Everyone loves free software, and it’s less about principles and more about the practicality of not having to take out the credit card. So what great software packages are people willing to pay for? Yesterday I asked my Twitter followers what the most expensive software they ever purchased out of their own pockets (versus pirated or expensed at work).
- Most Expensive Apple Software Versions
- Apple Most Expensive Phone
- Most Expensive Apple Laptop
- Most Expensive Mac
While many of the 127 responses weren’t surprising (like ~$315 Microsoft Office and ~$110 Mac OS X Leopard), some old-school names I haven’t heard in years came up (like OS/2), a few people mentioned games (like WoW and ~$30 Half-Life) and speech-to-text apps (like ~$160 MacSpeech Dictate and ~$50 Dragon NaturallySpeaking). By far, the packages people plunked down their hard-earned cash for most are creative tools (like ~$1,300 Final Cut Pro and ~$1,600 Adobe Creative Suite*).
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In fact, various versions of Adobe Creative Suite took the prize for the most-paid-for-out-of-pocket application (22 mentions), with Leopard and Microsoft Office not-so-close seconds (14 and 12). Photoshop (which comes with Creative Suite) was third (11 mentions), with Windows Vista and Final Cut (Express, Studio, and Pro versions) bringing up the rear (10 and 9 mentions, respectively).
Most Expensive Apple Software Versions
Sketch up software. Here are all the public replies to the question I posed on Twitter.
What’s the most expensive software you’ve paid for out of pocket (not expensed or pirated)? (Me: Vista [hrm] and Leopard.)
Apple Most Expensive Phone
- geekgrrlsays: Photoshop, many years ago. Was $600 or $700. eek. :X
- OfficeStylistsays: creative suite 3
- GWJRabbitsays: Adobe CS, followed by Dragon Naturally Speaking I’m guessing.
- designloftsays: Adobe CS3.
- doctorparadoxsays: Pro Tools… although it also included hardware. prefer Tracktion and Ableton Live for sequencing now
- jordoncoopersays: I think it may have been OS/2 2.x or WordPerfect.
- brandon_wirtzsays: For Personal Use? Inlet Fathom Video Encoder $16k for my business, Zero Knowledge table Cryptography SDK $285k
- woofer_kyyivsays: iWork’09
- soul4realsays: Camtasia Studio 5 educational version. Totally worth it for a teacher.
- noahrsays: Final Cut pro
- egebhardtsays: Adobe Creative Suite and Final Cut Pro
- Brad_Isaacsays: Dragon Naturally Speaking (pro edition). Ouch!
- DaveAndrussays: Student Edition of Borland C++ Builder 6 when I was in college – $130
- steveamessays: Some adobe collection which I immediately regretted, then Microsoft Office, which I don’t use anymore either…
- driasays: Adobe CS2.
- Yerazesays: iLife/iWork 09
- andreasclimentsays: Leopard and Final Cut Express, not sure which was more expensive.
- charlieparksays: TextMate, I think. If wrapping company-purchased software into the equation, Photoshop / InDesign.
- RahulG86says: vista upgrade from home basic
- sslybsays: Photoshop CS4
- BonGeeksays: Leopard n Vista n Expeession Studio.
- JonGalsays: (most expensive purchased sfw) Adobe CS4 and Windows Server. Most expensive in time and effort? Same
- guzesays: Adobe Master Collection of their tools, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc etc… roughly $2500.
- wabbit42says: Adobe Design Suite CS3 Student Edition. £250 (ish) + sending a pic of photo student ID for license!
- ajwmssays: Photoshop
- kdernsays: Leopard.
- rdysonsays: probably Leopard, but there was a Borland C++ program I bought for a HS class that was up there too.
- brendankoernersays: BASIC for my Mac 512e (circa 1986).
- smackaysmithsays: Final Cut. $1k, I believe.
- charlesjbarrysays: Vista, but I got an OEM Ultimate x64 only version which ran me very little comparatively. It was worth it.
- halophoenixsays: Yeah, that would have to be Vista for me, too. Ultimate x64. I don’t mind – just that 7 looks good enough to buy, too.
- stevenpaulrsays: if you include subscription Fees: WoW.
- tcabeensays: apple box set. (jaguar, iWork, and that other iSomething)
- softservegirlsays: most expensive software out of pocket: final cut pro
- bddemirsays: mac os x leopard for $99.59 probably that’s the highest amount I’ve paid for software. next is textmate with €39 (~$53) tag.
- vladimircezarsays: Leopard
- Theodosiasays: — Adobe Master Collection CS3, but it was with a student discount and for quite a few classes, but still $600+.
- Penguirlsays: CS2, with discount for owning Photoshop 7 it was still about $400, no student discount or tax write off.
- thompsonpaulsays: Most expensive software paid for out-of-pocket? Adobe Creative Suite
- nirvanksays: what’s left if not expensed or pirated? ? MSDN account, count? Though that’s for the company. Rosetta Stone, I guess.
- mmcgregersays: Aperture
- gnitingsays: photoshop
- leoniekesays: hmm . has to be Leopard too.
- shetbomb78says: Office 2007 $99 with student discount
- jtwilkinssays: Leopard + iWork + iLife pack.
- felizcumplevalesays: I’ve actually never payed for software.
- gdarklightersays: Lightroom and Leopard, I think.
- arzansays: autocad… $4k
- davidstammsays: I paid $30 for Scooter Software’s Beyond Compare. Best visual diff tool in the universe.
- AmpCodersays: Office Ultimate 2007, from the Ultimate Steal promotion.
- tournevissays: Leopard. I think Filemaker7. Not sure if I actually paid for the latter or was paid for me.
- earth2marshsays: Most expensive out-of-my-pocket software includes Lightroom, MS Office, and XP.
- Falchionsays: that’s easy. I just bought it yesterday: Ableton Live 8 Suite.
- sunilsebastiansays: Adobe Design Premium CS4. Wallet still smarting.
- maryshawsays: Adobe CS4 web premium. Wallet still crying.
- the_billnesssays: Adobe Creative Suite Premium
- freedom1378says: iWork ’09
- mwrathersays: Most expensive software purchase? Final Cut Studio, no question. Even with the academic discount, it easily edged out CS3.
- brentajonessays: Adobe Creative Suite, easily.
- TrevorBramblesays: I think I paid $50 for Red Hat Linux (v5 or 6) back in the day, just to support the cause.
- jochiesays: Tiger/Leopard.
- codeblue315says: Vista for sure.
- jeruvinsays: OS/2 Warp. I think I paid like $250+ for the version with Win 3.x included in it.
- plaassays: Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student
- suzerosays: Final Cut Studio €1500 or so
- super_ssays: MacSpeech Dictate (and I rarely use it!)
- bilksays: Adobe Creative Suite CS3 Design Premium. Cost quite a pretty penny, but after 2+ years, I think I’ve gotten my $ worth
- jimjfletchersays: XP Professional… I was lucky enough to score a copy of Vista Ultimate for free last year.
- Davidd84says: digital performer 4
- tamarin2087says: XP Pro. I think its the only ting I’ve ever paid for with my own $ that wasn’t subsidized by a school or an employer.
- rachaelrsays: photoshop! ouchy
- cbandessays: Adobe’s CS4 Suite, Academic Version, about $600
- wayneNtampasays: Leopard
- rauschasays: Microsoft Office 2007 Student and teacher edition. Wanted it for the OneNote 2007. I get everything else through site licenses.
- christiegrinhamsays: Tiberian Sun hahaha XD
- fredvolkmansays: Macromedia Dreamweaver 4
- miroadamysays: MSDN subscription
- ninjadadsays: Adobe CS3 Web Premium Bundle
- zbrandosays: Aperture
- martlevsays: Vista. Apart from that most programs I buy tend to be cheap
- aduritysays: Adobe’s Creative Suite
- Cbanachsays: definitely has to be Final Cut Studio 2. . .
- norageddonsays: Last big software purchase was XP Pro.
- MassiveFailuresays: I don’t spend much on software but I would have to say the Macheist bundle. Considering what it comes with it was a bargain.
- siancusays: Parallels and Leopard.
- racheldonovansays: in the past 5 years I don’t think I have purchased any personal software, although I do have some iphone apps. Answer= mlb2009?
- dyrilsays: Vista. I boot into it twice a year. Would love to trade my key for a Win7 one.
- roskosays: Does the cumulative monthly for WoW count? I’m sure it’s a scary number.
- nnuttersays: Leopard or Mathematica
- jonesclpsays: spent $60,000 a year for Nielsen survey software MEMRI.
- bithazesays: Adobe CS4. Even with the student discount it was easily my biggest software purchase…
- EricsProjectssays: Windows 2000, full edition. Still using it too.
- alanbushsays: I don’t think I’ve ever paid (your def.) more than $50 for software, ever. FOSS has served me well, and employers cover rest
- kevinobvioussays: Most expensive software? Including subscription: World of Warcraft. Otherwise: Leopard
- brawrsays: Half-Life 2. I’ve bought that game like three times, I’ve probably spent about $120 on it.
- mthologysays: SlickEdit
- sereniumsays: Leopard for me too, or a boxed copy of SuSE Professional I bought years ago, when my connection was too slow to download it.
- Neil_Hinklesays: Office Professional suite 2003!
- amdzsays: Believe me or not, I’ve never paid for a software! All are cracked and illegal ones. There is no limitation here!
- TechGuyMattsays: Most Expensive Software: Adobe Suite CS3
- Rychdomsays: Other than OS’s, Photoshop and Office for Mac by a wide margin. Other than that, Things is pretty pricey by my standards…
- ripleybsxsays: Logic Studio… I will admit I bought it secondhand, but I still paid over $200 for it. One of the best buys I ever made.
- mchaceortizsays: windows xp by a mile
- tylersfoxsays: Final Cut Pro and CS4
- dogandmusicluvrsays: Leopard.
- asiriusgeeksays: Mindjet Mindmanager and worth it! #mindmapping
- botykai_zsoltsays: http://www.whereisit-soft.com/ ‘s catalog manager. And several other in the 30-50 $ range. But it’s the best at price/value.
- azizuysalsays: Photoshop
- ceplmsays: modem driver from http://www.linuxant.com/drivers/ … $25 ?
- pengmayssays: office 2007. have to buy for school and not big money anway
- avalonhawksays: soundforge … before it was bought up by Sony…
- jdanysays: Apple’s Aperture
- GeoAggiesays: I paid over $500 once (way too much) for MS Off 2003. I later paid $45 for Off-07 through employee pricing, 2.5 yrs later.
- tmueller73says: Avid Xpress DV $250 about three years ago… they discontinued the DV version, now you have to pay $2500 for Media Composer
- pirate_prenticesays: Likewise on Vista. Not a smart investment, but oh well. Other than that, MediaMonkey or PlayOn, but neither is very pricey
- logicgeeksays: Photoshop CS – though upgrade pricing dulls the pain on subsequent versions.
- graphei10says: microsoft office for mac.
- webbie82says: bought Nero Burning Rom 8 a few years ago some DVD catalog software
- barleyguysays: Mine was Cool Edit Pro, and then Adobe Audition. They are multitrack audio software. Cool Edit Pro was about $350 at the time.
- johnnyrheasays: Adobe CS3
- bjcottsays: Adobe Lightroom
- Stefano_TTsays: MS OfficePro Win3.11 & WinXP; current setup of my Acer netbook is all OpenSource Portable SW except genuine WinXP Home.
- bill_clarksays: The most expensive software I’ve paid for is probably Vista as well. Glad I got Office 2007 Enterprise for $25 through SA/HUP.
- jsmorleysays: – Photoshop CS4… Most expensive.
- forpussays: Vista Home Premium 64 bit
Most Expensive Apple Laptop
Paint x 4 5 3 6x 2. * I grabbed price info where I could from Amazon, but obviously prices vary depending on when, what version, and with what discount you’re purchasing.
Most Expensive Mac
Thanks to everyone who offered their input! Here’s more on why and how I’m using Twitter to run surveys like this. Mavis beacon software download.