Official: Why did(n't) you get a Logos subscription?

Mark Barnes (Logos) said:

We want to ensure that Logos meets the needs of everyone who wants to study the Bible. To help us make sure we're doing that as effectively as possible, would you take a minute to answer these two questions?

• Have you subscribed to the new version of Logos?

1. Yes, I'm a current subscriber (or on the free trial)
2. No, I tried it for a bit, but I didn't renew
3. No, but I plan to get it reasonably soon
4. No, and I'm undecided whether I'll get it
5. No, and I plan not to get it

What's the primary reason for your decision?

Please be honest. It's important to us that we understand how well (or not!) we're meeting your needs, so we want to understand what you really think.

Thanks!

5 - (Though I was willing to give Logos a chance to impress me with the LFL - side note, if the LFL is a one time occurrence - no LFL would be the reason as well)

Primary Reason? As of now, the Dynamic Toolbar - As I've stated in other posts, if I had the option of using the Classic Toolbar, I would give the LFL a chance to impress - without that option, I see nothing worth the loss of efficiency in my use of the program.

(Though I would be interested in the Android Sermon features that finally arrived - I also wonder why a subscription is required for a Feature Parity - I could be wrong, but I do not recall any other OS being required to pay for Feature Parity... That aside, I've gone this long without Logos Sermon tools (Gave up after Sermon File was taken away) and again, the value in paying for Feature Parity vs lost efficiency is not worth it to this user) 

1. I am a current subscriber. I subscribed because that is the direction most software seems to be going. After significant investment in Logos since the late 1990's, I don't want Logos to go out of business like BibleWorks did. I usually paid for Logos upgrades every two years so the subscription with early discount is comparable.

While the new features are interesting, I don't use them that much. I am subscribed despite Logos forcing the new toolbar on me, but the toolbar has me questioning whether I need to unsubscribe. While some like it, but I find it irritating and frustrating. Time with the new toolbar has not helped as I used it through the beta period as well. Please make the toolbar optional or allow some level of customization.

DMB said:

Mark Barnes (Logos) said:

No, and I plan not to get it

What's the primary reason for your decision?

No need for it, and nothing 'oh wow' for several years now.  Logos 10 works great.  Books are what I enjoy. Frank mentioned the toolbar, and thus I wouldn't even try the 'AI' functions.

I would add, the whole sequence is a bit manipulative ... no free trial if you're a Logos 10 customer, Logos '11' libraries and so forth.  No disagreement, the company is a company.  But the customer is a customer.

You should be able to get one month free.

Mark Barnes (Logos) said:

We want to ensure that Logos meets the needs of everyone who wants to study the Bible. To help us make sure we're doing that as effectively as possible, would you take a minute to answer these two questions?

• Have you subscribed to the new version of Logos?

1. Yes, I'm a current subscriber (or on the free trial)
2. No, I tried it for a bit, but I didn't renew
3. No, but I plan to get it reasonably soon
4. No, and I'm undecided whether I'll get it
5. No, and I plan not to get it

What's the primary reason for your decision?

Please be honest. It's important to us that we understand how well (or not!) we're meeting your needs, so we want to understand what you really think.

Thanks!

1. Yes, I’m a current subscriber (Pro)

Primary Reasons: A combination of 1) intriguing new features, 2) replacing the large biannual upgrade payments with small monthly payments and 3) the Legacy Fall Back License.

Paul Caneparo said:

You should be able to get one month free.

Yes, should ... but not allowed.

Mark Barnes (Logos) said:

• Have you subscribed to the new version of Logos?

1. Yes, I'm a current subscriber (or on the free trial)
2. No, I tried it for a bit, but I didn't renew
3. No, but I plan to get it reasonably soon
4. No, and I'm undecided whether I'll get it
5. No, and I plan not to get it

What's the primary reason for your decision?

Simply put, my major concern is the loss of features if I have to stop subscribing, and loss of features means a loss in the value of the resources I've purchased.

Yes... as a L10 FFS owner, I qualify for the LFL after two years of uninterrupted subscription, but then what?  What long-term feature benefits will subscribing beyond those first two years provide me unless a new LFL is granted every two years that includes the new features introduced during that time?  I'm also disappointed that with the LFL, one loses online features.  I can see losing high-cost AI features, but it seems like over the years, Faithlife has been growing more dependent on online features, which for me causes the LFL license to lose some of the appeal it would otherwise have even for those first two years.

But my concern also extends to my ability to recommend Logos to potential new customers who won't have any option to own features.  Is the cost of Logos resources really worth it without the features needed to make full use of the resources?

There is one thing I feel in the dark about that might have a bearing on whether or not I will be able to recommend Logos to new users--i.e. what features are included in the basic/free version of Logos that I "assume" will always be available for future customers who have to stop subscribing.  (I "assume" there will always be a basic/free version offered, otherwise library resources would be of zero value.)  Since I don't know what features are included in the basic/free version of Logos, I can't take that into consideration when it comes to evaluating it's value, and recommending Logos to potential/new customers who only have the subscription option.

1. Yes I subscribe but thinking of pulling out. The experience that I have had this year with as a mobile user was not very pleasant. Most of the times when a update is released that fixed some things something else is broken on Logos. I have also been purchasing books that is logos edition that has study guide, with the purpose of the logos edition you should be able to answer the study question, but lately the books I have purchased in a series some of them had the option and then others did not. Then also some books had some Bible Scripture Hyperlinks missing. So not being able to use that function. So at the end paying for things that does not work as intended brings a big frustration in my Bible Study that just lets me keep going back to the normal old fashioned way of reading a physical Bible and book. 

Mark Barnes (Logos) said:

• Have you subscribed to the new version of Logos?

1. Yes, I'm a current subscriber (or on the free trial)

• What's the primary reason for your decision?

After beta testing the new tools I wanted to have access to them ongoing. I generally enjoy having the latest greatest in my tech products and bible software. As a person who loves to write about Bible software I also wanted to have access to all the tools to write about them and help others learn how to use them.

Kevin A. Purcell said:

As a person who loves to write about Bible software I also wanted to have access to all the tools to write about them and help others learn how to use them.

Yes, I am a subscriber. The 5% sitewide discount on a product's pre-sale price is a big motivator for me. I feel the information marketing could be better here. For example, there could be a non-obtrusive, tiny info bubble at checkout that when hovered over/clicked on would say how many $$$ one would save on the purchase if one were a subscriber. These savings can be significant and could serve as a healthy motivator. Seriously, if people knew they would save more than a month's worth of subscription on a single purchase, it would make a lot of sense for them to subscribe and pocket the savings.

Other than that, I also enjoy the features. Though, I will admit, the start of this journey has been a bit scary for me. I do like the end result of what some of these recent features have been aiming to accomplish: making Logos easier to use. But getting there has been a rocky road. First, there was an insights sidebar that wouldn't stop haunting me (as far as I can tell, you've completely fixed this. Thank you!); then, there's a dynamic toolbar that I have a strong love/hate relationship with. I love it because (imo) it's a fantastic idea! Features are easier to find and access. Navigation is more intuitive. It feels like something I could introduce my never-tried-Logos-before friend to without hesitation. I hate it because some of my favorite features of the old toolbar just vanished. The ingenious, split-button design was replaced with a tiny oval that I literally have to concentrate on to click. I don't want to think about this point too long or I'll get worked up (I miss the split button [:(]). What has made the road scary is I keep wondering whether the efforts to make Logos more accessible for the masses will result in me having a less enjoyable time with it. If development on the dynamic toolbar were to stop today, I'd have to admit that this is the case. Hope and trust in the team keeps me optimistic (after all, my problems with insights are a distant memory at this point. It's a neat little feature, that one). I'm looking forward to the day when I don't have to wonder whether the next update will perhaps bring me undesirable features. I get that this dynamic (edit: seriously, no pun was intended here) must happen from time to time as the software grows. But it's been a lot lately. 

Finally, this point from Rick is a big one for me:

Rick Ausdahl said:

What long-term feature benefits will subscribing beyond those first two years provide me unless a new LFL is granted every two years that includes the new features introduced during that time?  I'm also disappointed that with the LFL, one loses online features.  I can see losing high-cost AI features, but it seems like over the years, Faithlife has been growing more dependent on online features, which for me causes the LFL license to lose some of the appeal it would otherwise have even for those first two years.

But my concern also extends to my ability to recommend Logos to potential new customers who won't have any option to own features.  Is the cost of Logos resources really worth it without the features needed to make full use of the resources?

I love the LFL and think the potential here is enormous. I understand everything would have to be priced out and optimized, but I think a permanent LFL option can be worked into every subscription. I feel that this option could help to create customer loyalty in a way that few businesses enjoy. And it would make recommending the product so much easier. After all, the idea of falling back to a bare-bones version of Logos after, say, 20+ years of subscribing is unpleasant. Even if one never stops subscribing, knowing that one is not trapped in the subscription is freeing.

I am a subscriber mainly for access to new features, primarily AI summaries.  I’ve used Logos since the 90s and I have a large library and full feature set.  Because of what I already own I found the subscription price to be reasonable.  I went with Max over Pro because I trust that Logos will make the difference worthwhile with upcoming features (as it is today Pro would meet my needs). Also, I wanted to support Logos going forward and continue to see advances and new features.

I'm a current subscriber (Max) and plan to go with the two-year option as soon as it's available. 

Reasons why I'm subscribing: 

• I'm an early adopter, and would feel FOMO if I missed out on the latest and greatest. Not a great reason, but it's the truth. 
• I find the AI features to be genuinely useful, especially Smart Search and summarizing texts. For example, I recently used an AI summary of Walton's lengthy retelling and analysis of creation myths to help communicate the big ideas to my congregation. Smart Search still has a ways to go - we can't search Bibles?????? - but it's still pretty nice. 
• I anticipate more features over the next two years, and want to be locked in for the LFL. It's a bet on Logos actually bringing more features, but one I'm willing to make. The dynamic toolbar and lenses are two examples of features I'm glad to have now, and hope for their improvement in the future. 
• The extra benefits - free book, 10% discount, books included with the subscription, and generous course offerings - make it a value on its own. I'm thankful to be at the place where $10/month (with my discount) is not a major financial commitment.
• I want to make sure Logos continues well into the future, and these tools are available for decades to come, both for me and for many others. 

Reasons for hesitation: 

• Deeply disappointed that folks new to Logos can't purchase a set of essential core features - I'm thinking especially of sermon editor, interlinear, and notes, for example - and be good to go. This makes it hard to encourage others to adopt Logos. The basic engine without a subscription lacks so much, and many folks are loathe to invest their time and resources into something they feel they'll be paying for forever, and never owning. I get it, but I already have talked with would-be new users that can't get over the hurdle. 
• Going from Logos 10 to the not-actually-11-upgrade felt a bit underwhelming to me. Perhaps it's because I'm not using the AI-supported features enough. But if the subscription was just or the software updates, it doesn't feel worth it to me. Yet. 
• Some basic features still haven't materialized, and I worry how the shift to incremental updates that are responsive to subscribers could further deprioritize some developments. 
• I'm concerned about a bait-and-switch. Frankly, I feel Logos's current subscription offerings for FFS owners to be super-generous, a great value....and that concerns me. I worry that we'll face a squeeze after a while: Increased prices, reduced benefits, etc. 

Overall, I'm all in on it! And for me, subscribing is a huge benefit, right now. I worry for those who don't have the FFS or feel like they can't afford the subscription. I'm here for the ride, and hope that this will actually broaden Logos's customer base in the coming years. 

Im really similar to Dru Lattin. I have the same hesitations, but I am a subscriber for similar reasons (Just not so much FOMO).

Lew Worthington said:

I could be wrong, but over time, the allure for FL to focus more on features that justify the subscription model may be hard to resist. 

Agree ... but from a non-subscriber POV .... they'll fix long-standing bugs (eg Text Comparison, Multiview and so on) but only as part of a 'major' fix ... subscribers only.  I'm viewing L10 as WYSIWYG.

Mark Barnes (Logos) said:

We want to ensure that Logos meets the needs of everyone who wants to study the Bible. To help us make sure we're doing that as effectively as possible, would you take a minute to answer these two questions?

• Have you subscribed to the new version of Logos?

1. Yes, I'm a current subscriber (or on the free trial)
2. No, I tried it for a bit, but I didn't renew
3. No, but I plan to get it reasonably soon
4. No, and I'm undecided whether I'll get it
5. No, and I plan not to get it

What's the primary reason for your decision?

Please be honest. It's important to us that we understand how well (or not!) we're meeting your needs, so we want to understand what you really think.

Thanks!

#5 is my response.  I have not subscribed, and I refuse to subscribe (absolutely no consideration of it at all).  Why?

1.  Faithlife chose to pursue a "get it all or get none of it" approach regarding new offerings, and I'm not happy about that.  As someone who has used Logos software since the late 1990s, and as an owner of the L10 full-feature upgrade, the only thing I would have any consideration of is new features that are not dependent upon a subscription.  The reason why is because I don't want any of the other offerings of a subscription (a.i. functions, rented books, etc.), and I refuse to even give them any consideration.  A legacy fallback license was offered if you subscribe for 2 years.  However, it isn't known in advance as to what ALL of those features are.  I refuse to commit to such a subscription if I don't know all in advance that I'm getting specifically that I'll be able to keep after 2 years.  To me, that's a financial gamble that I will not go along with because of not knowing if I will even want any of those features.  I'm not going to pay for something in advance that I won't know until later on if I truly want it.

2.  Faithlife chose to require a subscription if you want to purchase any of the 2025 bundled library packages.  That's an absolute joke.  I've purchased various previous bronze, silver and gold library package offerings, and now you're requiring a subscription to buy a 2025 library package offering?  Come on Faithlife!  I'm not going along with it.

It would have been wonderful if Faithlife chose to offer both subscriptions and owned feature upgrades separately, allowing each person to choose if they want to purchase either of them or both of them.  But to bundle it all together, require a purchase for it all, and to no longer be able to pay for owned feature upgrades separately?  Sorry, but Faithlife, you lost me on this.