A perpetual license or a subscription TMS?
Compare what you can use, what you keep paying for and what happens after the license installments end.
A perpetual software-use license and a subscription are different commercial models. Carrier Hub NEXT's standard purchase plans use 26 weekly license installments. After full payment, the agreed perpetual license continues without further license installments. Optional maintenance and the costs of running the system remain separate.
Compare the commitment and the ongoing costs
A recurring price is only one part of a TMS decision. Compare the agreed software rights, fleet capacity, implementation, updates, hosting and support as well.
| Question | Carrier Hub NEXT standard purchase | A subscription offer |
|---|---|---|
| When do license installments end? | After the 26 agreed weekly installments are paid in full. | Check the recurring billing period, contract term and renewal conditions. |
| What are the software-use rights? | The perpetual license defined in the signed purchase agreement. | The access rights and cancellation consequences defined in that subscription's terms. |
| What about maintenance and updates? | Optional maintenance is separate. Version and update rights are defined in the agreement. | Confirm which updates and support are included, and for how long. |
| What other costs should I compare? | Hosting, database, storage, backups, email and third-party usage, unless expressly included. | Check the offer for those costs, additional fees and usage charges. |
This is a comparison of commercial models, not a claim that every subscription vendor uses the same terms.
Understand the NEXT purchase model
Choose a fleet package, confirm the scope and complete the agreed payment schedule. Standard NEXT plans have 26 weekly installments. The selected package determines truck capacity, features and onboarding; all NEXT plans include unlimited users.
After full payment, no further license installments are due under that purchase. Maintenance is optional. Your signed agreement defines the licensed version, capacity, implementation, payment/default terms and update rights.
Review the current NEXT purchase plans for prices and package details. Enterprise scope and payment schedules are confirmed in a tailored agreement.
A perpetual license is not a transfer of source code
The purchase grants the agreed right to use the software. It does not transfer ownership of the source code or intellectual property.
Ask which software version the license covers, what updates are included and how future major releases are handled. Keep those answers in the signed agreement so the meaning of the purchase is clear to everyone involved.
Separate maintenance from the costs of running the platform
Declining or stopping optional maintenance does not end a fully paid NEXT perpetual license. The system still needs an agreed hosting and operating arrangement.
- Maintenance: the optional application update and support coverage in your care agreement.
- Hosting and infrastructure: server, SQL Server/database, storage, backups, domain and email responsibilities.
- External services: AI allowances, API usage and other third-party charges confirmed in the offer.
Confirm who manages each item, what it costs and what remains available without a care package. A paid-off license should not be confused with an absence of all operating costs.
See the software before choosing the payment model
Start with the work the TMS needs to support: dispatching, driver and owner-operator pay, dispatcher compensation, invoicing, expenses and reporting. Use a demo to check that workflow before comparing the commercial terms.
In a personalized 10-minute NEXT demo, follow RateCon → Dispatch → Delivery → Invoice, then focus on the priorities of your fleet. Read the complete trucking-company workflow guide to prepare your questions.
The demo request does not collect a payment or create a purchase contract. Scope and terms are agreed separately.
Questions about this workflow
Does NEXT require endless license subscription payments?
The standard NEXT purchase uses 26 weekly license installments. After full payment, the agreed perpetual software-use license continues without further license installments. Hosting, optional maintenance and third-party costs are separate.
Do I have to keep maintenance to retain the license?
No. Declining or stopping optional maintenance does not end a fully paid NEXT perpetual license. Your agreement defines version and update rights, and operating costs still need to be covered.
Does buying NEXT give me the source code?
No. The offer is a perpetual software-use license under the purchase agreement, not a transfer of source-code ownership or intellectual property.
Are all TMS subscriptions the same?
No. Compare the specific contract's billing, access, cancellation, updates, support, data and usage terms. The guide provides questions to ask rather than assuming every subscription has identical conditions.
See it with your own fleet.
Tell us about your fleet and priorities. Our team confirms your demo time by email.