Last updated: June 15, 2026
RockTerm is a one-time purchase. This page explains exactly what that buys you: how long you receive updates, what kind of updates you can expect, how we handle security, and what happens to your software over the long term. No fine print, no surprises.
The short version
- One purchase, all updates to your major version. When you buy RockTerm 1.x, every 1.x update — bug fixes, security patches, and new features — is included at no extra cost.
- No subscription. No renewal fees. Ever. You will never be charged an annual fee to keep using RockTerm or to keep receiving 1.x updates.
- A future major version (2.0) may be a separate purchase. If we one day ship a major new version with significant new capabilities, it may be offered as a paid upgrade. Your 1.x license keeps working regardless.
- Your software keeps working — period. RockTerm runs entirely on your machine. Even if development ever stops, your installed copy keeps functioning.
- 12 months of email support. Your purchase includes 12 months of direct email support. After that, self-service resources (articles, tutorials, FAQ, AI assistant) remain available for life.
What updates are included
Your RockTerm license includes all updates within the major version you purchased. For a RockTerm 1.x license, that means every release from 1.0 through the end of the 1.x line:
- Bug fixes — defects and stability issues, addressed in ongoing releases.
- Security patches — see the dedicated section below.
- New features — capabilities we add to the 1.x line are included for existing owners at no additional charge.
Updates are delivered automatically through the Microsoft Store. When a new version is available, it downloads and installs in the background; you may need to close and reopen RockTerm for it to take effect. You can also force a check anytime in the Microsoft Store under Library → Get Updates. Your settings and connection profiles are always preserved across updates.
There are no annual renewal fees to keep receiving these updates. This is the core difference between RockTerm and renewal-based competitors: you are not on a maintenance subscription.
Major version upgrades
If we ever release a new major version — for example, RockTerm 2.0 — that represents a substantial body of new work, it may be offered as a separate paid upgrade rather than a free update. This is what lets us keep the “no renewals” promise honest: instead of charging you every year regardless of whether anything changed, we only ask you to pay again if and when there’s a major new version worth upgrading to, and only if you choose to.
If that day comes:
- Your existing 1.x license continues to work indefinitely. A new major version never disables or revokes the version you already paid for.
- Upgrade pricing and any upgrade discounts for existing owners will be announced at that time.
- You are never required to upgrade. If 1.x does everything you need, you can keep using it.
Security patches
Security is not a “new features” question, so we treat it separately.
We commit to releasing security patches for the current major version for as long as it is the actively sold version, and these patches are always free to existing owners. If we ever move to a new major version, we intend to continue providing critical security fixes for the immediately preceding major version for a transition period of at least 12 months after the new version ships, so you are never forced to make a rushed upgrade decision for security reasons alone.
Because RockTerm stores everything locally and transmits nothing to us, your exposure surface is small by design — but we take the patches we do issue seriously.
What technical support covers
Your purchase includes 12 months of email support from the date of purchase. During that period, you can email us at support@rockriverresearch.com with questions about installation, configuration, features, bugs, or how-to topics, and we’ll do our best to respond promptly.
After the 12-month support window, you still have access to all self-service resources — support articles, video tutorials, FAQ, troubleshooting guides, and the built-in AI assistant — for the lifetime of your license. Software updates continue regardless of whether your email support window is active.
As a focused, independent software company, we don’t offer a guaranteed response-time SLA, phone support, or 24/7 coverage. For most questions, the support articles and FAQ will get you an answer faster than email.
Email support covers RockTerm itself — installation, configuration, features, bugs, and how-to questions. It does not extend to:
- Configuration of your own network devices, servers, or SSH hosts.
- Issues with third-party SSH servers or operating systems.
- Billing for AI features, which is handled directly by your AI provider (Anthropic or OpenAI) under your own API key. AI usage is billed by that provider based on your usage, separately from your RockTerm license.
Long-term availability
Because RockTerm runs entirely on your machine with no required cloud service, no license server, and no telemetry, it does not depend on us staying online to keep working. The only network connection RockTerm makes is the optional AI assistant, which talks directly to your chosen AI provider using your own API key — and that feature is off by default.
What this means in practice:
- Your installed copy keeps working for as long as it runs on your version of Windows, independent of our company’s activity.
- Your data stays yours. Connection profiles, credentials, and settings live in an encrypted local vault on your machine. Nothing is held hostage in a cloud account.
- No forced sunset. We will not remotely disable a version you paid for. If a release is ever retired from the Microsoft Store, customers who already own it retain their license under Microsoft Store terms.
This is a deliberate design choice. Tools that depend on a vendor’s servers can stop working the day that vendor changes course. RockTerm is built so that the software you bought stays the software you own.
This Support & Updates Policy describes our current practices and commitments and is provided for clarity. It supplements, and should be read together with, the RockTerm End User License Agreement. In the event of any direct conflict regarding legal rights, the EULA governs.
Still need help?
If you have questions about support or updates, contact us or email support@rockriverresearch.com.