A company employing 12 people can compare software prices using the first invoice, but this does not show the cost of running it for several years. A three-year calculation includes 36 months of use, hosting, administration and optional access to future updates.
First calculate the cost of 432 user-months
If the provider charges monthly for each active account, the starting point for 12 people over 3 years is:
12 people × 36 months = 432 user-months.
Use S to represent the monthly price of one seat. The subscription cost is then:
Subscription cost = 432 × S.
If S is, for example, 30 zł excl. VAT, the result is 12 960 zł excl. VAT. This is an illustrative assumption showing how the formula works, not the price of a specific product.
For annual billing, use R to represent the annual price of one seat. The cost is then 12 × 3 × R, or 36 × R. The number of invoices is irrelevant - the provider may issue them monthly or once a year, but you are comparing the cost of the same period of use.
All values in a single calculation must use the same tax basis. If you enter S as an amount excluding VAT, also use amounts excluding VAT for the licence, hosting and paid services. If you are analysing amounts including VAT, use them consistently in every row.
A neutral worksheet replaces assumptions about a “typical subscription”
Billing models vary between providers. One service may charge for active accounts, another for purchased seats, while another may require a minimum number of seats. Before entering S, complete this short worksheet.
| Item to check | Your provider's details | Impact on the calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Price per seat | monthly or annual | basis of the formula |
| Minimum number of seats | number of accounts or seats | may increase the cost for a small team |
| Billing period | month or year | determines when payments are due and how much they are |
| Reducing the number of accounts | rules and timing for changes | check when the amount charged is reduced |
| Add-ons | features charged separately | add only the items you need |
| Migration | one-off cost | add it to the correct side of the comparison |
| Hosting and backups | scope of the service | do not assume every item is included in the price |
With a subscription charged per account, a thirteenth person increases the cost of the next billing period. However, this does not apply to every subscription. If you pay for a package of seats, the cost may remain unchanged until you reach the limit.
The same applies when your team gets smaller. Check the pricing or contract to see whether you can reduce the number of paid seats during the billing period, only at renewal, or not at all under the plan.
Task Manager costs for 12 people
A team of 12 fits within the Classic plan, which includes up to 20 active seats. Instead of buying a separate account for each person, you purchase a licence with a set user limit.
Task Manager has a perpetual licence for version 2.x. The pricing also includes annual renewal of access to updates. Renewal is optional - choosing not to renew does not turn the perpetual 2.x licence into a subscription or automatically switch the application to read-only mode.
For comparison, you can use a scenario in which you buy the licence at the start of the three-year period and purchase two annual renewals of access to updates for the following two periods. If you do not plan to purchase both renewals, remove the relevant item from your own formula.
| Option | Licence | Two optional renewals | Total according to the pricing before H and A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Classic | 1 490 zł | 2 × 447 zł | 2 384 zł |
| Pro Classic | 3 990 zł | 2 × 1 197 zł | 6 384 zł |
Add the following to your chosen option:
- H - the cost of hosting for 36 months,
- A - the cost of time spent on administration, updates and checking backups.
Task Manager runs on the customer's server. Standard shared hosting with PHP and a MySQL or MariaDB database is sufficient. The application data is stored on this server, and the requirements are described on the Installed on your own server page.
If you already have a suitable server and it generates no additional cost, H may be zero. However, do not omit A simply because the business owner handles the updates. Their time also has value.
Break-even point for Standard and Pro
The break-even point shows the monthly subscription price at which both models cost the same over the period analysed. For a scenario including the licence, two renewals, hosting and administration, the formulas are:
Standard:
S graniczne Standard = (2 384 zł + H + A) / 432
Pro:
S graniczne Pro = (6 384 zł + H + A) / 432
Before calculating, convert all amounts to either excluding VAT or including VAT. H and A must cover the entire 36-month period.
If the subscription price S is higher than the calculated break-even S, the licence costs less in the scenario used. If S is lower, the subscription costs less. If the values are equal, both models cost the same.
For example, if your data gives a break-even S of 24 zł excl. VAT and the subscription you are considering costs an assumed 30 zł excl. VAT per user per month, the licence costs less over three years. This does not mean it will cost less over every period or with a different number of users.
The user limit does not increase with each new person
The Classic plan allows up to 20 active users. Adding a thirteenth, fourteenth or fifteenth person does not change the licence price as long as you remain within the plan limit.
Each active user occupies one licence seat. When an employee leaves, the administrator can deactivate their account. That person can no longer sign in, but their data and tasks remain in the application, and the seat becomes available for another employee.
The administrator can assign users to individual Workspaces and grant them permission to manage the Workspace, create tasks and start chats. For details, see Users and Roles.
The cost of a licence includes more than buying the software
For a licence installed on your own server, add the costs that will actually apply to your business:
- hosting throughout the period being analysed,
- time spent creating and checking backups,
- administrator time spent on updates,
- migrating data from your current software,
- training the team,
- the cost of optional AI from your chosen model provider.
With a provider-hosted SaaS service, the provider is responsible for application hosting. However, do not assume without checking that the price includes migration, training, additional storage, all integrations or customer-accessible backups. Add each item to your spreadsheet based on the chosen provider's offer.
Migration should not automatically be added only to the licence costs. If switching to a subscription service also requires data migration, the cost applies to both options or differs only in the scope of work.
You can install most Task Manager updates without FTP
A provider-hosted SaaS service does not require the customer to install new versions themselves. With software hosted on your own server, updates remain the administrator's responsibility.
Task Manager automatically checks for new releases. The administrator sees a notification and an indicator in the settings. Most versions can be downloaded and installed from within the application, without FTP. Some releases require the package to be uploaded manually, in which case the application displays the relevant instructions.
Before updating, you must back up the database and attachments folder. Retrieving the list of versions requires a valid licence key. The installation process is described on the Updates page.
Renewing access to updates is a separate item in the Pricing. It should not be confused with a subscription charged for each user or with a missing, invalid or expired key.
What happens if the key is missing or invalid
The Task Manager licence is perpetual for version 2.x. The licence status shows details including the number of occupied seats, the limit, the company and either the expiry date or “perpetual”. For more information, see the Perpetual licence page.
Read-only mode applies when no key has been entered, the key is invalid or a time-limited key has expired. You can still view existing tasks, chats, messages and files, but you cannot create or modify content. Write access is restored after a valid key is entered.
In read-only mode, the history remains available to view. Not purchasing the optional update renewal for a perpetual 2.x licence does not automatically make the key invalid and should not be described as a reason for write access being blocked.
A one-off licence does not cost less in every scenario
The result is determined by the calculation, not simply by the name of the model. The licence costs less over three years when 432 × S is greater than the combined cost of the licence, selected renewals, H and A.
A subscription may cost less for a short-term project if the provider allows you to purchase the required number of seats only for the duration of the project. It can also adapt to a reduction in headcount, but only if the service terms allow you to reduce the number of paid accounts quickly enough.
Before making a decision, enter your own S, H and A in the spreadsheet. Add only the renewals, add-ons and migration costs you actually plan to incur. Then compare not only the total cost, but also where the data is stored, the administrator's responsibilities and the features your team needs. You can see how the software works with sample tasks and Workspaces in the Demo.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a subscription cost for 12 people over 3 years?
If you pay for each account, multiply the monthly price per seat by 432. At an example price of 30 zł excl. VAT, the total for the entire period is 12 960 zł excl. VAT.
Which Task Manager plan covers 12 people?
The Classic plan, which includes up to 20 seats, is designed for 12 active users. Each active account occupies one seat.
Is update renewal compulsory?
The pricing includes annual renewal of access to updates as an optional item. The perpetual licence remains a licence for version 2.x, and not renewing does not automatically switch the application to read-only mode.
When does the application switch to read-only mode?
This happens when no key has been entered, the key is invalid or a time-limited key has expired. Existing data can still be viewed, but changes cannot be saved.
Should hosting be added to the licence price?
Yes, if using the application creates an additional server cost. Add hosting for 36 months and the cost of time spent on administration and backups to your calculation.
Sources
The Task Manager Team - we write about teamwork, AI in business and keeping tasks organised, using examples from Task Manager, software installed on your own server. Task Manager has been developed by Blue Creation Group (Piotr Łącz) since 2013 and is used by organisations including Neonet, the Military University of Technology and Polpharma - read customer reviews. We check our articles against the user guide and the latest version of the software.
