In early June of 2023 Act! released the latest version of their Premium product, namely v25, and it did not include a Pro version. The message is clear, no future upgrades will be offered on Act! Pro, and v24 will likely be the last version they release. 

The detailed differences between these two tiers can be found HERE, but basically, the Pro product line was for small workgroups under five with simple networking and security needs, while the Premium was more suitable for larger groups, or teams with higher security needs and more sophisticated deployment requirements including web publishing.

Since the Fall of 2019, Act! has run aggressive campaigns trying to migrate legacy Pro users over to Act! Premium subscription, but for those looking to stick with Pro, many are wondering if v24 is worth the final spend at $450 before it’s officially deprecated.

The truth is there are a number of reasons Pro users should consider one final upgrade, or adding users before that option is lost:

• Glide path: If you intend to keep using Act! Pro for years to come and drive your last purchase into the ground, it only makes sense to purchase the final version to extend your supported glide path. For instance, Act! v24 included the following general improvements:
  • 150+ Defect Fixes
  • UI Enhancements
  • Updated graphs & charts with modern, 64-bit compatible components in Act! Dashboards.
  • Act! Dialer (removed due to lack of modem use amongst current users)
  • Act! Email (antiquated 32-bit email client that was seldom used and uncompetitive with other email clients like Outlook)
  • Smart Tasks (developed in 2011, this feature has fallen into disuse) 
• Updates & Fixes: Act! v24 is currently supported, and will remain so until mid-2024. All other versions of Pro have been long deprecated, and will no longer receive updates or fixes. Read more about Act!'s Obsolescence Policy.
• Compatibility: No CRM is forward-compatible, so getting the latest version with as many patches available for as long as possible will ensure you’ll get significantly more mileage on that version versus a prior release.
  • Windows 11
    • Deploy Act! v24 on Windows 11, released in October 2021. If you plan on upgrading your hardware in the next year or so, it's pretty hard getting a new computer these days fitted with anything older than Windows 11. 
    • Reap the benefits of a modern 64-bit platform with the latest security and performance enhancements from Microsoft.
    • Leverage Act! subscription to stay current and compatible with the latest hardware and operating systems.
  • Office 2019
    • Act! v24 uses 64-bit integration for Outlook and Word add-ins, allowing for optimal performance and scalability.
    • Act! Office Add-Ins support 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Office 2019.
  • SQL 2019
    • Deploy pre-packaged SQL 2019 automatically for new installs for maximum performance and convenience.
    • Upgrade to SQL 2019 upon installation of Act! v24 if the supported version of SQL is not detected (<SQL 2014 R2)
    • Benefit from the most recent SQL security, performance, and scalability enhancements. 
• Future Proof your team: Whether you're using the latest version of Act! Pro, or one released in the last few years, if you expect your team to grow in the next 12-24 months, you need to purchase those extra licenses in advance because they won't be available if you wait until they're needed. You owe it to your team of Act! users to provide them headroom for growth while you can. Act! Pro v24 supports up to 5-users.

While this writer would prefer to see Act! Pro continue for a while longer, the publisher has made a different decision, and Pro users should take note. With virtually no perpetually licensed CRM programs left on the market anymore, now is the time to buy the last version while it's still available. It's taken 15-years for this version to run its course,  and when it's gone, it'll be gone forever. 

Upgrade Scenarios:

• Act! Pro v24 (single user): If you're a single user and this is likely never to change, then you can stand pat. 
• Act! Pro v24 (multiple users): if you have 2-4 users, and you think your team will grow in 1-2 years, increase your licensing while you can (Act! Pro supports a max of 5-users).
• Act! Pro v22 or older (single user): Get the seats of Act! Pro v24 you need or move to Act! Premium subscription. 
• Act! Pro v22 or older (multiple users):  Teams of 5 or less should upgrade to Pro. Teams of 6+ should stand pat while they can, or upgrade to Premium.

Related links:

• What's new in Act! v24
• Compare all versions of Act!
• View Act! Pro v24 system requirements
• View Act! Compatibility Matrix