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I’m not sure if this is the right forum or category (I couldn’t select “general”), but as I’m sure you’re aware, Safe recently changed it’s pricing for FME, which includes annual maintenance pricing. We are a small consultancy business, long term Safe customer (10+ years) and have been FME advocates amongst our customers for many years. We have just received details of pricing for our annual maintenance in 2025 and for FME Form (previously FME Desktop Professional) for us this has increased by approximately 600%.The new maintenance price for FME Form is going to make it a lot more difficult to justify for a small business like ourselves.

We were also previously lookng to expand our FME use by purchasing Flow, but the new pricing has also forced us to cancel those plans.

We will also find it difficult to recommend FME to our customers, especially smaller ones, as the bar to entry in terms of pricing has been set so high.

I have previously raised the issue of pricing with our reseller in the UK and with Safe directly, but as yet have received no response from Safe.

I’m just wondering how many other current Safe customers currently have or forsee issues with the new pricing structure and increased maintenance costs? Will this force you to consider alternatives?

We are in the same boat. Our FME reseller told me that the annual maintenance fee will be increased by around 400% in 2025 and this will force us to give up FME Form unfortunately...

 

I’m not sure if this is the right forum or category (I couldn’t select “general”), but as I’m sure you’re aware, Safe recently changed it’s pricing for FME, which includes annual maintenance pricing. We are a small consultancy business, long term Safe customer (10+ years) and have been FME advocates amongst our customers for many years. We have just received details of pricing for our annual maintenance in 2025 and for FME Form (previously FME Desktop Professional) for us this has increased by approximately 600%.The new maintenance price for FME Form is going to make it a lot more difficult to justify for a small business like ourselves.

We were also previously lookng to expand our FME use by purchasing Flow, but the new pricing has also forced us to cancel those plans.

We will also find it difficult to recommend FME to our customers, especially smaller ones, as the bar to entry in terms of pricing has been set so high.

I have previously raised the issue of pricing with our reseller in the UK and with Safe directly, but as yet have received no response from Safe.

I’m just wondering how many other current Safe customers currently have or forsee issues with the new pricing structure and increased maintenance costs? Will this force you to consider alternatives?

 

Hi John. Safe Software have not changed their prices for over 20 years, and to be honest I think it has been way to cheap compared to what value one can get. On the other hand, I partly agree with you that the price raise might have been to high, and that it will exclude some for continuing with FME, but do not forget that Safe Software have an uncommon approach to pricing. I believe you can contact your partner/reseller, and ask to have chat with Safe wrt pricing. An option to allow you to take advantage of the whole platform, both FME Form and Flow, without making deep holes in your wallet, would be to ask for FME subscription price. The price changes in general is much more like other software vendors such as Microsoft, ESRI, Autodesk or others.  

Why is there not a Downvote button?

 

I would have used it now. (and of course u could do mine 🤣)

 

 

I used to like this company, but seems like souls are sold.

Yes.  agree…. the price changes are a bit of a pain.  Change is always painful.  However, for the long term the change is good as we all move to subscription pricing the continuous FME product delivery of new features and upgrades will be simplified and (I believe)  you get license to the full FME Platform and all new product features.   On the flip side...You can always keep your perpetual license on the legacy product version you last paid maintenance on and go along with the legacy product as long as it makes sense.  The downside to letting your AMC expire is that you loose the opportunity to apply your perpetual licensed products to a discount on your subscription price.  Also keep in mind that subscription prices are based on the value to your client base (govt population, utility service areas, ...)  If you are a small business you might find that your subscription price is very reasonable especially when you consider that subscription based licenses can usually be increased at no cost before your subscription term ends.   And with subscription pricing you don't have to pay a separate fee for support and upgrades.  The AMC price is all included in annual fee.   Software subscription pricing is getting to be a very normal practice and operational expense for your enterprise.   Also keep in mind that (in my experience) an unlicensed FME Flow/Server will still let you get to all of your repositories. I believe as well that educational, home and no-profit licenses are heavily discounted and sometimes no cost.  Hope this helps you stay with us...I would hate to loose FME users in such a great community….

Appreciate you all.  -R

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