What they are, how they work, and what they mean for you

For the past several years, an unspoken assumption has taken hold across the Blender creator economy: that every product comes with lifetime updates and support. Very few creators ever actually promised this, but the expectation stuck. The result is creators working harder every year for less return, and a marketplace that can't sustain the quality you depend on. We wrote about this in depth here and here. This post is what we're doing about it.

What is a Support Period?

A Support Period is a 12-month guarantee that the product you purchase on Superhive will be supported, maintained, and improved for the duration of that period. Superhive backs this up as a platform requirement for any product that opts in.

This is not a subscription. You own what you buy. When a Support Period ends, your access to everything you purchased, including all updates made during that period, remains your's permanently. Nothing is ever taken away.

How extending works

If a creator continues to improve their product after your Support Period ends, you can choose to extend your Support Period at a discount off the current price. Creators set this discount themselves from a range of options. You are never required to extend your Support Period. There are no recurring charges, no cancellations, no locked access.

It is buying a new version, complete with a discount from the one you already own.

Creator opt-in

Support Periods are not mandatory. Creators choose which of their products to opt in. Products without a Support Period will be clearly labeled and sold "as is", without a guarantee of support or updates. No hidden expectations on either side.

This gives creators flexibility and gives customers clarity. You'll always know exactly what you're buying.

What about existing customers?

If you purchased a product before Support Periods launch, nothing changes. Even if the creator moves that product to a Support Period model going forward, your existing access is completely unaffected. This is a commitment we are making unconditionally.

What Superhive guarantees

For products that take advantage of Support Periods, Superhive holds creators accountable to their obligation. A creator that fails to stand behind their product risks removal from the marketplace. Our job is to maintain a standard of quality that means you can trust what you buy here.

Why we believe this is the right path

With Support Periods, you own what you buy and you're never expected to continue paying. Creators need to make sure that they're earning your business. The traditional subscription model sets an expectation of recurring payments and revoked access if you stop paying. Support Periods are the opposite of that. Creators get a sustainable path to ongoing revenue. Customers get ownership, transparency, and a fair deal.

The ecosystem gets a model that can actually last.

We've been building in this community for a long time. This isn't a decision we made lightly or quickly. We believe it's the right call, and we're committed to getting it right together.

We're in this together. That's exactly why we're doing something about it. ❤️

Have more questions?

We've put together a detailed FAQ for customers here: https://support.superhivemarket.com/article/330-support-period-faqs-customers
And another detailed FAQ for creators here: https://support.superhivemarket.com/article/331-support-period-faqs-creators