To renew or not to renew?

[InfernoDev]

if you are currently running a forum you should renew for the security and piece of mind, I usually use my earnings from addon marketplace to renew so its like I can renew for free! I wish I didn't need to buy a separate license though per each forum like I have a dev site and another forum so I have to get two separate license.

 

[MapleOne]

If you run your forum as a business renewals are a write off and it makes sense to keep things up to date.

 

[PhineasD]

If I don't need the features included in the update, I simply don't update.

 

[mjda]

There is absolutely zero reason to update your license until you either 1) need support, 2) are ready to update your site to the latest version of software. If neither of those things are true, there's no reason that you "need" to renew your license.

I have two licenses that are currently expired, one that expires in two days, and another that expires on the 10th of this month. Only one of those sites is running on XF 2.3.6. The rest are on 2.3.7. Why would I pay to update those licenses right now? Those licenses won't get updated until a new version comes out, with something that I need, and I'm ready to upgrade them.

 

[FTL]

My annual renewals are coming up but it's been silent most of this year from XF. If I don't renew and things come alive later, I assume I can renew at that time and be back on track for upgrades, etc.? I hesitate renewing not knowing the status of this company and product right now.

Opinions?

Do you have the latest 2.3.7 installed? If so, then wait for the next version. It's worth renewing even if it's a single point update like 2.3.8 as they're all important. If not, then you should install the latest asap for the latest security and bug fixes and that means renewal now.

 

[NealC]

Yes, I'm running the latest and have maintained my subscriptions since the beginning. It's just unusual this time around with the silence so I'm holding off. Once an update comes out I'll pay up and stay up to date.

 

[Sebastiaan]

I want to raise a concern that I know many long-time XenForo users share, but that doesn’t get discussed often enough.

XenForo has become extremely slow when it comes to delivering meaningful updates, new functionality, or real upgrades. Major releases take a very long time, and when they finally arrive, the changes often feel incremental rather than innovative.

My license expired two weeks ago, and at this point I see no clear reason to renew yet. Right now, you get very little for a license renewal. I’m not opposed to paying for software I value, but I struggle with the idea of paying again for essentially the same product, with little visible progress since my last renewal.

This raises a fair question:
Why should users pay twice for software that hasn’t significantly evolved?

According to previous statements, XenForo is not in financial trouble, so lack of funding shouldn’t be the issue. That leads me to another question:
Why not involve or hire experienced people from the community? There are plenty of talented developers, designers, and power users who already understand the platform deeply and could help accelerate development.

XenForo is a solid product with a strong foundation, but right now it feels like it’s standing still while expectations move forward. I’d be much more willing to renew my license if there were clearer signs of momentum, transparency, and long-term vision.

I’m curious how others feel about this, especially those who have been already renewing their licence.

 

[FTL]

This raises a fair question:
Why should users pay twice for software that hasn’t significantly evolved?

That is a good question. When the license expires, you no longer get ticket support, so if you had a query that needed it, you'd have to renew, even without updates. Doesn't feel very compelling I know, but I've needed ticket support a few times now, so it could be important. While my self hosted license has long expired, I still get ticket support from my continuing XF Cloud subscription.

When a major update is eventually released, I'll renew the self hosted license so I can run that new version locally and experiment with it.

 

[Sebastiaan]

I understand that ticket support can be important, especially for urgent issues. However, it still feels like you’re essentially paying mostly for support rather than meaningful updates or new features.

That’s exactly my point right now, there’s very little incentive to renew, unless you absolutely need support. Even with major updates eventually coming, it seems like we’re being asked to pay twice for the same software.

If updates and new functionality were delivered more consistently, license renewals would feel much more justified.

 

[FTL]

I understand that ticket support can be important, especially for urgent issues. However, it still feels like you’re essentially paying mostly for support rather than meaningful updates or new features.

Yeah, that's exactly what it is. I wouldn't renew unless I had an urgent ticket to log.

If updates and new functionality were delivered more consistently, license renewals would feel much more justified.

Indeed.

 

[smallwheels]

Even with major updates eventually coming, it seems like we’re being asked to pay twice for the same software.

No you don't. You pay
• to support a small company (which you many want to do or not)
• for ticket support (that you may need or not)
• for updates (which despite all criticism apart form the 2.4 disaster do get released relatively regularly and which you may want/need or not):

If updates and new functionality were delivered more consistently, license renewals would feel much more justified.

In fact they are, just not in the second half of 2025:



While I do unterstand why pople are unhappy with communication, delayed 2.4 and the content of updates I don't understand why many do make such a faff of the 60$/year maintenance and update fee. It seems in fact quite cheap to be honest and opposite to other vendors of forum software you are niether forced to pay for maintenance today to ensure you will be able to update in future nor is it a subscription like Cloud where you loose your forum once you don't pay the monthly fee. Quite customer friedly indeed.

Despite that I probably won't extend my maintenance before 2.4 did not come out. I stacked two extensions last time they were on sale and expected them to cover up to 3.0, based on the statements of the XF crew back then. Not it turned out it may not even cover 2.4 and since I did not upgrade to 2.3 and had no need for ticket support I kind of "wasted" my money b/c I trusted XF what they were saying. So I will wait for 2.4 before making another extension.

I wouldn't renew unless I had an urgent ticket to log.

That seems a pretty egoistic behavior. With almost every insurance there is a grace period until you can make a claim. Basically, paying a small yearly fee for ticket support is more or less like an insurance. Small fee in beforehand to cover a potentially more expensive/bigger risk later, but don't know if a risk will materialize or not. The 60$ yearly maintenance fee for XF can realistically not even cover the cost of a single support ticket. Buying maintenance only b/c you have a urgent ticket to log at XF sounds very selfish and if everyone behaved like that the current model of maintenance fees would have to be changed as it would not be financially feasible for XF.

 

[smallwheels]

According to previous statements, XenForo is not in financial trouble, so lack of funding shouldn’t be the issue. That leads me to another question:
Why not involve or hire experienced people from the community? There are plenty of talented developers, designers, and power users who already understand the platform deeply and could help accelerate development.

I’m curious how others feel about this, especially those who have been already renewing their licence.

If you want to discuss this: Why do you bury that question deep in a thread that has a completely different topic instead of creating one dedicated to the question you want to discuss? Apart from that: As far as I can judge XF do have one or more devs from the community on their team.

 

[FTL]

That seems a pretty egoistic behavior. With almost every insurance there is a grace period until you can make a claim. Basically, paying a small yearly fee for ticket support is more or less like an insurance. Small fee in beforehand to cover a potentially more expensive/bigger risk later, but don't know if a risk will materialize or not. The 60$ yearly maintenance fee for XF can realistically not even cover the cost of a single support ticket. Buying maintenance only b/c you have a urgent ticket to log at XF sounds very selfish and if everyone behaved like that the current model of maintenance fees would have to be changed as it would not be financially feasible for XF.

Hangonaminute, most members do just this and the XF business model is set up to allow it, but you have a problem when I do this? Fer real? It sounds quite hypocritical when you say you're going to hold off renewing until 2.4 comes out. Where's your "support for a small company?" Come on, man.

Also, don't forget I said that I'm on XF Cloud nowadays, so they get lots of money off me and hence are very well supported by me.

 

[Suzanne O]

@smallwheels

You're paying for ticket support and the upgrades.

That's all the guys from xenforo want.

If you're self hosted you have to pay for hosting as well at least once a year.

If you're on the cloud and are paying yearly it's going to be combined hosting and support, upgrades (which they do).

Yet you're still jaded at everyone for supporting a small business.

Next time that you start a small business lets give you a taste of your medicine.

Quit being nasty

 

[mjda]

So I will wait for 2.4 before making another extension.

If you needed support for one of your sites would you renew before 2.4 was released, so you could get support now, or just wait until 2.4 comes out and ask for support then?

Of course you'd renew when you needed support, which makes the entire rest of your post hypocritical.

That seems a pretty egoistic behavior. With almost every insurance there is a grace period until you can make a claim. Basically, paying a small yearly fee for ticket support is more or less like an insurance. Small fee in beforehand to cover a potentially more expensive/bigger risk later, but don't know if a risk will materialize or not. The 60$ yearly maintenance fee for XF can realistically not even cover the cost of a single support ticket. Buying maintenance only b/c you have a urgent ticket to log at XF sounds very selfish and if everyone behaved like that the current model of maintenance fees would have to be changed as it would not be financially feasible for XF.

 

[K a M a L]

Yes, because 2.3.8 is coming in 2026, probably

 

[Suzanne O]

The way how i renew my 3 licenses is get one of them paid for. That way i can ask for support via ticket and get the upgrades.
I'll then renew one of the others and upgrade that and so on.
I'm due to renew my hosting this pay week. So i'll renew the forum that goes with that one which ran out in late last year.

 

[Feline Forums]

Your renewal supports the company, you expect updates? Support the company.

The company is getting plenty of support as is. Expect customers to keep renewing? Update the software. Not my obligation to give them money out of pity and get no updates in return.

 

[smallwheels]

If you needed support for one of your sites would you renew before 2.4 was released, so you could get support now, or just wait until 2.4 comes out and ask for support then?

Of course you'd renew when you needed support, which makes the entire rest of your post hypocritical.

You don't have a point here: With my current payments I should be covered until August this year I think. There are hopes that 2.4 may be released before that. If not: One of the reasons why I went for XF back then was that there is vendor support available along with a vital community. It turned out that until now I did not need vendor support: Whatever issues turned up until now could be solved successfully either by myself or with help by this customer forums. In expectation of 2.4 I won't (in opposite to former years) make massive changes on my forum until 2.4 is released, so the risk of huge issues is even lower than it was until now and if there will be a gap in maintenance I will probably be only a couple of months. At the moment I am still on 2.2 anyway - not sure if that is still officially supported, so if maintenance would help me in case of trouble.

The point is: If I would see a relevant risk that I would need vendor support I would renew before I run out of maintenance. I do not care about the maintenance fee too much - it is not a huge sum. In fact renewal fees for my add ons are way higher in aggregate. The reason for not renewing would not be to save money but more of a statement towards XF. The same way that until now continuous renewing was more of a statement of supporting the company than actual need. I am not happy with how XF behaves and seems to evolve. Independent from the delay of 2.4 I would like to see clear changes in some areas. In the meantime I am annoyed enough not to renew further until I see where this is going.

 

[Grump1!]

You want free stuff. Maybe go to a different forum. You've been with SMF for years. Go back to them. They're free.

and behind the times.