Skip Navigation
147

We’re working on a change in WPML accounts, aimed to improve sustainability and give you better ongoing support.

Today we offer both yearly and lifetime accounts for WPML. The content of these accounts is identical, except for the renewal terms. Everyone who already has a Lifetime you will keep getting updates and support without any renewal payments, but we’ll stop selling new Lifetime accounts. We’ll also stop offering account upgrades from yearly to Lifetime.

The new kinds of accounts and renewals

The new kinds of accounts that we’ll offer will be:

Account name Initial cost Renewal cost What’s included
Starter Multilingual Blog $29 $21
  • WPML core
  • Automatic updates and support for one site
Standard Multilingual CMS $79 $59
  • All of WPML’s components
  • Automatic updates and support for three sites
  • Usage of WPML’s new Advanced Translation Editor* for yourself
Multilingual Agency $159 $119
  • All of WPML’s components
  • Automatic updates and support for unlimited sites
  • Usage of WPML’s new Advanced Translation Editor*
  • for yourself and 3 additional translators

What happens with existing clients

Your current accounts will continue working normally. Our aim is to make sure that you get what you paid for and the updated pricing doesn’t disrupt your business.

Current Lifetime account holders

If you already have a Lifetime account, you keep getting updates and support without any renewal payments. You already paid for it.

Yearly account holders

As you’ve noticed, we’re adding a cap on the number of sites that you can build with the lower-cost accounts. You might be asking yourself how can this cap possibly help you and the answer is actually simple.

Today, the majority of WPML clients build several sites. Some clients build dozens and hundreds of sites. We want to give the best possible service to everyone. We love clients who build many sites with WPML and we also love clients who only need WPML for one or two sites.

By separating the account types, we can assign the right resources to both kinds of clients. If you only build a few sites, you don’t want to wait in line for support while we handle the “heavyweight” clients. And, if you’re building many many sites, you typically need different kinds of support than a developer who’s just starting out with multilingual sites.

So, by knowing who needs what, we can improve the support for everyone.

Also, we believe that if you’re using WPML to build 30 sites per year, you can afford higher support cost than a developer who uses WPML for one site and that’s it.

So, after this lengthy introduction, here’s the plan.

If you have a current Blog account, you’ll be able to stay on that account or upgrade to the new Standard account on our expense. Mind you, next year’s renewal will be $59 instead of $21.

If you have a Multilingual CMS account, you can choose to move to the new Standard account or the new Agency account. The Standard account will cost you $59/year and allows to build only 3 sites. The Agency account costs $119 per year and allows to build unlimited sites.

Higher cost and higher value

There’s no doubt, this change increases the cost of WPML. Together with upping the cost, we’re also doing our very best to increase the value that you’re getting.

A new Advanced Translation Editor

In the last year, we’ve been working on a brand new translation editor for WPML, which drastically improves translation accuracy and speed. We call it WPML’s Advanced Translation Editor.

This translation editor will have:

  • High accuracy segmentation for convenient translation units
  • Your own Translation Memory
  • Your own Translation Glossary
  • Built in spell checker
  • Machine translation which you can run on each translation unit

To make a long story short, the new translation editor in WPML is at the same level as the best translation tools on the market. It’s something that translators typically pay hundreds of dollars for and you’re getting it as part of WPML.

Real-time support

We hate it when clients need to wait hours, or sometimes a whole day, to get help from our support. In the very near future, we’ll be adding real-time support to WPML. It’s going to remain a ticket system, like it’s now, but you’ll need to wait up to a couple of minutes and a supporter will take your ticket “live”. You’ll see when a supporter is reading your ticket and replying to you and the supporter will wait for your reply before moving on to the next ticket.

Why? Because we’ve checked and we see that a lot of the support tickets need a bit of back and forth for us to understand what the problem is. We realize that it’s frustrating for you to wait several hours, just to get a reply that asks you for more details. If a supporter and you work together, using live updates, to understand the problem, we’ll be able to resolve most issues in a matter of minutes.

Of course, if we need to take a copy of your site for debug, we’ll need to get back to you a bit later. However, the vast majority of the support tickets don’t need this longer debug and shouldn’t wait in that queue.

WPML’s features in the coming months

Besides a (much) better translation editor and live support, we’re working on a number of things that you’ve asked.

  • Gutenberg integration – Gutenberg will soon ship as part of WordPress and WPML will be ready for it. The upcoming release of WPML already resolves all issues with the current version of Gutenberg (and there are a few). The next release will also use Gutenberg’s blocks API to offer easier translation for Gutenberg texts (we can’t do this yet as the API is still evolving).
  • Media Translation for WPML’s Translation Editor and professional translation – The new Media Translation is a complete rewrite, making it possible to upload replacement images for translated content. I’ll write a lot more about it very soon.
  • Better and faster word count – Many sites need translation, but it’s hard today to know how much time it will take and how much it will cost. We’re rewriting the word count tool to cover all content types (including content from page builders) and produce the word count quickly and accurately.
  • Taxonomy slug translation – You’ll be able to translate the slugs of taxonomy terms.

Of course, our top priority is on stability, compatibility and performance. It goes without saying that we only add new features when existing features and integrations are stable. Our compatibility team (of 6 developers) works closely with the authors of leading theme and plugins to ensure ongoing compatibility. The dev team always prioritizes stability and security issues. We know that if your site has a problem, it’s a lot more important than a shiny new feature that we’re working on.

When

We’re working on changing the accounts system right now. The change will be ready sometime during May (it’s still “in progress” so we don’t have an exact date yet).

You can upgrade your current accounts to Lifetime now and lock-in future updates and support. You probably know that we’ll prefer to have more clients with yearly accounts than Lifetime clients, but it’s your right.

Why WPML needs to make this change

Today WPML is doing fine. We have strong development and support teams and we’re living up to our obligations. Every year, we have more clients and more websites to support. Our support team started with just one person and today includes over 35 people, speaking 10 languages. If we sell more Lifetime accounts, at some point in time we will not be able to afford the support that our clients need. Annual renewal payments for updates and support will prevent us from running into this situation. More clients » more websites » more supporters.

"What’s in it for me if I pay for yearly renewals?"

Of course, there’s a benefit for us when you pay us yearly renewals. This way, we get ongoing revenue which we’ll use for the ongoing development and support for you.

If you give it a second thought, you’ll notice that there’s a benefit for you as well. When you pay us for yearly renewals, you know that we’ll fight to make you happy. After all, if we can’t make you happy and you no longer see the value of WPML for your business, we know that you’ll cancel the renewals. When we need to make you happy every year, it’s like getting mini-married again every year. Wouldn’t it be fun if your spouse kept courting you again and again every year? That’s how we want to be for you 🙂

Ideas? Thoughts? Questions?

Please leave your comments, tell us if we’ve missed anything and we’ll get back to you.

How can we make WPML better for you?

Share your thoughts and comments about our plugin, documentation, or videos by booking a Zoom call with Agnes, our Client Advocate. Your feedback matters and helps us improve.

Book a call with Agnes

147 Responses to “Lifetime Plan Going Away in Favor of Annual Renewals”

  1. Hi, I have 2 non-professional websites which I want to make multilingual, and have a quick question:

    If I purchase the Multilingual CMS (which in the future will become the “Standard” Account), do I then have to pay each year the 59$? Are those 59$ mandatory to keep having the multi language websites, or they are just to keep having the updates&support?

    thanks!
    Pablo

    • Hello Pablo,
      you can cancel your subription anytime and still use WPML plugins. An active subscription is required to keep having the updates & support.

    • Hello Patricia,
      Yes you can buy it now. It will be available for a few days more, not sure until when exactly.

      Kind regards,

  2. Hi, for actual lifetime access wpml, will have also the new integrations? Gutenberg integration, Media Translation for WPML’s Translation Editor and professional translation, Better and faster word count, Taxonomy slug translation,
    Thanks

  3. Hi
    I currently have the Multilingual CMS with unlimited websites. I want to keep the unlimited websites feature so either I will upgrade now to lifetime or upgrade later to a yearly agency account Did I understand it correctly?

    • Hello Christos,
      We will remove the lifetime subscription in a few days. I suggest you purchase this package at your earliest convenience if this is what you prefer. The upgrade to the Agency subscription will be available at any time.

      Kind regards,

  4. Dear Sirs,

    i have at the moment a Multilingual Blog account, with yearly renewal of $ 15

    What will be changed here to this account after changing the user accounts to new kinds ?

    Who much is the renewal fee after this change for my current account ?

    Or is it possible to stay on old account with renewal cost of yearly $ 15 with same scope of benefits/scope of current licence ?
    As well whapt happens with new future features then ?

    2nd question
    What will change for me, if i do now an upgrade to lifetime account – what happens with the lifetime account after changing the user accounts to new kinds ?

    What is here for example with new coming future features ?
    At the moment is in lifetime accounts, everything included, what wmpl offers – what is after the change?

    Thanks in advance for your reply & kind regards,

    Martin

    • The renewal cost for your account will go up from $15/year to $21/year ($6 increase).

      People who have a Lifetime account will not need to pay these renewal fees. It’s still available for sale now, but we’ll be closing this soon. Once closed, people who already bought will continue having the Lifetime accounts, but others cannot buy NEW Lifetime accounts.

      There are a number of features that we’re working on.

      In WPML 4.0, we’ll have a brand new Media Translation plugin, much improved Translation Management and a better Translation Editor. We also managed to include support for taxonomy slug translation.

      The following release will focus on Gutenberg compatibility.

      I hope this helps.

      • Dear Amir,

        Thanks for reply.
        Ok that mean, renewal prices increase to new account kinds, if I understand this for 100%

        I use Avada as theme, what is Gutenberg here together then?
        Also the new translation editor helps here good in addition then?
        (Because now I am faster to create two pages for two languages)

        I think about it to change to lifetime, it’s a big charge, but maybe it make sense….
        Would be this then the same in functionality as the new agency account or how I can compare it? (Lifetime account)

        With lifetime, is there also everything new coming also included ?

        Can I also translate then directly with wpml plugins in total or is there any restriction or barrier, now I need to do it with different language files (po files I think it’s called)?

        Thanks in advance for your reply,

        Regards,
        Mat

        • I don’t know how Avada will adapt to Gutenberg. We’ll see soon enough when WP 5.0 comes out.

          The new translation editor will be available for testing during this week. We’re preparing WPML 4.0 beta which will also include this editor. Then, I’d love to get your feedback about it.

          Yes, people who already have Lifetime accounts will continue getting all of WPML’s components.

          • Dear Amir,

            but i think Avada & WMPL is a very good work, hand in hand ?

            About the new translation editor, i am really curious about it

            Please one questions regarding your reply to Robin below:

            You write -> “Right now there isn’t a difference but there will be in the very near future.”

            (new “Agency” license and the old “Multilingual CMS Lifetime”)

            Do you have here more details please ?
            Because this would be very important for me – not that i pay now for lifetime account, in 0,5 or 1 year i have not all features anymore of wmpl – the nearly 200 USD for the upgrade is a lot of money (your price + tax …)

            Thank you & regards

            • WPML package (the plugins) will remain the same and clients with Lifetime accounts will get all plugins always.

              About the new Advanced Translation Editor, we’re not sure yet. The issue is, every person that uses it costs us. This is because the new editor includes machine translation, for which we pay per use. It’s just not free. So, if we give access to this to people who don’t have any sort of yearly subscription, we get ourselves and the project into trouble.

              We already included the cost of this editor in the cost of yearly renewals. However, we’re not sure if we will manage to include complementary accounts for the new Advanced Translation Editor for clients with Lifetime accounts.

              • thank you very much for your fair-minded/truth-told answer about the further proceed with the coming accounts and also regarding the old lifetime plans

                i absolutely understand your point of view and this as business decision — for end users/lifetime holders, it would be maybe not understandable

                for me for example is the new translations editor a main point if i upgrade to lifetime or also about further usage reg. the higher yearly subscription costs

                do you have already a deadline about the end of upgrade possibility to lifetime accounts – because with this new fact, i must really think about it, if it makes sense then

                thx

                • Not yet. We’re polishing the system changes that are needed for this upgrade. You’d think that it’s a simple project, but it’s actually pretty large. I think, 2-3 weeks and we’ll be switching our accounts system.

              • Hi,

                I’m not sure how we should understand this…

                “WPML package (the plugins) will remain the same and clients with Lifetime accounts will get all plugins always.

                About the new Advanced Translation Editor, we’re not sure yet…”

                Isn’t it contradictory?

                As lifetime client, we’re supposed to keep on getting all plugins, always, but… in fact… no, not so sure anymore…

                I fully understand your cost concern, I’m not challenging it, but I just want to understand the situation.

                1/ So should we then rephrase your introduction for “…clients with Lifetime accounts were supposed to get all plugins, but this general rule may change as for new plugins like the new Advanced Translation Editor we may not be able to offer them for free (decision not taken yet)”?

                2/ In case indeed the new Advanced Translation Editor is a first feature/plugin Lifetime accounts will not get, how will it work?
                Will we still be able to use WPML 4.0 without it’s new Advanced Translation Editor? How?

                3/ Or will we be forced to pay for this mandatory WPML 4.0 feature?

                4/ In case you decide not to provide for free the new Advanced Translation Editor for Lifetime accounts, will we be able to disable inside the Advanced Translation Editor only the part that cost you? (so that we can still benefit from the rest of the plugin for free and can stick as close as possible to your commitment of lifetime license)

                I’m sorry to bother you, but it’s important.
                We paid nearly 3 times the price for a Lifetime license, with the commitment that we will always get all the upgrades and plugins, and now it looks like it may not be the case very soon any more, so we kinda paid extra for nothing.

                Thanks for your answer!

  5. Hello,
    Is there any difference between the new “Agency” license and the old “Multilingual CMS Lifetime”. Is there some additionals features on the new “agency” license that is not in the Multilingual CMS Lifetime ?

    Is there any avantage to get the new yearly license “Agency” if i already bought the “Mulitlingual CMS lifetime” ?

    • Right now there isn’t a difference but there will be in the very near future.

      WPML 4.0 will include a new (paid) translation editor, which is at the same level as professional translation tools. Your clients will need to pay for it, but we’ll include complementary accounts for our clients.

      Additionally, we’re going to add to your WPML accounts more components that we’re working on now.

      So yes, price goes up and value is value goes up as well.

  6. Hi,

    I am to purchase your plugin but need to make sure of 2 things.

    1. Are the Filipino/Tagalog language for the Philippines and Chinese supported?
    2. Which plan should cover language translations for Revolution Slider?

    Thank you in advance.