buying Macrium Reflect Home

Rita5 · Oct 11, 2023

So today I tried Rapid Delta Restore and I can only say that the result is absolutely amazing
The speed of recovery, preservation of BitLocker encryption and ease of use are amazing
For this feature, I decided to buy the program now, but I still don't know which purchase plan I will choose.
I would appreciate your help

Home Edition

The complete backup solution for personal use. Protect documents, data and operating systems using advanced disk imaging technology.

www.macrium.com

Bree · Oct 11, 2023

Rita5 said:
....I decided to buy the program now, but I still don't know which purchase plan I will choose.
I would appreciate your help

That's really your choice to make.

The annual subscription plan has the advantage that you'll get updated to new versions (v9, v10, etc.) as/when they are released. It has the disadvantage that if you stop your subscription it will revert to a 'Restore Only' version at the end of that year's subscription.

The one time purchase has the advantage that it's a perpetual licence that will never expire. It has the disadvantage that you'll only get updates for version v8 (v8.1.nnnn, v8.2.nnnn, v8.n.nnnn). You'd have to purchase v9 if/when it is released (there's usually a discount if you are upgrading). Or you could continue using v8 for as long as it still works in the current Windows (as v7 still does).

If it helps, you may like to wait until Black Friday. There has usually been a 50% discount on offer. I bought my v7 that way, and subsequently got a 50% discount for the v8 upgrade.

starchase · Oct 11, 2023

The Annual Plan is $49.00 paid each year and you get any version upgrade in the future as long as you keep up the annual payment.

The $79.99 One-Time Plan gets you the current version only with updates for that version only. Any future version upgrades are not available.

Version upgrades are like going from version 8.0 to 8.1, which is the way the Free version is working. Those of us on ver. 8.0 do not get availability to step up to 8.1. At least that is my understanding. Macrium should really clarify that!

Edit: I tried to contact Macrium using their Chat bot on their web site but since I wanted to ask them this question their bot couldn't submit the appropriate button allowing a question to be posed. They wanted my name, then my email address, and I didn't want to supply this just to ask a payment question.

Ghot · Oct 11, 2023

Do the One time purchase.
They do have sales occasionally. Sometimes as much as 50% off.

cereberus · Oct 11, 2023

I recommend you wait until Black Friday as you may get a significant discount (50% based on previous years but who knows this year based on new pricing).

I would avoid leasing plan and purchase Reflect Home single licence, or if you have multiple pcs, even consider 4 licence pack which is cost of 3 licences.

Rita5 · Oct 11, 2023

Thanks for all the great answers

I like to always be up to date, so I have the latest versions of Windows and all my programs as well, so this annual plan is what suits me the most
The trial period expires before Black Friday so I don't know if I can wait

Bree · Oct 11, 2023

Rita5 said:
The trial period expires before Black Friday so I don't know if I can wait

If it helps, Reflect Free v8.0 can still be downloaded direct from Macrium if you know where to look.*
You won't have Rapid Delta Restore, but v8.0 is fully compatible with any v8.1 backups you may have made (and vice versa).

* Hint: look at the bottom of post #1 here: Latest Macrium Reflect updates

starchase · Oct 11, 2023

Rita5 said:
The trial period expires before Black Friday so I don't know if I can wait

When is Black Friday, this coming Friday or in a few weeks?

Bree · Oct 11, 2023

starchase said:
When is Black Friday, this coming Friday or in a few weeks?

That will be November 24th this year.

Black Friday is a colloquial term for the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Friday_(shopping)

garioch7 · Oct 11, 2023

@starchase

I am a long-time Macrium customer. I started with Version 5. I am on Version 8 now. If you are on Version 8, you will get all updates for free for Version 8. Right now, my current version is 8.1.7675. I purchased an upgrade Home Licence from Version 7 to Version 8, and I had done with previous versions.

All Macrium Home Version 8 updates are free: (8.0, 8.1, . . . 8.9), if it goes that high. When Version 9 is released, I will have to pay for that. Generally, major Versions, if I can use that term, are issued only every couple of years or so. For me, the purchase plan is more cost-effective. I have two computers, so I purchase a 4-licence pack.

Hope this helps clarify your question. Have a great day.

Regards,
Phil

garioch7 · Oct 11, 2023

@starchase

You can check out this link:

Macrium Reflect Free Trials

Macrium Reflect - Incredibly powerful software that allows you to create and schedule effective backups

www.macrium.com

If you scroll down to the features of the "Reflect 8 Home Trial" download and the "Reflect 8 Home - Buy Now" side by side, you can see that the last item on the list in the "Reflect 8 Home - Buy Now" box is:

"Free minor version upgrades"

I should have included that in my previous post.

Thank you, and have a great day.

Regards,
Phil

starchase · Oct 11, 2023

garioch7 said:
@starchase

You can check out this link:

Macrium Reflect Free Trials

Macrium Reflect - Incredibly powerful software that allows you to create and schedule effective backups

www.macrium.com

If you scroll down to the features of the "Reflect 8 Home Trial" download and the "Reflect 8 Home - Buy Now" side by side, you can see that the last item on the list in the "Reflect 8 Home - Buy Now" box is:

"Free minor version upgrades"

I should have included that in my previous post.

Thank you, and have a great day.

Regards,
Phil

Thanks Phil. I only made my comment because the upgrade does not seem to be recognized when Reflect is open and I use Other Tasks>Check for updates I get the response "no updates available". Does one have to manually download the latest update from somewhere? I'm on version 8.0.7279 which it seems is where all the Free users are now stuck.

EDIT: you are right but the statement about free minor updates available is only for those paying for the program. I already knew that if you buy the program you get updates for the duration of the 365 days. But thanks anyway.

Bree · Oct 11, 2023

starchase said:
I'm on version 8.0.7279 which it seems is where all the Free users are now stuck.

V8.1 Home and v8.0 Free now have their own separate update paths since Free was retired. That v8.0.7279 update the first (and so far only) new update for v8.0 since they parted ways. More detail in post #1 here: Latest Macrium Reflect updates

garioch7 · Oct 11, 2023

@starchase

That is your issue: you are running Macrium Reflect Free, not Macrium Reflect Home. The former is free; the latter you must pay for. Macrium is abandoning its Free version entirely.

If you want further updates to the Free version, you won't get them. Macrium is no longer actively updating the Free version. For those of us with the paid Macrium Reflect Home, Version 8, all of our Version 8 upgrades are free.

Have a great day.

Regards,
Phil

Bree · Oct 11, 2023

garioch7 said:
Macrium is no longer actively updating the Free version.

Macrium may issue security updates for v8.0 Free, it's in extended support until January 2024.

Will future security vulnerabilities be fixed?

Yes, security patches will still be provided until 1st January 2024. After that date we will no longer provide any changes to the v8 Free code base.

Macrium Product Support Policy

Macrium is pleased to offer three stages of product support. Stage 1: Current Support Stage 2: Extended Support Stage 3: Self-Service Support

www.macrium.com

garioch7 · Oct 11, 2023

@Bree

Thank you for correcting me. I should have been specific that there would be no more product enhancements.

Have a great day.

Regards,
Phil

Catnip · Oct 11, 2023

Something to think about:

Some software and hardware outlets also celebrate "Cyber Monday", which is the first Monday after Black Friday. Deals can often be had on that day as well. It seems to be mostly hardware being offered, but I have seen software shops have deals too.

So, if you don't see Macrium on sale on Black Friday, wait for the Monday and see if it is on sale then.

Bree · Oct 11, 2023

Catnip said:
...if you don't see Macrium on sale on Black Friday, wait for the Monday and see if it is on sale then.

Last year's Black Friday 50% discount was on offer from Black Friday until 1st December 2022.
See it on the Wayback Machine web archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20221118150458/https://www.macrium.com/black-friday

starchase · Oct 11, 2023

garioch7 said:
@starchase

That is your issue: you are running Macrium Reflect Free, not Macrium Reflect Home. The former is free; the latter you must pay for. Macrium is abandoning its Free version entirely.

Have a great day.

Regards,
Phil

Yes, my "issue" as you call it, is that I have willingly chosen the Free version quite a while ago. It is not likely that I will switch to the paid version as my needs are simple, and while version 8.0 is functioning well (i.e., since Microsoft hasn't broken it yet with their updates) I will stay on the free version. I've also tried Hasleo Free and find that a worthwhile solution to an imaging software that is free and upgradable.

Many thanks,
John

Rita5 · Oct 12, 2023

Thanks again for all the great answers

It seems that the discount offered by Macrium is worth the wait
The time remaining after the trial period ends until Black Friday or Monday day, I will use the free version suggested by @Bree