No, you do not always have to pay annually.
Most of our plugins are available with both annual and lifetime license options. You can choose the license type that works best for you when purchasing the plugin.
Annual licenses
With an annual license, you pay once per year.
Your license gives you access to plugin updates and support while the license is active. Annual licenses renew automatically each year unless you cancel the subscription before the renewal date.
You can also disable automatic renewals and renew your license manually later, but we do not recommend this in most cases. Automatic renewals help make sure your license stays active without interruption, so you continue receiving updates and support.
You can read more here: Can I disable automatic renewals?
Lifetime licenses
With a lifetime license, you pay once and receive plugin updates and support for the lifetime of the product.
This can be a good option if you plan to use the plugin long-term and prefer a one-time payment instead of yearly renewals.
What happens when my annual license expires?
If your annual license expires, you can still continue using the plugin version already installed on your site.
However, you will no longer receive new plugin updates or access to support while the license is expired.
You can read more here: What happens if my license expires?
Can I switch from annual to lifetime?
No, it is not possible to switch or upgrade an existing annual license to a lifetime license.
If you want to move from an annual license to a lifetime license, you will need to purchase a new lifetime license separately.