At Knobcon 2024, being held in the Chicago area Sept 6-8, developer Andrew Belt has announced VCV+, a new subscription option for VCV Rack users that gives you instant access to VCV Rack Pro and a massive library of premium modules.
VCV Rack is a free and open source modular synthesis platform that’s essentially a virtual Eurorack synth that can scale to any size. The base offering is a free download, and commercial modules are available to purchase from a wide variety of developers.
The new VCV+ option doesn’t replace existing purchase options, but it gives you an all-you-can-eat buffet of modular synthesis for $29/month or $19/month if billed annually. It lets also lets you try out a huge range of modules, risk-free, and creates a platform for simple patch sharing with other VCV+ subscribers.VCV+ includes:
- VCV Rack Pro: DAW plugin and standalone application.
- All VCV-branded modules: VCV Pluck, VCV Drums, VCV Pro, and more.
- Official virtual Eurorack modules: Synthesis Technology, ALM Busy Circuits, and more.
- Hundreds of premium third-party modules by participating developers.
Pricing and Availability:
VCV+ is available now for $29/month, or $19/month billed annually.
Note: All products and modules remain available for individual sale of lifetime licenses.VCV also now offers a 7-day refund guarantee on purchases.
As someone who is considering selling my whole rack (all 17U of it), this appeals greatly
No.. the subscription model hits VCV too.
Yeah.. very sad indeed. Hopefully it’s inevitable lack of success will cause a rethink
They’re in sort of a bind though, no? You could use VCV for years with only free plugins and never get bored, but it doesn’t make money (obviously). At the same time there are so many 3rd party plugins that you could drop $1500 and still have more to buy, and I don’t know how much if any goes back to VCV. Maybe the sub option balances bringing in revenue for the project without cannibalizing plugin sales.
Reaktor Blocks is sonically superior to VCF racks and has a big user libray where you can dowload modules for free. Everything Reaktor also works as a plugin in your DAW.
As a long-time customer who has supported this company from the beginning, I’m deeply disappointed by the shift to a subscription model. This change feels like a betrayal of the trust and loyalty we’ve placed in you over the years. The permanent licenses we purchased were a key factor in choosing your product. I urge you to reconsider this decision and honor your commitment to those of us who have been with you from the start. Perhaps a grandfathered plan for existing customers could be a fair compromise? I hope you’ll take this feedback seriously and remember that your dedicated user base is what brought you success in the first place.
this is how GPT rewrote my original comment. so I mean to say the above, but nastier. Subscriptions are clear proof of greed and disrespect.
The article states that the existing purchase options aren’t replaced by the subscription
You can still buy it and you re not affected In any way if you own it already.
the line everyone is missing before they comment:
Note: All products and modules remain available for individual sale of lifetime licenses. VCV also now offers a 7-day refund guarantee on purchases.
and there is an FAQ on their site that addresses these things.
with that said, i do think $29/month or $19/month if billed annually is a bit steep, it is absolutely worth it, but i think they would get 3 times the subs if they made it $10 a month flat. and i don’t think as many people would be complaining. maybe they’ll feel it out and adjust accordingly.
i have the paid version and buy premium modules regularly, this is most likely how i will continue. but long live VCV, i really love it.
isn’t the standard lifetime purchase still available?
if it isn’t subscription only, i don’t see the issue with having more options
It gets me how people are upset that they have a subscription model when the old purchase options are still available. It’s like the moment they see the word “Subscription” without reading the full story, they run for the hills.