AB Tutor - changes to perpetual licence - notice

[3s-gtech]

Quote

Thank you for your continued trust in AB Tutor and your use of Version 8. We’ve proudly offered perpetual licences over the years, confident in the long-term value our software provides.

To maintain that value and ensure your systems remain secure, optimised, and compatible with evolving technologies, we are now introducing a mandatory Annual Maintenance Plan for all perpetual licence holders.

 

This plan is required to continue using AB Tutor an order is required by 30th Nov 2025 and includes:

• Ongoing access to the software

• Full support services

• Priority troubleshooting and system compatibility assistance

We understand this marks a change from our original model, but it allows us to deliver a more sustainable and responsive service tailored to your evolving needs.

 

Attached is your quote for the Annual Maintenance Plan.

 

If you have any questions or need assistance with the transition, we’re here to help.

 

The latest version of AB Tutor is available via both our on-premises and cloud solutions. Please let us know if you’d like more information.

 

Warm regards,

 AB Tutor Team

 

Little bit cheeky this, but I get it as the portal is online so there is a degree of 'check-in' with perpetual licences. V8 has also lasted us a ridiculous number of years without too much hassle (despite some bugs).

[cullingsh]

We have had this email as well.

 

I do get it as the license server is hosted by them. But then, that was part and parcel of what we purchased and shouldn't be on us to now start funding this. If the system is too expensive to maintain then removing the online activation element would work well for both sides.

 

We have v9 at one school and it's OK, now. Took a lot of working with the company to make it work properly. We have also trialed V10, twice, but it doesn't work the same or for most of our use case.

 

[Squelch]

I tried V10 and then went straight to ScreenConnect instead (good price and it works well for my remote access across the school).

We still use V9 for some teachers who actually want to do a bit of class management.

[Kobes]

Pretty disappointed in this to be fair, although we have got a few years out of it, when you buy a perpetual license, they should stick to it and not trying back door into a annual agreement

 

What is concerning from our perspective is that it now feels as though we are effectively being required to move to a subscription-style arrangement in order to continue using a product we have already paid for, even though we’re not receiving ongoing feature updates to that version.

 

I host the server on a local t3 server , and so they do not host the instant. 
 

Pretty annoyed and this . 
 

going to look elsewhere . 

[kennysarmy]

One of our schools in the Trust is cloud only and we had no end of issues with AB Tutor Cloud offering and eventually moved to NetSupport classroom.cloud and staff seem pleased with it.

[Kobes]

Pretty much 80% iPads here now 

 

have 4 laptop trolleys but really not use actuator a heap , more for teachers laptops .. 

 

might look at net support just for teachers laptops .. but at most only be for 150 endpoints 

[3s-gtech]

We paid. I see it as we had great value from the software since we bought v8 licenses, and it's easy to justify the ongoing cost now. We will review the need every year.

[mikes]

How is this even legal - you buy a perpetual license, which means perpetual does it not? you can use the software as long as you want. Now they are saying perpetual doesn't mean perpetual? Any software provider that does something like this will never get my business.

Edited December 11, 2025 by mikes