What it costs
Watching costs nothing and always will — no advert, no time limit, no card. What is paid for is the part that writes to your disk, reaches back into the week, or is used by more than one person.
Free for as long as you use it
No account needed. Download and open it.
9.99 USD a year, for five computers
Everything in Free, and the rest of it.
29 USD paid once, for five computers
The same licence, bought outright rather than rented.
The player keeps working. Recording, the archive, downloads and the rest stop until you renew — nothing you already recorded is taken away.
Nothing but how it is paid for. The year is 9.99 USD and renews; the other is 29 USD once and does not. Both carry the same features on the same five computers.
Five computers signed in. Watching on five at once is something your provider decides, not us — it sells you the number of simultaneous streams you get.
Take the old one off your account yourself and sign the new one in. The slot comes back a day later, and putting the same computer back does not spend another.