Everything you need to know about what’s changing at StairBiz.

where v9 stands

You’ve been on V9.
Here is where things stand.

V9 was built for a different era of software: installed on a single machine, tied to a single location, limited by database size and local storage. It did the job, and for a long time it did it well.

V9 is no longer being developed. There are no new features coming, and bug fixes are winding down. The road ahead is V10, and this page is here to make that road feel as clear and manageable as possible.

There is no cliff edge here. V9 will not simply stop working tomorrow, but it does have a horizon, and we want to give you enough runway to move across on your own terms.

in plain english

What V10 actually is

Your business isn’t tied to a machine

V10 runs in the cloud.

Your jobs, data and defaults are accessible from any device, wherever you are. If your estimator is working from home, if your foreman is on site, or if you're checking a job from the office at 7am , it's all there.

Your licences float across your team

No need to assign a licence to a specific computer anymore.

Your team members log in, do their work, and log out, leaving the license available for someone else to use. The licence goes where the work goes.

Your data is secured differently

Encryption and storage on Microsoft Azure enterprise servers with daily, weekly, and monthly backups.

Database corruption or losing a job because a hard drive failed are worries of the past.

Your accounting software can link

V10 integrates with Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks, and Business Central.

If you're currently re-entering data between systems, the manual linking stops with V10.

The things you’ve been waiting for are finally coming

With a full team behind the platform, the features that have been on the roadmap for years are getting the dedicated time they need:

  • Monostrings and curved stairs with native handling, properly built

  • Glass balustrading standoff glass, glass between posts, timber/glass combinations with real-time 3D rendering

  • Best-in-class rendered 3D imagery with extensive profile libraries

  • Advanced Scheduler for production tracking, cascade visibility, customer notifications, and AI-assisted planning

  • Automated Quoting Agent to generate multiple quote variations for a single job at the push of a button

  • API integrated products including material forecasting tools

  • StairBiz WEB allows your customers to generate quotes directly from your own website

  • Members Area to self-serve access to 3D profile files, additional licences, video library, and bookable training and support sessions

What's changing & why

The Commercial Model

Your StairBiz licence agreement has always included an annual subscription fee, called the Continuous Maintenance & Upgrade Program (CMU), of 7% of your original licence purchase price. This fee covers the ongoing development, bug fixes, platform maintenance, server infrastructure, and data backups that keep StairBiz running and improving.

We never invoiced it, for anyone. Moving forward, this does change, but not in a way that penalises you for the past:

Your arrears are waived in full, unconditionally

The accumulated CMU fees going back to the date of your original purchase are completely waived. You owe nothing for the past. John's email to you is your confirmation of that.

Going forward, the CMU fee will be invoiced at 7% per annum

Calculated on your original licence purchase price. You will receive your specific figure in a personalised quote. Payment will be monthly, with an annual option available.

What that fee covers is a comprehensive managed platform fee: your Microsoft Azure server management, enterprise-level encrypted cloud storage, daily and weekly data backups, continuous software updates and enhancements, and ongoing platform security, all handled by the StairBiz team on your behalf. 

In practical terms, it replaces costs and responsibilities that many businesses currently carry themselves across IT support, backup systems, and software licensing. For most businesses, the CMU fee costs less than managing those things separately.

Your V10 Owner Licence Agreement

Moving to V10 involves signing an updated Owner Licence Agreement (OLA), which is a straightforward document that formalises your V10 licence and the CMU arrangement going forward. You will receive this alongside your personalised quotation. If you have any questions about it, our team will walk you through it before you sign anything.

moving from v9 to v10

What migration looks like

Migration from V9 to V10 is not a switch you flip. It is a managed process, done in stages, with the StairBiz team working alongside you. The full migration typically takes several weeks depending on the size of your business and the complexity of your setup. We will give you a realistic timeline when we talk.

Here is what it involves:

What it costs to upgrade

Your one-off upgrade price from V9 to V10 is calculated on whichever is the lesser of:

  • 30% of your original V9 licence fees, or

  • The accumulated CMU fees that would have applied since your original purchase date at 7% per annum

You will receive a personalised quotation with your specific figures, calculated from your actual licence history and presented clearly before you commit to anything.

Payment plan options are available. If the one-off cost is a consideration, we can structure something that suits your cash flow - monthly or quarterly.

moving forward

What happens next

You do not need to do anything right now.

Over the coming weeks you will receive a personalised upgrade quotation with your specific figures - your one-off migration cost and your ongoing CMU fee, calculated from your actual licence history.

When you receive it, you have a few options:

Ready to move?

Reply to the quote and we will schedule your migration at a time that suits your business.

Want to see it first?

Book a demo. Our team will walk you through V10 on a real job, and answer your questions honestly.

Not ready yet?

That is fine. Hold onto your quote. When the time is right, reach out and we will pick it up from there.

Questions you might have

  • The resources are now in place to build and maintain the platform properly, which means the commercial model that was always written into your agreement needs to operate the way it was designed to.

    The fee funds the development, the infrastructure, and the team behind the product you rely on.

  • V9 is at end of life and we will not be supporting this moving forward. You are not being forced anywhere, however you will be required to pay the EULA.

    As technology has advanced (Microsoft specifically), one day the platform will stop working on the operating system. StairBiz has advanced with the technology and we are excited to progress with V10.

  • Yes - a straightforward V10 Owner Licence Agreement that formalises your licence and the CMU arrangement.

    You will receive it with your personalised quote. Our team will answer any questions before you sign.

  • Reach out directly - support@stair.biz. You will speak to a real person who knows the StairBiz product and your account.

Want to see it running on a real job?

Book a demo