While many companies promote their software as offered with a “no subscription model”, CyberLink goes the opposite direction and introduces PhotoDirector 365, its photo editor, with a “perpetual subscription”.

Since Adobe introduced its subscription model, consumers have seen a whole series of programs show up, from Affinity Photo to Luminar or ON1 Photo RAW, promoting the “no subscription model”, and offering a perpetual license to users. Now,  while we are in the middle of launches of new versions of ON1 Photo RAW and Luminar, CyberLink reintroduces its PhotoDirector 10 Ultra, which was also launched recently, with a new tone: it’s now called PhotoDirector 365 and offers a “perpetual subscription”. I must say it made me smile!

The first question I asked, when I browsed through the information available, was: “what’s the idea behind this?”. Well, CyberLink believes there is a place for its subscription model and Dr. Jau Huang, CEO of CyberLink, said this: “Software subscription plans consistently offer users new unique tools to ensure they stay ahead of the creative curve. People are striving to discover new features and techniques that will push boundaries and stimulate their inspiration, and our subscription service does just that”.

Perpetual license or perpetual subscription?

Yes. According to CyberLink’s marketing, PhotoDirector 365 ensures subscribers always get the latest product and feature updates, as well as unlimited access to an ever-growing collection of premium add-ons, templates and unique AI Style Packs, offering the best photo editing and creation package available.

PhotoDirector 365 provides, says the company, a comprehensive and robust photo editing solution with easy-to-use tools, streamlined workflow, and point-of-use tutorials. It incorporates a variety of PhotoDirector’s powerful editing tools like Layer Packs, HDR, Black & White and Split Tone Presets, Motion Still, KeystoneCorrection, and 360˚ photo editing. It comes with the latest advanced features in the recently released PhotoDirector 10 Ultra, including the support of AI Style Effects, Tethered Shooting and Soft Proofing.

Subscribers will be able to turn their photos into works of art, and enhance their photography editing workflow, says CyberLink, but let me add, so will those who opt for the perpetual license version of the program, that is available for $99.99. So, why pay more for a subscription model? What are the advantages, if any?

Premium add-ons promised

The advantages of the subscription model, according to CyberLink, are simple: PhotoDirector 365’s subscribers have unlimited access to a wide and growing collection of CyberLink’s premium add-ons. They include AI Style Effects for Oil Paintings, Mosaic Art, Pencil Sketches and Watercolors, Express Layer Template Packs for multi-layer projects, and background music to create slideshow videos. A number of new style packs are released every quarter, providing PhotoDirector 365 subscribers with hundreds of dollars’ worth of unique tools throughout the life of their subscription.

The complete benefits for 365 Subscription are:

• Unlimited access to CyberLink professional effects, templates and style packs for photo editing
• Unlimited access to CyberLink AI Style Packs for PhotoDirector
• Exclusive sound effect and background music packs every month
• Always up-to-date with the very latest version of PhotoDirector, features and supported formats

If you think this is important for you, then you may want to know that the different plans available. They are as follows:

• PhotoDirector 365 (Monthly Plan – 1 month): $14.99
• PhotoDirector 365 (Quarterly Plan – 3 months): $29.99 ($9.99/month)
• PhotoDirector 365 (Annual Plan – 12 months): $54.99 ($4.58/month)

PhotoDirector 365 and the PhotoDirector Ultra 10 (which costs for $99.99) are available online at the CyberLink online store and in select retail outlets worldwide in the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese and Korean.