PDF Expert Switching to Subscription Model - Forces Account Creation even if paid V2 Customer

[james_d_UK]

Are there any good non-subscription alternatives?

I use Qoppa PDF Studio - there's two versions: Standard and Pro; I'd go with the latter.

It's cross-platform (Windows, macOS and Linux) and you can activate it on any 2 devices and you can deactivate/transfer the licence as many times as necessary.

They don't have a subscription, it's perpetual (whilst your OS continues to support it) and the features are far more extensive than PDF Expert. I'd argue it's better than Adobe PDF.

I used to use PDF Expert myself until they introduced subscriptions and then forced accounts. Readdle lied about the 'lifetime' in version 2 which clearly wasn't the case. Now, in v3, they say the 'lifetime' gets "limited upgrades" which is slightly more honest (albeit their claim is meaningless without further context).

Didn't PDF Expert used to have templates on macOS (e.g. blueprint, music score, squared paper)? I seem to recall that but I couldn't find it in version 3.0.23.

 

[Rigby]

I updated my Mac App Store version today, got the upgrade offer to "Premium" and took it. This unlocked the new functionality. Did some quick testing of the OCR and "smart scan enhance" and they seem to work fine.

The conversion of PDFs to office files does too. What I don't like is that it uses an online conversion service (convertapi.com) without telling you. I only noticed this because I saw that it created network traffic, and then did a packet capture to find out where it sent my document. So be careful with confidential documents. When using this function with sensitive material (e.g. IPR or HIPAA) you could even get into legal trouble.

 

[Nikita Tanchuk]

Your explanation about accounts makes sense for those looking to be subscribers. However, for people that purchased V2 outright and then updated the app they are unable to use the software they bought until they create an account. This is a huge misstep and you all need to correct it. Make V3 a separate app like so many other companies have done. Don't ask your previous customers to update to V3 to milk them for subscriptions and lock their app features behind an account they never had to create until now.

While you're here: what data is collected from PDF Expert and linked to the new "account"? Can you see the PDFs I've viewed or modified?

Thank you for sharing your insights! Indeed, there is def room for improvements in the current workflow. Our team is looking for the best solution that will cover all existing issues.

Answering your second question:

Readdle takes your privacy seriously and all your files are stored locally on the device unless you manually choose to share them with some third-party services like DropBox, Google Drive, etc.
Please be assured that no data of any kind is transmitted to or stored by our servers. The communication between your cloud storage provider and the application on your device is also performed directly per your cloud service provider’s security requirements.

 

[Nikita Tanchuk]

Didn’t PDF Expert developers once claim to be a better solution than Adobe Acrobat because “it was not” subscription based pricing? It looks like another developer out there has an opportunity to aquire not only Acrobat users, but now PDF Expert Users… and make off with a new happy new customer just as Affinity has done with its suite of graphic design software… by being smart and using the one time, lifetime, perpetual license pricing model….

Hi there! Please note that we're offering not only a subscription model but a one-time purchase license as well. Moreover, existing customers get a 50% discount on the first year of the subscription. If you update your app without subscribing, you keep access to all the existing PDF Expert 2 features for free, forever.

 

[Rigby]

Readdle takes your privacy seriously and all your files are stored locally on the device unless you manually choose to share them with some third-party services like DropBox, Google Drive, etc.

In the posting above I described that I found the PDF->Office conversion function sends documents to an online service without warning to perform the conversion. Can you please clarify if there are any other scenarios where my documents may be sent to any online service?

 

[Nikita Tanchuk]

In the posting above I described that I found the PDF->Office conversion function sends documents to an online service without warning to perform the conversion. Can you please clarify if there are any other scenarios where my documents may be sent to any online service?

Sorry, missed it somehow. Indeed, at the moment PDF Expert uses ConvertAPI for converting from and to PDF. We've also mentioned it in PDF Expert's Terms of Use. Let me also note that all connections are TLS encrypted.

 

[Nikita Tanchuk]

EDIT: **** this. I just tried to use PDF Expert to convert .doc to .pdf. It used to work in V2 but this new version wants me to buy the subscription. Going to downgrade now.


Original post
PDF Expert is created by Ukrainian developers. They need the revenue to stay profitable.

That said, I'm not subscribing to the app because I don't need the features it offers beyond what I paid for originally. I only wish there was a way to hide the features I'm not using.

Sorry for the difficulties you've faced with converting from Word to PDF! Drop us a line at helpspot@readdle.com and we'll find a solution for you.

Every company needs revenue to stay profitable, but our decision to move forward with the subscription-based model has nothing to do with the fact that Readdle is a Ukrainian-founded company.

 

[Nikita Tanchuk]

I noticed there was a lifetime version. But in the comparison to the subscription model I recall that it said it only gets limited upgrades? So, to me, it seems to be a somewhat limited lifetime version? Am I missing something?

Looks like our wording on the pricing page needs to be improved 😅 "Limited updates" means that Lifetime PDF Expert users will get all minor updates alongside with the subscribed users. However, when something major will be launched (i.g. PDF Expert 4) it won't be included in the Lifetime access.

 

[Nikita Tanchuk]

I found that we lose some features. Page extraction from a PDF file was included in previous version. But now it ask me to pay to upgrade to a premium version.
Furious!!

We promise that you will keep access to all the features you had before. PDF Expert has introduced free accounts. It means your license is now your email, you have one account for iPhone, iPad & Mac plus you get rapid activation of your license on a new device and benefit from new features and tools that are enabled across devices. We believe this move benefits the majority of our users.

 

[Rigby]

Sorry, missed it somehow. Indeed, at the moment PDF Expert uses ConvertAPI for converting from and to PDF. We've also mentioned it in PDF Expert's Terms of Use. Let me also note that all connections are TLS encrypted.

But can you please clarify if any functions other than the office file conversion send the PDFs to third-party services? This is critical for me as I often work with confidential files and cannot use PDF Expert unless I know for certain that they aren't sent anywhere. In the ToU I only find generic verbiage about third-party services. I would strongly recommend to display a warning to the user whenever their file is about to be sent somewhere.

TLS encryption does not help since there is no information about the privacy policies and compliance of the third party services themselves. ConvertAPI's statements on their web page are borderline deceptive. For example, they boast about all the certifications of the IBM cloud platform they are hosted on, but if you look at the small print you find this:

"Please note that the above-listed certifications apply to the IBM infrastructure only and don't necessarily extend to applications such as ConvertAPI using it."

 

[Nikita Tanchuk]

But can you please clarify if any functions other than the office file conversion send the PDFs to third-party services? This is critical for me as I often work with confidential files and cannot use PDF Expert unless I know for certain that they aren't sent anywhere. In the ToU I only find generic verbiage about third-party services. I would strongly recommend to display a warning to the user whenever their file is about to be sent somewhere.

TLS encryption does not help since there is no information about the privacy policies and compliance of the third party services themselves. ConvertAPI's statements on their web page are borderline deceptive. For example, they boast about all the certifications of the IBM cloud platform they are hosted on, but if you look at the small print you find this:

"Please note that the above-listed certifications apply to the IBM infrastructure only and don't necessarily extend to applications such as ConvertAPI using it."

Thank you for sharing your concerns! I've double-checked with our dev team and can confirm that only Convert from/to PDF uses a 3rd-party service.

 

[thenahon]

So wait.. I just upgraded today and linked my account. I'm not opposed to that step but my biggest qualm is, did we just lose features that we paid for in the previous version?

For those of us that bought PDF Expert licenses for the Mac, will upgrading cause us to lose features that we paid for in 2?

No, you don't lose any features from 2 IF you create an account. You are forced to create an account so they can link your license across devices. But if you don't want to do that step, they've taken away features you already paid for in V2 unless you redownload and never update.

EDIT: **** this. I just tried to use PDF Expert to convert .doc to .pdf. It used to work in V2 but this new version wants me to buy the subscription. Going to downgrade now.


Original post
PDF Expert is created by Ukrainian developers. They need the revenue to stay profitable.

That said, I'm not subscribing to the app because I don't need the features it offers beyond what I paid for originally. I only wish there was a way to hide the features I'm not using.

As stated in my post upgrading from a licensed v2 to v3 drops support for at least one paid feature. This is regardless of having an account set up or not.

 

[kozz]

For everyone who had the lifetime V2 they should make v3 available at a substantial discount as that’s the right thing to do…but they won’t…time to move on I guess….

 

[Mr._Wonderful]

I feel cheated by Readle. I bought the perpetual lifetime license (they were expensive as you all know) for PDF Expert 2 for iOS and MAC OS. Now this BS. They clearly lied to all of us. Shame on them.

I let them know my feelings. I will NOT buy their new version. I emailed them and asked if the new version is perpetual or not. To my amazement, I was told, it is possible that it will not be. At least they were honest.

Shame on you Readle.

 

[Analog Kid]

I hate when a good application goes bad.

PDF Expert really was a great application. OCR was the big piece that was missing, and converting spreadsheets would have been fantastic. But I'm not paying a subscription and I can't have my data forwarded off my private system for conversion.

The complete lack of transparency here is the biggest crime. I see it mentioned in multiple places that you can purchase PE for a onetime fee of $139, but for the life of me I can't see where or how. The "premium" upgrade dialog that comes up simply says "Upgrade", it doesn't say subscribe, so I very nearly clicked through and go suckered in. The website itself seems to be avoiding mention of the subscription and none of the FAQ material linked from the help menu links through to a price list.

Now I see that the fact the spreadsheet converter forwards data to a third party is buried in the terms of service.

I'm done here. It's a damned shame, but I can't support this.

 

[Mr._Wonderful]

I'm not trying WPS Office. Yearly fee is 29.00.
It's very user friendly. So far so good.

 

[Mr._Wonderful]

For everyone who had the lifetime V2 they should make v3 available at a substantial discount as that’s the right thing to do…but they won’t…time to move on I guess….

I agree. I would have paid an "upgrade" fee like carbon copy cloner does once in a while.

 

[kozz]

update...send them an email IMO they made it right for me. I only use the Mac edition.

 

[RainCityMacFan]

update...send them an email IMO they made it right for me. I only use the Mac edition.

How did they make it right for you?

 

[kozz]

70% off upgrade to Mac only version.

 

[Logo123]

I think it is appalling what they have done.
I had PDF Expert 2.
I could copy text and crop documents (because I scan docs using Fuji Scanners).
I PAID for these features.
Then I made the STUPID mistake of upgrading to Version 3.
Now I am being asked to pay for the same features. But I already paid for them in Version 2.
I dont want version 3 but I can't downgrade the version to the earlier version.
Now why would a company do this? If it is an honest mistake, then they should fix it.
If it is nothing more than a money grab, then shame on them.
I hope it is the former. Otherwise it is exceptionally disappointing and will lead me to never buy anything from them again. Because this is simply a case of fraud when you remove features which the customer paid for.

 

[Amazon Rainforest]

I think it is appalling what they have done.
I had PDF Expert 2.
I could copy text and crop documents (because I scan docs using Fuji Scanners).
I PAID for these features.
Then I made the STUPID mistake of upgrading to Version 3.
Now I am being asked to pay for the same features. But I already paid for them in Version 2.
I dont want version 3 but I can't downgrade the version to the earlier version.
Now why would a company do this? If it is an honest mistake, then they should fix it.
If it is nothing more than a money grab, then shame on them.
I hope it is the former. Otherwise it is exceptionally disappointing and will lead me to never buy anything from them again. Because this is simply a case of fraud when you remove features which the customer paid for.

You can't restore the previous version from Time Machine?

 

[doolar]

I just download version 2 from their webpage, use my email and license code. No need to use version 3? Or am I missing something here? I don't use pdf that much on my personal computer, where I have PDF Expert.