[Mailbird]]
|2025
|TBA<ref>{{Cite news |last=Raindog308 |date=Mar 10, 2025 |title=The Mailbird Scam: When a "Lifetime" License is Not Lifetime |url=https://lowendbox.com/blog/the-mailbird-scam-when-a-lifetime-license-is-not-lifetime/ |access-date=May 28, 2025 |work=LowEndBox}}</ref>
|[[Mailbird revokes lifetime licenses]]
|-
|[[Better Way Electronics]]
|Various [[PlayStation]] repair tools
|2024-2025
|TBA
|TBA
|-
|Magix
|Vegas 15
|2025
|Formerly sold under Sony, Magix has pulled Vegas 15 from Steam and has also revoked licenses
|https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxma1DxdvcvxPtveni0uDBqw403WSI7Dkn?si=SZtUOMc00x_xUV_x
|}

==See Also==

*[[Storefront shutdown]]
*[[Right to own|Right to own]]
*[[Retroactively amended purchase]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Theme]]
[[Category:Lifetime license removal]]

List of products and services with post-purchase license change

2025-08-15T21:27:15Z

Roonie: /*examples*/ added a line

{{StubNotice}}

Lifetime licenses (also known as perpetual licenses, or one-time purchases) are granted for software that many consumers and businesses rely upon daily for the simple fact that it is more affordable in the long-term for these products and services. As subscription-based products have become more favorable for investors among various companies,<ref>{{Cite web |last=The ProValet Team |date=Oct 16, 2024 |title=Subscription vs. One-Time Purchase: Which Saves You More Money? |url=https://www.provalet.io/guides-posts/subscription-vs-one-time-purchase |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=ProValet}}</ref> many are forced outside of the licenses that they expected were theirs to own as-is following the terminology of "lifetime." The removal of these licenses combat the consumers' [[right to own]] the products that they paid for.

==Why it is a problem==

===Right to Own===
The sale of these licenses are made with the expectation that the purchaser will forever retain access to this license. When these are revoked among a litany of reasons, via a multitude of methods, such as discontinuing the software or [[Retroactively amended purchase|retroactively amending the agreement]], it defies the [[Right to own|right to ownership]].

==Examples==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Company Name
!Product(s)
!Year of Removal
!Summary
!Relevant Article(s)
|-
|[[Adobe]]
|[[Photoshop]], [[Adobe Acrobat|Acrobat]], [[Adobe Firefly|Firefly]], [[Adobe Premiere|Premiere]], [[Adobe Creative Cloud|Creative Cloud]], etc
|2020-Now
|Adobe has been slowly revoking licenses across its product library that eliminate the ownership of the products that consumers and businesses have paid for.
|[[Adobe Lightroom: Perpetual to Subscription Transition]]
|-
|[[InfiniteQuant]]
|[[VPNSecure.me|VPNSecure]]
|2025
|After the company InfiniteQuant purchased VPNSecure, the company opted to revoke lifetime licenses that users had paid for
|[[VPNSecure.me terminated a "lifetime" license]]
|-
|[[Pluralsight]]
|[[Pluralsight]]
|2023-2025
|TBA
|[[Pluralsight revokes lifetime licenses]]
|-
|[[Tansee]]
|[[Tansee]]
|2020
|TBA
|[[Tansee License Changed from Lifetime to 3 Years After Purchase]]
|-
|[[Malwarebytes]]
|[[Malwarebytes]]
|2014
|TBA
|TBA
|-
|[[Wondershare]]
|[[Filmora]]
|2022
|In 2022, Wondershare updated their licensing terms inside their EULA to mark all lifetime licenses as invalid;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Ernie |date=3 Jan 2023 |title=Filmora lifetime license controversy |url=https://midrange.tedium.co/issues/filmora-lifetime-license-controversy/ |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=MidRange}}</ref> in 2024, consumers sued over this revocation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McCroskey |first=Kelsey |date=26 February 2024 |title=Wondershare Hit with Lawsuit Over Alleged Subscription Auto-Renewal Practices |url=https://www.classaction.org/news/wondershare-hit-with-lawsuit-over-alleged-subscription-auto-renewal-practices |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=ClassAction.org}}</ref>
|[[Filmora lifetime licenses terminated]]
|-
|[[Iconfactory]]
|[[Linea Sketch]]
|2020?
|In 2020,Iconfactory transitioned Linea Sketch into using a subscription model for users, and revoked licenses for V2 users who had automatic updates enabled on the iOS store.
|[[Linea Sketch revokes lifetime licenses]]
|-
|[[Fongo Inc.]]
|Fongo
|2024
|In 2024, Fongo began switching licenses for Fongo's ad-free version from a one-time payment, to a subscription.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 Apr 2024 |title=Fongo App - removing my “permanent ads removal” purchase |url=https://forums.redflagdeals.com/fongo-app-removing-my-c-permanent-ads-removal-c-purchase-2686747/ |url-status=live |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=RedFlagDeals}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sheppard |first=Tom |date=10 Apr 2024 |title=Turns out that Fongo has joined the enshitification march and ad removal has changed to a subscription service with no notice, no warning in the update release notes, and no grandfathering existing customers. Are there any decent companies left? |url=https://twit.social/@TWSheppard/112243898338314374 |url-status=live |access-date=29 Mar 2025 |website=Mastodon}}</ref>
|[[Fongo changes purchased Lifetime Ad Removal to Monthly Subscription]]
[[FreePhoneLine revokes Lifetime VoIP service for monthly subscription model.]]
|-
|[[Autodesk]]
|[[AutoCAD]], [[Autodesk Inventor|Inventor]], etc.
|2023
|In 2016, Autodesk concluded the sale of lifetime licenses,<ref>{{Cite web |last=AutoCAD life time license |date=Jan 5, 2024 |title=AutoCAD life time license |url=https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/installation-licensing-forum/autocad-life-time-license/td-p/12480109 |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=[[Autodesk]] Community}}</ref> focusing exclusively on a subscription based model; In 2023, they [[Retroactively amended purchase|retroactively amended the agreement]] with the purpose of revoking lifetime licenses from all Autodesk users.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ace_Dragon |date=Jul 1, 2023 |title=Autodesk changes the deal, retroactively cancels all remaining lifetime licenses |url=https://blenderartists.org/t/autodesk-changes-the-deal-retroactively-cancels-all-remaining-lifetime-licenses/1471477 |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=Blender Artists Community}}</ref>
|[[Autodesk retroactively revokes all lifetime licenses]]
|-
|[[MediaMall]]
|[[PlayOn]]
|2021
|In 2021, PlayOn discontinued support for PlayOn Desktop,<ref>{{Cite web |last=JaviPlanma |date=Nov 8, 2021 |title=PSA to Companies: DO NOT OFFER LIFETIME LICENSES if you don't intend to follow through |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/PlayOn/comments/qpi14m/psa_to_companies_do_not_offer_lifetime_licenses/ |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=Reddit}}</ref> which forced users to use PlayOn Home or PlayOn Cloud instead, both of which have no lifetime subscriptions.
|[[PlayOn Desktop discontinued]]
|-
|[[Mailbird]]
|[[Mailbird]]
|2025
|TBA<ref>{{Cite news |last=Raindog308 |date=Mar 10, 2025 |title=The Mailbird Scam: When a "Lifetime" License is Not Lifetime |url=https://lowendbox.com/blog/the-mailbird-scam-when-a-lifetime-license-is-not-lifetime/ |access-date=May 28, 2025 |work=LowEndBox}}</ref>
|[[Mailbird revokes lifetime licenses]]
|-
|[[Better Way Electronics]]
|Various [[PlayStation]] repair tools
|2024-2025
|TBA
|TBA
|-
|Magix
|Vegas 15
|Don't know
|Don't know
|Formerly sold under Sony, Magix has pulled Vegas 15 from Steam and has also revoked licenses
|https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxma1DxdvcvxPtveni0uDBqw403WSI7Dkn?si=SZtUOMc00x_xUV_x
|}

==See Also==

*[[Storefront shutdown]]
*[[Right to own|Right to own]]
*[[Retroactively amended purchase]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Theme]]
[[Category:Lifetime license removal]]