How can businesses mitigate the new Cobra CRM price hike before the January deadline?

Why are my Cobra ADDRESS PLUS licensing fees increasing so drastically in 2026?

Executive Summary: The Cobra ADDRESS PLUS Licensing Shift
Dealers and customers of Cobra Computer’s Brainware GmbH face a critical juncture. The Lake Constance-based provider is overhauling its licensing model for cobra ADDRESS PLUS, effectively forcing a transition from perpetual ownership to a subscription-based rental model. This change, communicated to dealers on December 5, 2025, requires immediate attention due to short notice implementation.

The financial implications are severe. Businesses utilizing this CRM solution for address management and GDPR compliance must prepare for cost increases that could exceed 300% to 1,000%, depending on current usage patterns.

The Core Problem: A Dual-Layer Cost Increase

The price surge stems from two simultaneous changes to the licensing structure. You must understand how these factors multiply to impact your total cost of ownership.

Base Price Inflation

The direct cost per license is rising sharply.

• Current Model: Fees range between €6.20 and €8.30 per license (volume-dependent).
• New Model: The fee standardizes to €19.00 per user/month starting January 1, 2026.

Structural Shift: Concurrent vs. Named Users

The most damaging financial impact comes from the shift in how users are counted.

• Old “Per-Use” Model (Concurrent): If you employed 50 people but only 5 accessed the software simultaneously, you purchased only 5 licenses.
• New “Personal User” Model (Named): You must now purchase a license for every specific individual requiring access. In the example above, you now pay for 50 licenses instead of 5.

The Multiplier Effect

Combining the price hike with the volume increase creates the “tenfold” cost scenario reported by industry insiders. A company paying €41.50 monthly (5 concurrent users x €8.30) could suddenly face a bill of €950.00 monthly (50 named users x €19.00).

Vendor Justification: The Move to “Cobra One Base”

Cobra, now a subsidiary of Buhl Data GmbH, frames this shift as a modernization effort. The company is phasing out the legacy ADDRESS PLUS architecture in favor of cobra One Base.

The vendor promises include:

• Cloud Transition: Access to the AI-powered “cobra CRM Cloud” via browser (Spring 2026).
• Feature Expansion: Inclusion of “cobra Forms” and “cobra Event” management tools.
• Future-Proofing: Updates will focus exclusively on the “One” product family.

However, many long-term clients view this as a forced migration to cloud infrastructure they may not need, suspecting it is a strategy to utilize Buhl’s data center capacity.

Strategic Advisory: The CRM PRO Loophole

There is a narrow window for cost mitigation. Dealers have identified a workaround that delays the new pricing structure for two years.

The Strategy

Customers can switch their current installation from ADDRESS PLUS to CRM PRO before December 15, 2025.

The Benefit

• You retain existing licensing terms (perpetual/concurrent) for an additional 24 months.
• CRM PRO offers more extensive features than ADDRESS PLUS.

The Risk

This is a temporary fix. You must eventually face the subscription model, but this buys time to audit your CRM needs or prepare a budget for the 2028 fiscal year.

Action Plan for IT Managers

• Audit Active Users: Immediately identify how many unique employees log into Cobra, not just concurrent sessions.
• Calculate Liability: Multiply your total unique user count by €19.00 to project your January 2026 invoice.
• Evaluate the Loophole: Contact your Cobra dealer immediately to discuss the upgrade to CRM PRO before the mid-December cutoff.
• Review Alternatives: If the cost-benefit ratio no longer aligns, begin researching alternative CRM solutions that offer data migration support from Cobra architectures.