Maybe I'm just missing the wording somewhere but my Platinum Sonar annual plan runs until Mar 22, 2017. It used to be about $99 a year to stay onbard which is fine with me BUT the push for lifetime update upsales doesn't make it clear -
 
If I don't pay the $199 for LIFETIME by Dec 31....can I simply continue with an annual price (assuiming it's somewhere around the $99/129 from past years.
 
I've looked into the wording a few times and still can't figure it out. Been with Sonar since the first release and love it!
 
Daryl
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Annual updates = pay each year. Life Time updates = pay once. In both one gets updates. 

maybe I am misunderstanding you question.
But you can keep paying annually if you choose, however the lifetime updates seems like a no brainer to me.
if you plan on using sonar for even the next year or so, you would be better off buying lifetime updates.
 

What remains unclear to me is whether purchasing a renewal on an annual basis just buys the same updates that spending $ 199 now would  buy for lifetime? It used to be that buying the annual update included a significant amount of content as well as a year of updates all for around $ 99. So if the annual plan will still cost around 99, will it include some content that will be an extra cost gor those with lifetime updates. I havent bought the lifetime update (splat subscription ran last month) though I prob will before month end. Just curious - I really dont need more content from Cakewalk as I use mostly NI and other 3rd party plugs, but in past the annual content component of the package has included some nice stuff from AAS, XLN and much more  - enough to make me wonder how much of that $99 was for program updates and how much for content?
 
Brian

filtersweep
What remains unclear to me is whether purchasing a renewal on an annual basis just buys the same updates that spending $ 199 now would  buy for lifetime?

Yes. When you buy a Lifetime Update, think of it this way: when the annual renewal rolls around, you get a bill for $0.00 because you're already paid in full.

I get the concept I am just weighing up pro-cons for a hobbyist over the next 12-18 months. If I wait until March to do anything, can I simply buy another annual sub? ($99-129 usually)
 
and
 
IF I decide to do nothing, am I correct that my version of Sonar would simply lock in the current version at that time and keep work in a kind of offline mode as a fully functioning progam as my old copies did pre-subs?

Yes
 
and
 
Yes, my understanding is that your program will remain fully functional as of the last update prior to expiration in March 2017, assuming that you have a one year membership prepaid that expires on that date. If you pay a monthly membership fee for a period of less than 12 months, then you will not have a fully functional installation when your membership expires. So if you begin to pay monthly starting when your current membership expires and pay for 11 months, then your fully functional installation will be the latest version update as of March 2017 when your previous 12 month membership expired. Anything added in the 11 subsequent months will not be available to you unless you extend your membership for an additional month at that point. I am not clear on whether you would need to re-install/revert to the earlier version which was last updated March 2017 in order to keep working at that point, or whether the newer features will just stop working, but I suspect it is the former. 
 
Or maybe not. Best source for clarification is probably sales at Cakewalk.