đź›’ Understanding the MetaGrid Pro Pricing Model

Welcome & Onboarding
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For those of you exploring MetaGrid Pro and curious about our pricing structure, here’s a clear breakdown of how it all works, starting from version 1.6, and what it means for you.

Our Approach to Pricing:

From the start, we’ve been focused on making continuous improvements to MetaGrid Pro, shaped by your feedback. To keep pushing forward, we’re introducing a new pricing model starting with version 1.6, including both a subscription option and a one-time lifetime purchase option. Here’s how it works:

• Free Version: Every user gets a robust free tier with one fully functional, fully customizable grid, full access to layout editing, export/import features, and more—no restrictions on building or customizing that grid! :free: The only limitation is that macro triggering is restricted to the MIDI Faders grid and one customizable demo grid.

• Premium Version: Unlock the full potential of MetaGrid Pro with the premium version, which provides unlimited macro capabilities across all grids. This version is available at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year.

• Lifetime Purchase Option: Prefer a one-time purchase? We offer a lifetime license for $99.99, giving you permanent access to all premium features without any recurring payments.

What About Existing Users?

If you purchased MetaGrid Pro before version 1.6, you’ll retain all previously purchased features and gain access to the new enhancements in version 1.6, including the Mac app. :apple: If you wish to stay on top of all future updates and support continuous development, you have the option to switch to a subscription.

Why the Subscription Model?

MetaGrid Pro has become an indispensable daily tool for many users, boosting productivity and creativity. For as little as the cost of a coffee per month :coffee:, our subscription ensures you unlock the app’s full potential, while helping us continue to bring new features, enhancements, and improvements.

The Add-Ons Store:

MetaGrid Pro also features an in-app Add-Ons store where you can purchase custom grids and workspaces created by MetaSystem and third parties. These premium add-ons require a subscription or a lifetime purchase to be functional, giving you even more ways to elevate your MetaGrid Pro setup.

Whether you’re enjoying the free tier, exploring the premium options, or opting for a lifetime license, thank you for being part of the MetaGrid Pro community. Your support keeps us moving forward!

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Thanks. As someone who has already purchased MG and several addons, I understand that continued development costs money. Apple does not have flexible terms so that you can’t offer discounts to those of us who are already owners.

The lifetime purchase price with all addons is very fair!! I’d say it’s actually a bit too cheap compared to the yearly cost of $50! So, I consider that an upgrade price for those of us who already use MG.

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This new pricing model might be OK for new users, but I don’t think it is entirely fair to users, who bought the Premium upgrade with the expectation, that you can buy add-ons as and when you need them. That is an entirely different (non-subscription) pricing model. To mix them up is not a good idea. I realise I can buy the lifetime license, but without an upgrade discount I would essentially be paying for the same content again (plus some extra content). Bad business practise, in my opinion. Sorry, just my two, disappointed cents.

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I don’t mean to whine, but this seems premature. I feel like I’ve been beta-testing this app since 1.2. As a Windows/Reaper user, I’ve seen minimal improvements. I still fight with it switching away from DAW grids to other things I’m not interested in.

I want to support ongoing development but having already purchased a $40 app and a $4 addon, I’m not ready to drop another $100 for a lifetime buyout. That would put my total cost at $144. Which is a LOT. For a 50% loyalty discount I’d do it in a heartbeat. That way my total cost would be $99 - the same price as a new user.

So for now I’m stuck at 1.6. I won’t be able to judge whether the improvements are worth it unless I pay, so I guess I’ll just have to read changelogs and listen for anecdotal evidence before I upgrade.

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Great product and I am impressed with the direction this is going. However, not keen on the new pricing structure - I have already paid $50! Had this been an upgrade option, then I would have considered it. However, with so many real life pressures on our finances, this is one I will have to skip.

I will continue to follow development - one day I hope we get the articulation feedback on metagrid pro in cubase (like in Logic Pro) and that would be a worthy paid upgrade for me.

Best wishes.

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I was Pro user until yesterday when I bought a lifetime sub, yes maybe it is too much but the potential I see in this software is immense. Before MG I use TouchOSC until it hit a wall for me regarding the flexibility, last year I bought the Avid Dock and started using their free app which can do many things MGP can do but it is not the same, I see myself always using MGP over and over. The guys are dedicated and they need our support, if you can’t afford it it’s fine. I wasted so much money on music as hobbyist but there aren’t many apps like MGP. Waiting for a good fix for the latest issues.

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Just want to second the fact that, as a very early adopter, I had to wait 6+ months after buying it before I could actually use it reliably, and feel we absolutely deserve to recoup our initial investment rather then have to pay the same price for a lifetime subscription as a new user.

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Hello,

I’d like to know why, after already paying again from my iPad to upgrade from the Full Premium (Early Supporter) version to a lifetime license, my MetaGrid Pro subscription plan (version 1.6.16 (35717)) on macOS isn’t updated like the one on my iPad?

Indeed, if I check in Settings > Subscriptions on my iPad Pro, I see that my current subscription is still a lifetime subscription and no longer an Early Supporter subscription. This is correct since I’ve already paid $49 for Premium (Early Supporter) + $99 for Premium (Lifetime).

However, regarding the macOS application, the current MetaGrid app plan under my account still shows Premium (Early Supporter). Why?

Are you going to tell me that I have to proceed on macOS the same way I did on my iPad? That I have to upgrade to a subscription or opt for a lifetime subscription? I hope not, as that would be considered an abuse of power.

Why doesn’t your system recognize my current plan, i.e., (Lifetime), under the macOS application?

Anyway, to try to resolve this issue, I tried clicking on “Restore All Purchases” in the MetaGrid Pro app on macOS, in Settings > Subscriptions, but MetaGrid only displays the message: “All your previous in-app purchases have been…” “Restored!”

I also tried deleting the MetaGrid Pro app from my Mac.

I signed out of the App Store.

I restarted my computer.

I signed back in to the App Store.

I downloaded the MetaGrid Pro app (macOS).

I installed MetaGrid Pro.

But nothing works; my current subscription still appears in the MetaGrid Pro app (macOS version), under Settings > Subscriptions: Premium (First version).

Thank you so much!

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I must admit that I hadn’t paid too much attention to this so far, as I was under the impression that already having made an in-app purchase to obtain the Premium version of Metagrid Pro would give me access to all features, but apparently not so. It is completely unclear to me why this would not be honored and Early Supporters would still be charged the same amount as completely new users to obtain Lifetime status. There has been some mentioning of technical limitations imposed by Apple, but is that so? Why should it not be possible to offer an in-app purchase to obtain Lifetime status at a lower price conditional on having Premium (Early Supporter) status? The app obviously knows whether somebody currently is in Premium (Early Supporter) status (and the App Store Server API provides access to the in-app purchase history and allows validating receipts to confirm that a status is still active). I.e., there would be a Lifetime for Early Supporters in-app purchase option that is only available to users, who have previously purchased the Premium (Early Supporter) option. (Note that this wouldn’t involve any subscriptions, as the Lifetime option also isn’t a subscription.)

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Thanks for the detailed explanation — I understand why this is confusing.

First, you absolutely do not need to purchase anything again on macOS.

Your Lifetime license is tied to your Apple ID, not to a specific device.

If your iPad correctly shows Premium (Lifetime), then the purchase succeeded.

On macOS, the app reads the local App Store receipt. In rare cases, Apple’s receipt system does not immediately sync updated non-consumable purchases across platforms. When that happens, the Mac may still display the previous entitlement (Early Supporter), even though your account is actually Lifetime.

“Restore Purchases” should refresh the receipt, but sometimes the App Store cache delays this propagation.

With MetaGrid Pro 1.6.17, we migrated fully to Apple’s latest StoreKit 2 framework. StoreKit 2 handles transaction updates and cross-device synchronization more reliably, and this should significantly reduce cases like the one you’re experiencing.

If your macOS app is still on 1.6.16, please update to 1.6.17 first and then try “Restore Purchases” again.

If it still doesn’t update automatically, we can manually verify your purchase via Apple’s App Store Server API and correct the entitlement on our side.

Regarding pricing:

Lifetime is a separate non-consumable product, not a subscription upgrade tier. Apple does not support dynamic pricing based on previous purchases within the same product. That means we cannot automatically offer a discounted Lifetime purchase only to Early Supporters without permanently maintaining additional parallel Lifetime products and complex purchase logic.

Early Supporter was already a discounted Premium entry. Lifetime represents a different ownership model — permanent access without subscription.

That said, the entitlement mismatch you’re seeing is not expected behavior, and we’ll make sure it’s resolved properly.

Please confirm:

  • Both devices are using the same Apple ID

  • Your macOS app is updated to 1.6.17

  • The Lifetime purchase appears in your App Store purchase history

Once confirmed, we’ll ensure everything reflects correctly on macOS.

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Hi,

I confirm:

1- Both my devices use the same Apple ID, of course!

I am able to restore my backups on both devices.

MY ONLY PROBLEM, AND A DETAIL I CANNOT TOLERATE, IS THE DISPLAY OF THE SUBSCRIPTION PLAN ON THE MACBOOK, WHICH STILL DISPLAYS: PREMIUM (EARLY SUPPORTER) WHEN IT SHOULD NORMALLY DISPLAY: PREMIUM (LIFETIME) AS IT DOES ON MY IPAD.

2- When you mention the macOS application update to version 1.6.17, you are referring to the MetaGrid Pro application for Mac, right?

More specifically, to be sure, you are not referring to the MetaGrid Pro application for iPad. Is that correct? Otherwise, you would be using the term iPadOS, wouldn’t you?

Well, when I search for MetaGrid Pro for Mac (using Google on my macOS Sonoma 14.7.6), the first link that appears is this one:

And then, upon reading it, I discover that it refers to version 1.6.16 (12/31/2025).

The latest version of MGP for macOS on the Mac App Store is 1.6.16 (Build 35717).

So, tell me, why are you talking about an update to the MGP app for macOS to version 1.6.17 when there isn’t one?

Also, how do I manually update the MGP app on macOS?

When I ask the AI, it tells me I must first download the latest version available from the MetaServer website:

Well, I don’t know where to find your version 1.6.17 on macOS.

Now,

my MetaServer version is 5.3.4 (Build 3029)

on my iPad Pro, my MGP version is 1.6.16 (Build 35716),

and on my MacBook Pro, my MGP version is 1.6.16 (Build 35717).

IN SUMMARY, as of March 6, 2026, THERE IS NO VERSION 1.6.17 as you claim.

I’ve done everything, I uninstalled and reinstalled following the instructions, BUT MY SUBSCRIPTION PLAN STILL SHOWS ON MY MACBOOK: PREMIUM (EARLY SUPPORTER) INSTEAD OF PREMIUM (LIFETIME).

SO, I NEED YOU TO CORRECT THIS MANUALLY, OBVIOUSLY. I’VE BEEN WRITING TO YOU FOR TWO WEEKS, AND I HAVEN’T RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM YOU. WHY?

3- The Lifetime purchase appears in my App Store purchase history.

Thanks a lot!

Carl