WireCAD Subscription Licensing Model Change 2024

Howdy from the WireCAD Ranch!

I have been developing WireCAD for more than 23 years now and have always tried to keep the pricing in line with my own personal pain threshold for professional software tools. Subscriptions annoyed me and so I avoided offering them (against the advice of my board of directors - and sales staff). As time went on, more and more organizations requested a subscription option and so we complied. I still didn't like it, so we only had one subscription product level and it mirrored the PRO functionality.

We offered a couple of different subscription durations and that turned out to be a big mistake. We were inundated with short term subscriptions with all of the support staff on training new short term users, only to have them cancel the subscription after a month or three (well within the rights of the product that we offered).

So here we are 23 years later and I can't buy any software with a perpetual license. It seems that everyone has gone to the recurring payment model for software, and as a CEO I understand the desire for recurring revenue. WireCAD is an anachronism in that sense and so we are changing.

We are changing to reflect the conditions of the market in which we operate with the added benefit to the customer of a lower price point.

Learning from our mistakes is key and so we will be offering a one year subscription only but for all three product levels: XLT, PRO, and CMS. You can purchase with a PO or Credit Card. If you choose the Credit Card option you will be enrolled in an auto-renewing subscription and your price will not change year-to-year unless you cancel. Purchases made via Purchase Order are subject to annual price increases.

We had originally targeted a January 1st, 2024 launch date for the subscription roll out but things got away from us and we are postponing it until March 1st, 2024.

We here at the WireCAD Ranch are a small group of people who are passionate about what we do and realize that you come first.

Below is a summation of the new changes.

Thanks again for your business,

Christian Holbrook, CEO and Principal Architect - WireCAD



Change is afoot!

All subscriptions include:

  • Priority technical support.
  • Program updates.
  • Basic access to the WireCAD Teams Portal where you can publish your projects and invite team members to view/comment/redline the drawings and project data.


As of March 1, 2024, all new WireCAD licenses will be sold as subscription keys*. This will result in a decrease in the price of new licenses. 

2024 Pricing (March 1, 2024)

WireCAD CMS 1 year subscription $4800/Year
WireCAD PRO 1 year subscription $2400/Year
WireCAD XLT 1 year subscription $1545/Year

What Does This Mean to Me?


 I am an existing WireCAD Perpetual Keyholder I am new to WireCAD
If you already own perpetual keys, nothing will change. You can continue to renew your Software Assurance per usual and receive the same great updates and support that you’re accustomed to. All new license purchases will be sold as subscription* licenses.

If you own a perpetual key for a legacy version of WireCAD, you can upgrade your existing perpetual keys to the current software version. Contact us for upgrade quotes.

Subscription licenses expire at the end of their term.


Subscriptions can be purchased via credit card (auto-renewing) or purchase order (not auto-renewing).


Auto-renewing subscriptions receive the benefit of a price-lock. As long as your subscription remains current, your price never changes**.


Non auto-renewing subscriptions are subject to annual price increases.

*Certain organizations may qualify to purchase perpetual keys. Call us to find out if you are eligible.

** Terms and Conditions subject to change at any time without notice.

Related Tags

WireCAD v10.1 Subscription Change