I have Quicken 2017, I updated it last year. They said that they are now charging a membership fee. $119. for 1 year and up to $499. for a 5 year membership. I asked if I could at least make a copy of my records & he replied yes, I could have a one time access of my records for a fee.

Do you work for or own stock in Quicken?

Information about the new version and subscriptions. May find helpful.

http://www.brucebnews.com/2017/11/quicken-2018-is-available-now-with-new-annual-subscription-fees/

Thanks Raven, I wish they had just shut off bill pay like that article says will happen if we don't choose to subscribe. Instead I cannot even open my Quicken program nor access my financial records. I refuse to pay extortion fees though. I learned to live without satellite fees and a home phone, I can live without Quicken too.

The company that created Quicken sold it to a private equity firm in 2016. This is an attempt by them to recoup the money they spent buying it. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the entirety of the "update" was merely to cause the software to check for a valid membership before it will run, ie. require you to give them money.

If you have a backup of the program from before the update, or if you have the files when when you updated it last year (unlikely), you might be able restore a working copy, but if so you'd have to disable automatic updates ASAP, otherwise you'll be back in the same boat.

There are competitors who make similar software, some of them advertise that they can read Quicken formatted files. I cannot recommend any particular one, since I don't use Quicken-type software.

haha, no to both.

bob's info is correct. They have switched to a subscription licensing model but most software companies have done that too. It's the same as Microsoft's Office 360, a time limited license charge by the month (or year). The 2017 perpetual license version of Quicken was the last one sold that way before they switched.

You have a version that should be working for another 18 months. I would call back to Quicken Tech support and get them to fix your problem without signing you up for the new subscription model any sooner than the end of 2019. Don't hang up on them. I'll bet they can get it working, either by tweaking it or reinstalling it.

One of the quirkinesses I mentioned above is that data files sometimes get corrupted and cause erratic behavior. Get the program working and then try using a file that's a month or more old.

I have a 2016 version of Quicken that I use as a ledger for my checking account and track my investments. The only on-line feature I use is to download stock and mutual fund prices, no bill pay, direct linkages with my banks or anything like that. If I decline to “upgrade” to the subscription version will my software be disabled? Or, will I be able to continue using it but without any of the on-line services?

In the past, jrb, the answer was that after three years, connectivity to the outside world (whether it be downloading transactions or just stock quotes) stopped working. Following that, a 2016 version would continue to function until 12/31/2018.

I not sure if it's the same now or different. You could contact them and ask.

I think it's curious how this market segment has become moribund. Not that long ago, there was Microsoft Money, plus Quicken, plus a few others. Only Quicken is left and the alternatives are some online sites.

I'd heard that Intuit (the company that owned Quicken but also Turbo Tax and Quick Books) decided to sell it because of limited profitability and their perception of a limited likelihood of improving the situation. I hope the new owner is successful because I want the product to continue to be available. I'm indifferent about the pricing, I'll pay more in whatever form it's offered to have it.