this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2024
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223
Canva says its AI features are worth the 300 percent price increase (www.theverge.com)
submitted 2 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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The price of some Canva subscriptions are set to skyrocket next year following the company’s aggressive rollout of generative AI features. Global customers for Canva Teams — a business-orientated subscription that supports adding multiple users — can expect prices to increase by just over 300 percent in some instances. Canva says the increase is justified due to the “expanded product experience” and value that generative AI tools have added to the platform.

In the US, some Canva Teams users are reporting subscription increases from $120 per year for up to five users, to an eye-watering $500 per year. A 40 percent discount will be applied to bring that down to $300 for the first 12 months. In Australia, the flat $39.99 AUS (about $26 USD) per month fee for five users is switching to $13.50 AUS (about $9 USD) for each user. That means a team of five will pay at least 68 percent more, not withstanding any other discounts.

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[–] [email protected] 92 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

They are probably failing to get enough users, so they will attempt to squeeze as much money from their existing users as they can before they go under.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

I just assumed the VC money dried up.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 2 weeks ago

All post-COVID tech companies in a nutshell.

AI seems to be getting used as the latest way to keep VCs still interested in a world of higher interest rates and otherwise tighter corporate spending.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago

It was the cheap fed money that allowed VC to speculate for so long.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

That's too bad since they recently purchased the excellent Affinity suite... which I originally bought for a single lifetime price, but they're switching to a subscription model. So my favorite editing suite might get ruined two ways.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

Are they? When they bought it they explicitly promised that they would not change the licensing. And no one believed them. Affinity was the only true competitor to Adobe products with equivalent functionality for a reasonable one-off payment instead of an extortionate subscription. I was so happy to find it - software that actually feels good to buy and use, Of course they're going to ruin it.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I'll give them credit for sticking with it so far. I even keep getting updates. But I assume they're brainstorming ways to end the one-time payment installations.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I believe at some point they said the may explore additional models, like offering both pay once and subscription at the same time. We can hope

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I have a feeling they are going to retroactively shorten the “lifetime” of my license.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

I don't think so. Unless I'm mistaken, your lifetime license is for major versions, so when 3.0 comes around, you will still be able to use 2.x.x, but not upgrade for free. They have been offering pretty good upgrade prices, though. We'll see what happens.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Not was. Is.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Step 3 of enshittification has begun

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

Begun? Where have you been the last 2 years?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Or they are gearing up to sell, so they pull this stunt to make their subscription numbers look better, before the cancellations start rolling in.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

The article’s author seems to think this is an IPO play. Their revenue would spike over 2025 and would inflate the growth metrics for a 2026 IPO.