In considering a Logos purchase, there are three things to think about:
Let's briefly look at the three questions.
Logos 7 comes in many levels. Within each family, all the larger packages include everything in the cheaper packages (so Baptist Gold contains everything in Baptist Silver). Assuming your budget can handle it, the descriptions below should point you in the right direction:
If your budget can't handle what you know you need, there are two options. You can either spread the cost using a payment plan, or you can buy a smaller package now and upgrade it later when you can afford to do so. You'll only pay the difference between the two packages (give or take a few dollars).
In Logos 7, base packages come in to sections: the library (which is all the books), and the feature set (which is all the datasets and features). You have to buy the books, but you can get the features in two ways: either as an outright purchase for $449.99, or as an annual rental through Logos Now which costs $99.95/yr (currently discounted to $89.95).
Logos Now gets you all of the Logos 7 features, plus all the future features as they're developed. So long as you keep paying your membership fee, you'll get free upgrades to all the features of Logos 8 and Logos 9. You don't even have to wait until a major release as Faithlife tend to offer small feature/dataset upgrades every six weeks.
For most new customers, Logos Now will probably look like the better option. I'd only recommend the outright purchase if (a) you want to make sure you can always access the Logos 7 features without paying any more, and (b) you're confident you won't want the new features from future versions of Logos.
Don't forget: if you go for the Logos Now option and then later cancel your membership, you'll lose access to most of Logos' best features. You'll still be able to search and read your books, though.
As well as the standard base packages, Logos also has base packages aimed at Anglicans, Baptists, Catholics, Charismatics/Pentecostals, Lutherans, Methodists, Orthodox Christians (coming soon), Seventh-Day Adventists and those from the Reformed tradition.
The guide is aimed particular at those I know best — students, preachers and academics within the evangelical tradition, so bear that in mind as I assess the value of the various packages. I don't know Catholicism, SDA or Orthodoxy well enough to comment on them (although these comments from Devin Roza may help Catholics).
Over the next few days, I'll be posting more parts of this guide which will examine each package/library, and I'll link them below when they're done.
Thank you Mark!
Thanks Mark; I appreciate, and always look forward to your real-world buyers guide. They are very helpful and informative. I also use them to help explain Logos purchases to possible new users. Looking forward to the remaining parts.
Mark,
Will you be able to address how Logos Cloud figures in?
Thanks, Mark.
Your insights are always valuable.
Virgil Buttram:Will you be able to address how Logos Cloud figures in?
It's unlikely. There's no comparison chart, and because there's no grouping of multi-volume collections, it's difficult to work out what's what. Judging from the summaries given, I think they compare badly to 'normal' base packages. I'd probably prefer Silver over Cloud Premium, and Silver+Logos Now is cheaper after just 22 months. Personally, I think the only use of Cloud is to dip your toe in the water before making a commitment.
Thanks Mark! I love your posts for Logos 6 and it did help me make an informed decision on base packages I bought. After the standard base then the denominational bases I use your product guides for.
Mark Barnes: Virgil Buttram:Will you be able to address how Logos Cloud figures in? It's unlikely. There's no comparison chart, and because there's no grouping of multi-volume collections, it's difficult to work out what's what. Judging from the summaries given, I think they compare badly to 'normal' base packages. I'd probably prefer Silver over Cloud Premium, and Silver+Logos Now is cheaper after just 22 months. Personally, I think the only use of Cloud is to dip your toe in the water before making a commitment.
That makes sense. Tangenting a bit, I wonder if Logos Cloud will be "brought up to par" in terms of marketing, comparisons, etc.
Mark, as usual a classic explanation. The dilemma comes from Faithlife/Logos. The whole process of upgrading has now become confusing and I would suspect more expensive. I think I'll stick w/L6
Hi Mark, any updates on your buyer's guide? No hurries! Just curious.
Considering a purchase soon, but find your guides particularly helpful :)
Thanks for updating these for Logos 7!
Mark, thank you so much for all you do for all of us!
I've been thinking about suggestion Logos to a family member but am not sure where to point them to spell out which L7 features they get with the Starter packages and which features require a bronze package or higher. Any links I can give them that will do that? (Note: I'm referring only to the purchase model at this point--nothing Logos Now related.)
Also wondering what is meant by "+membership", in the second/lower price for all of the packages listed in your original post.
Thanks!
NEVER MIND. Sorry! I found what I was looking for and tried to delete this post but was unable to delete it.
I'd like to read some of the other guides, but can't reach Mark's website.
Thanks to FL for including Carta and a Hebrew audio bible in Logos 9!
Hi Mark;
This is the error (from Firefox) received when attempting to access your site.
Erwin Stull, Sr.: This is the error (from Firefox) received when attempting to access your site.
Oh, did the address change? I was trying a different site mentioned on Mark's profile.
PetahChristian: Erwin Stull, Sr.: This is the error (from Firefox) received when attempting to access your site. Oh, did the address change? I was trying a different site mentioned on Mark's profile.
Mark may have had 2 sites at one time. The logos4 site is the one that I mostly used. In any event, it appears that the site that you referenced is back up and running.
Erwin Stull, Sr.: Mark may have had 2 sites at one time. The logos4 site is the one that I mostly used. In any event, it appears that the site that you referenced is back up and running.
PetahChristian: Erwin Stull, Sr.: Mark may have had 2 sites at one time. The logos4 site is the one that I mostly used. In any event, it appears that the site that you referenced is back up and running. I still can't reach it. It says Safari can't open the page "www.logosbiblesoftwaretraining.com" because Safari can't find the server "www.logosbiblesoftwaretraining.com".
That's strange. The site may have a problem with safari. I do not have safari, but I verified that it works on IE, Firefox, and Chrome.
PetahChristian:I still can't reach it. It says Safari can't open the page "www.logosbiblesoftwaretraining.com" because Safari can't find the server "www.logosbiblesoftwaretraining.com".
Works for me in Safari. Maybe your DNS service isn't working correctly.
Wiki Links: Enabling Logging / Detailed Search Help - MacBook Pro (2014), ThinkPad E570
Erwin Stull, Sr.: Hi Mark; This is the error (from Firefox) received when attempting to access your site.
Erwin, that is the old sitename. If you accept the invalid certificate (under Advanced), it just redirects to the new site. So don't bother...just go here instead:
http://www.logosbiblesoftwaretraining.com/