Annual plan or lifetime deal: which Black Friday offer should you take?

Around Black Friday you will see two kinds of offer for the same sort of tool: a discounted annual plan and a one-time lifetime deal. They suit different situations.

How the maths works

Divide the lifetime price by the normal yearly price. That is your break-even point in years. A lifetime deal at 2.5 times the annual price pays for itself only if you still use the tool, and it still exists, in two and a half years.

When a lifetime deal makes sense

• The tool does one stable job (a screenshot utility, a form builder) rather than needing constant new features.
• The limits are generous enough for where you will be in two years, not just today.
• The company has a track record, or the price is low enough that you could accept losing it.

When an annual plan is better

• The product has real running costs per user, such as AI usage or email sending. Lifetime plans for these are often capped or later restricted.
• You are not sure the tool will fit. A year is a long enough test.
• You need the top tier. Lifetime deals are usually for an entry tier.

Questions to ask before buying lifetime

1. Are future updates included, or only the current version?
2. Are there usage caps, and what happens when you reach them?
3. Is there a refund window?
4. Can you add seats later, and at what price?

The short version

Take the lifetime deal for simple tools from established makers. Take the annual discount for anything central to your work or expensive to run. Browse the lifetime deals and annual plan discounts to compare what is on offer this year.