Looks like Logos is moving to a subscription model for their software’s features (not previously-owned books, but the tools to analyze them).
I know we have a number of religious MPUers on here that I believe use the software (@Bmosbacker, maybe @FrMichaelFanous?) Any Logos users, what do you think of the decision?
https://community.logos.com/forums/t/221543.aspx?PageIndex=1
It was only a matter of time. I think every software company is trying to stay afloat these days and be competitive, while utilizing the latest and greatest tech advancement to stay relevant.
Almost every app that I use has tried to add some AI tier plan to get me to upgrade.
Every app company is trying to leverage the usage of AI and because (in my limited understanding) we are still in the beginning stages of AI, so the pricing per usage/query (what’s the wording) will probably increase over time.
I did sign up for the early access to test and see. I haven’t really leveraged any of the AI stuff fully, because for me writing a sermon, talk, or lecture is personal. I am using the ‘Smart Search’ to test out a few things, but the books that I like to read and use aren’t really part of that set.
I may drop the subscription part, and just keep my library as is.
Minister here. 
I use Logos as one of my tools - I find Sermon Builder clunky and prefer an app like Obsidian for preparation and writing as it’s faster. I mostly used Logos because I received a grant to buy it some time ago which gives me access to its resources. To be honest, my use of its functionality beyond the library and passage guide is limited.
I’m interested in trying AI if it can surface information from my library more easily and draw out themes, although my only source of information is not my Logos library, and therefore a Logos-based system may not be able to draw from as wide a range of resources as I would like.
Overall, I doubt I’ll get value for a subscription.
Accordance is my ‘daily driver’ Bible software and they’re not currently talking of moving to a subscription.
I have Logos, but I basically use it as an ebook reader (a few time’s I’ve purchased the absolute minimal upgrade for <$100). From what I can tell, the move to a subscription for those who use Logos more deeply won’t impact my usage
I use Logos for my Men’s Group at church. It’s my understanding that they will give users a small update every once and a while to stay up to date, which is all I need… I have spent thousands of dollars on books that I haven’t used, so…
It’s enough to make a good Christian cuss. Well, not really. 
At least an angel has not descended and told me I’d have to subscribe to the Bible or buy a ticket to get into church.
That said, their approach is commendable in that I retain permanent access to my library and future book purchases. I wrote them and suggested that they add Logos to Setapp. Logos would be the reason that would finally push me to purchase a Setapp subscription.
I have both Accordance and Logos. Upon Logos v10, I have been using it for study and not just as a library. In fact, I have owned logos since version 1.6 if my failing memory serves. I used the program when I was in overseas missions as well as my current position as a pastor. In my case, the subscription is less than what I have been paying to upgrade every two years. I don’t really like subscriptions but I did sign up for early access.
I’ve been using Logos since it was Libronix and Windows only. (I use Accordance now as well.)
I think it’s a good and balanced decision. As others have said, I get to keep access to the library I paid for, and the subscription is giving me access to new volumes and tools that I would have had to pay for anyhow in one of the roughly yearly feature upgrades.
I’ve played around with the new search and summarize feature. It’s helpful at this point, but not a game-changer for how I use the platform. (That’s as a research and reference database mostly. I find the sermon builder tools much too confining for my purposes. It might be different if I was preaching in places that expected me to use slides as part of the sermon.)
Me too. I remember back when the biggest, most fancy package was “Scholar’s Library,” and I used a Bible bookstore coupon code to get 25% off. Back then “Scholar’s Library” was $500, and I got it for $375.
That’s actually a really good point. If the subscription roughly matches the cost of the periodic upgrades, and you’re buying the periodic upgrades, then it’s effectively a wash.
“Hear me out on this. The basic sermon is still free. For those who tithe, we have an all-new Sunday School experience with better coffee and donuts, and better audiovisual resources. For those who are even more committed, we’re also offering new ‘Tithe Plus’ subscription tiers, which include more comfortable seating, four extra mid-week sermons, prioritized prayer requests, and other ‘pastor perks’ that congregants have requested.” 
“Hear me on this ….”
That’s awesome!!! You have me laughing out loud!
Haha, yes! I’d probably pay a subscription to make pastors talk faster.
You both have me laughing!!
Those who choose not to tithe may continue to help themselves to the water fountain and the mints.
But… if I cancel my subscription, can I take my fruit of the Spirit or bring it to a new church if I move to a new town?
I’m big into Logos and truly love the software. I’ve been following this subscription move in the forums since the early days. I’m still getting about seven emails a day. I even saw @Bmosbacker’s post this morning about creating a setapp subscription, which I thought was a clever idea.
I have mixed feelings about the idea, which I will share more about later. I’ll start with this for now. I am a committed market-capitalist, and I am OK with businesses making decisions that keep them financially sound, and return profit to their owners. Logos/faithlife Is just as entitled to do that as any other company. But I do feel that there’s one caveat. The Bible and the resources we use to study are things we expect to have permanence. Logos/Faithlife needs to be sensitive to that.
For example, after I started with logos and began to see how powerful it was, I literally moved every aspect of my spiritual life into logos. Every book that I had notes in, I moved into clippings or put into the note tool. Every message I had ever written. Every answered prayer recorded in it. Logos is the central hub of the administrative aspect of my spiritual life.
I did all of that because of the expectation that I had of logos/faith life being as permanent as anything on earth is permanent. The idea that it could be stripped away if I don’t continue to pay for a subscription, or my ability to use the tools could be downgraded because I don’t continue to pay a subscription, is a great concern to me.
(Not to mention the cost that would be involved in purchasing an entire library in either print or a different electronic format. That would be staggering for some of us,)
That said, I’m testing out the early access subscription, and so far am pretty pleased with the things I’m seeing. What I would like is for there to be some, for lack of a better term, minimum guarantee of access that we would have to logos tools to get full use of the libraries that we have purchased from logos. My library is big and growing. I want to keep it that way. I want to always be able to access it. I understand that comes at the cost, and I am not shy about investing in logos. Still, the subscription move is alarming.
Maybe I don’t have to write a “later” post. Maybe I covered it all here after all.
@Bmosbacker, there’s a church in the city where I used to live whose yellow pages ad had “GREAT COFFEE!” in huge letters. Biggest letters in the ad, actually. It was their core selling point, apparently.
“We maintain a robust commitment to fruit portability. Your fruit is yours, and you may export it and take it with you should you switch providers. However, please note that some extended attributes of fruit (tongues, prophecy, etc.) may not be supported by all providers.”
Yes. This. This is an area where people literally read books that are hundreds of years old, and that’s actually what a lot of Logos books are - digitizations of very old books, promoted as “better than the original” because of searchability and such. Their value diminishes rapidly if they’re not reasonably “permanent.”
I use Perlego It costs me just under £100 a year but I find that it has all the Bible commentaries I want on it and also loads of other books. Sort of the Netflix of books! Considering a decent commentary on a Bible book could cost £30 it’s been a great deal.
Indeed, this is my biggest concern (given that access to my library is guaranteed). I take a lot of notes, create my own cross-links to theological concepts, and highlight a lot, with each color presenting a key concept, e.g., green for grace (I thought that had a nice ring to it 
). What I don’t yet understand is if I don’t go the subscription route, do I lose my notes and highlights?
I like Logos, but have all my notes and quotes in DevonThink, so I am not reliant on the app.
I’m going to try out Accordance before deciding whether a subscription will be for me, so far I quite like it!
I might steal these…tons of laughter from this, will need to share with my fellow priests…will you charge me a subscription each time I use these phrases?
My only annoyance with Logos is that there isn’t much love for the iPad (regardless of the real estate size).
Desktop - In-depth study, reading, comparing texts (any writing occurs in Obsidian)
iPad - Logos is just an e-reader (reading one book specifically and taking notes split screen with Obsidian)