Home Designer 2026 and beyond will be subscription based

[BACLLC]

Such a bad idea, do they not understand how this measure alienates their current and past customers !! I've used HD Pro for over 7 years and am currently using HD Pro 2021, I will not upgrade nor will I become part of a subscription based service, it is completely to expensive !! I think ,they think, that their customers upgrade every year, which in my case is not true, as I find that minimal yearly upgrades / improvements are not all that they are cracked up to be. Sorry guys no subscription's for me !! Will be looking elsewhere, besides unfortunately AI will crush them if they are not careful !! 

[dlmcilvain]

I have been using Home Designer since it was part of Better Homes and Gardens.  I have gone from the architectural version to pro about 9 years ago.  I use it constantly to designer custom modular homes in which I general contract.  Not happy with the subscription model.  I will keep my Pro 2025 since it will always work and do what I need it to do or at least until it will not work with a new OS.  I am not interested in having to "rent" the software and lose everyting if I can't pay for it.  I think I will be able to use it until I retire in about 10 to 12 years and then it won't matter.  It has been a good run but I am out for the subscription.

[TheMadCadder]

Well hell...

 

For several years I've been figuratively 'trapped' in another company's pile of garbage modeling software. I've been wanting to migrate to CA for decades. Since it first came out on Fred Meyer store shelves. I almost pulled the trigger a couple years ago (in a fit of rage over the previous platform's random bugginess) when the full version CA could be had for a one-time fee of $2800. Unfortunately I decided to wait given the economic times.

 

When I did get to a better position and was more than ready to drop my wad down and move on over to CA I found they had gone to a SaaS price model...same price, now yearly, and I don't own the software. Holy hell was I disappointed as I refuse to pay that mount of cash for a product that I don't own outright. 

 

So I waited again...and gave up on the CA dream.

 

Then I recently stumbled across CA's Home Designer Pro 2025...a standalone, stripped down version of CA...for $800?? Hell yes, take my money!! At least I won't have to use that other garbage anymore going forward. That alone will keep me onboard for quite a while but I seriously doubt I will ever sign on for a SaaS version and I'm very disappointed that I've finally got aboard the CA train only to find out I'll have to pay at every stop just to get to my destination.

 

Not cool...not cool at all.