- Should I choose a traditional license or subscription?
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Both options give you access to nearly all Curio features, with some minor differences due to App Store requirements:
Choose a traditional license if: You prefer owning software outright, want to control when you upgrade, need academic/volume discounts, want access to beta releases, or need specific features like AppleScript support.
Choose a subscription if: You prefer lower upfront costs, want automatic updates, like the convenience of the Mac App Store, or only need Curio periodically.
A traditional license or a subscription may make more sense to you, depending on your specific needs, so we're happy to be able to offer you a choice.
- What are the pros and cons of a Curio subscription purchased from the Mac App Store compared to a traditional Curio license purchased from the Zengobi website?
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A subscription or a traditional license may make more sense to you, depending on your specific needs, so we're happy to be able to offer you a choice.
Subscription Pros:
- Apple handles purchases with secure receipts instead of license keys
- Always up-to-date with automatic updates and latest features
- Lower upfront cost with flexible monthly/yearly billing
- More secure, sandboxed product
- Perfect for project-based or temporary usage
- No hassle with manual upgrades
Subscription Cons:
- Limited functionality when subscription expires (5 idea spaces max, larger projects read-only)
- Higher long-term cost compared to selective traditional upgrades
- Mac App Store restrictions limit some functionality
- No academic/volume discounts or family sharing
- Trial requires upfront subscription purchase
- No access to beta releases
If you still have questions please contact support.
We invite you to read our Curio Traditional License FAQ if you'd like to learn more about traditional licenses.
- What are the key feature differences with Curio from the Mac App Store compared to Curio from Zengobi's website?
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The main difference is that Curio from our website only works with license keys and Curio from the Mac App Store only works with Apple's subscriptions.
However, all apps from the Mac App Store are sandboxed for tighter security which can impose a few limitations:
- AppleScript figure actions are not supported.
- To enforce secure
https connections, insecure http remote connections are not supported in embedded web view figures, as Organizer documents, as Sleuth sites, or during web archive or favicon retrieval. However, you can still create http web link figures, figure actions, and figure references, which will open in your default browser.
- Curio Professional's External Asset Folders and Lock Files advanced features are only supported with projects located in the default Projects folder specified in Curio's Preferences.
- Mailing from within Curio is handled by the macOS sharing service and may not be compatible with 3rd party mail clients, such as Outlook, until they update their support. As a workaround, you can export to the Desktop then manually create a mail message and include the attachment.
For more details, see our documentation on sandboxing.
- How are product updates handled?
- You're always up-to-date with the latest version of Curio, even if you don't have an active Curio subscription, because macOS updates all Mac App Store apps behind the scenes automatically and securely.
- What about major upgrades?
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These are included, as well!
That means all new major and minor features, enhancements, compatibility updates, and important fixes are automatically downloaded, installed, and ready for you.
- How does the 2 week free trial work?
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Download Curio from the Mac App Store and explore it free with Standard features and up to 5 idea spaces per project. Larger projects open as read-only.
To start your 2-week free trial with full features, purchase a Standard or Professional subscription from within Curio (Curio > Subscription menu). You'll have immediate access to all features based on your plan.
Important details:
- Cancel at least 24 hours before trial ends to avoid charges
- Trial automatically converts to paid subscription if not cancelled
- Manage subscription in your Apple account settings
- Free trial can only be used once per Apple ID
- How can I manage or cancel my subscription to Curio?
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Visit your account settings on the Mac App Store any time after purchase to manage or cancel your subscription to Curio.
If you cancel your subscription then its auto-renewal is disabled, but you still have access to the plan features until its expiration date.
- How can I update the credit card I'm using for billing?
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If you have a new or updated credit card you can edit your billing details with the changes.
- Can I switch between Standard and Professional and/or monthly and yearly after subscribing?
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Yes, you can change your subscription anytime through your Apple account settings or from within Curio via the Curio > Subscription menu item.
Edition changes: Upgrading from Standard to Professional takes effect immediately with a prorated refund. Downgrading from Professional to Standard takes effect at your next renewal date.
Billing frequency changes: Switching between monthly and yearly billing takes effect at your next renewal date at the new price and frequency.
- What happens if a Curio trial or subscription expires?
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Curio reverts to free mode with Standard features and up to 5 idea spaces per project. Larger projects become read-only for viewing, exporting, and printing. You can re-subscribe anytime to restore full functionality.
The app continues receiving automatic updates from macOS, including new features that will be available if you renew your subscription later.
Bonus: You can share projects with non-subscribers since they can download Curio free and view projects in read-only mode.
- Why can't I find Curio in the Mac App Store in my country?
- Curio is only available at the Mac App Store in countries where Apple collects and remits sales taxes, as defined in Exhibit B in Apple’s "Paid Applications Agreement Schedule 2" developer contract.
- I've purchased a subscription but am now installing on a new or second Mac... how I can restore my purchase?
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- Launch the Mac App Store app on your new or second Mac.
- Click your name in the lower-left corner of the window.
- Find Curio in the list of previously purchased apps, then click the little cloud download icon to install it.
- Open Curio.
- The Subscription window should automatically appear, or choose the Curio > Subscription menu item to reveal it.
- Click the "Already subscribed? Click to restore purchase" link.
That should work for most everyone but if you have any issues see the next question.
- Why isn't the restore subscription working on my new or second Mac?
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On rare occasion, the Mac App Store may have cached outdated information or is perhaps confused as to what's installed.
We found this solution will get things going again.
- Quit Curio.
- Using Launchpad, delete Curio by clicking and holding the mouse down on its icon then click the little "x" to delete it.
- Launch the App Store app.
- Choose Store > Sign Out.
- Reboot.
- Follow the restore subscription steps in the question above.
- Are academic or volume discounts available? How about family sharing?
- In-app subscription purchases are not eligible for discounts or family sharing.
- Can I purchase Curio from the Mac App Store as a traditional license instead of a subscription?
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No, Apple doesn't allow Mac App Store apps to support license keys, which is why we offer subscriptions there. Only Curio downloaded from our website supports traditional license keys.
- Do I get a discount on a Curio subscription if I own a traditional Curio license? What about vice versa?
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There are no discounts on traditional licenses or subscriptions if you'd like to move from one to the other.
However, if you're currently on a traditional license and typically upgrade to each major release, but at the next major release you decide to switch to an annual subscription instead, then if a future major release comes around and you wish to switch back to traditional then you could simply renew your old traditional license.
- What happens when I migrate from traditional licensed Curio to a Curio subscription?
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Both Curio products use the same project file format, so your existing Curio projects should open with no problems.
When you launch Curio from the Mac App Store for the first time macOS will automatically:
- Copy your traditional Curio preferences file to the sandboxed Curio container.
- Move your traditional Curio application support folder which includes your personal styles, stencils, and templates to the sandboxed Curio container. Note this is a move, not a copy (for some reason).
- What happens when I migrate from a Curio subscription to a traditional licensed Curio?
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Both Curio products use the same project file format, so your existing Curio projects should open with no problems.
If you launch a traditional Curio and it can't find its app support files then it will automatically check the sandboxed Curio container location and copy them back if found.
If you need to launch an older traditional Curio then you'll need to copy those app support files manually from ~/Library/Containers/com.zengobi.curio/Data/Library/Application Support/Curio to ~/Library/Application Support/Curio.
- What is Curio’s license agreement?
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Curio purchased from the Mac App Store is covered by Apple’s standard License Agreement.
- What is Apple’s privacy policy?
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Apple’s Privacy Policy details what personal information they collect, why they collect it, and how they use it.
You may also want to read Zengobi’s Privacy Policy which details what personal information we collect, why we collect it, and how we use it.