Corel 2025

[John Miller]

If you have upgraded to Corel 2025, what do you think? Any bugs, other issues? I'm not a big believer in paying monthly for software. They just sent me an offer to buy it, pay once with no monthly payments. I'm tempted but would rather not get tangled up in a poorly running version. What's the consensus?

 

[yetti320]

What are your options? How much design work do you do?

 

[John Miller]

I use Corel x6 which works fine. I don't need their printing tools. I use it for sign design with type, I don't use it for illustration.

 

[Ronny Axelsson]

If you are happy with what you've got, there no need to upgrade I guess.
But there have been some nice new things added during the years, as well as some UI changes.
I'd say the 2025 version is pretty stable, but we all know that Draw has earned a reputation of crashing now and then, and it can happen also with this version.

Download the trial to see how you like it.

 

[Geneva Olson]

Theres a new text to path feature that's pretty cool

 

[Gwenofeve]

https://inkscape.org/ is free, however we sent our stuff through Flexisign

 

[Geneva Olson]

If you are happy with what you've got, there no need to upgrade I guess.
But there have been some nice new things added during the years, as well as some UI changes.
I'd say the 2025 version is pretty stable, but we all know that Draw has earned a reputation of crashing now and then, and it can happen also with this version.

Download the trial to see how you like it.

My husband's computer was crashing so much from Corel, that we went out and bought a bigger computer.
Shortly after his crapped out, a power outage knocked mine out. So I have a bigger one now too. But I dont do as much big artwork as he does.

 

[Bobby H]

CorelDRAW X6 is a pretty old release (2012). At the CorelDRAW Wikipedia page you can see a simplified list of features added in later releases, version by version:

CorelDRAW - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I use a lot of OpenType Variable fonts; CorelDRAW didn't start supporting those until CDR2020/v22.
If I needed to buy a new version of CorelDRAW I'd strongly consider doing the buy once option and use that version for a few years. I think the subscription price for CorelDRAW is a rip-off. For two actual applications (Draw and PhotoPaint) the annual subscription should be considerably less than $269. A subscription price around $99 (if even that) would seem more fair considering the sheer lack of improvements and new features seen in the last couple or so years.

 

[JBurton]

I use Corel x6 which works fine. I don't need their printing tools. I use it for sign design with type, I don't use it for illustration.

Stick with it. Fun fact, you can install corel x6 on windows 11, add the service packs, and it works flawlessly. If you contact corel because the first service pack requires a login but attempts to open it in IE, which no longer works properly, and if you insist on needing to use this version of corel, and if you have proof of purchase, they'll send you an iso that is preactivated that allows you to install the service packs without login. Hotfix 4 is needed badly in win10/11, as the 'file, edit, etc' is black text on a black background without it.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Stick with it. Fun fact, you can install corel x6 on windows 11, add the service packs, and it works flawlessly.

Until a new Windows update breaks it. I can see this working for as long as the last update that Corel did during it's support of X6 still works. After that point, it's going to be upgrade or see you later.

To the OP:

Are you using the same computer that has X6 or are you updating computers as well as your program? Or putting it on a newer computer that you may already have etc?

How many seats have you already used with this particular version of X6, if you are changing computers? I think Corel allows 5 installs, before you have to go thru them to unlock more seats (something that I doubt that they would do at this point). That's also if they haven't sunset X6 servers. I think there was some issues with X7 with regard to activation as well (to JBurton: is that just for the hot patches that has the first one preactivated or is that for the program as well(if for the program that's a good thing, at that point, it's just running a VM of Win 11 when either it losses support or if an update kills X6 stability)?).



Ironically, I remember when people didn't have fond things to say about X6 as well (just like the early days of XP).