Calibration Flow in free Mode is enough to make correct prints. What sits behind Pro Mode is what you need if you calibrate seriously, several times a month, across several processes. Extended quotas to store everything your workflow produces, the Color Venn for CMYK printing, and advanced export options.
The commercial logic is clear: free Mode isn't a limited demo. You can do all your basic calibration, export your
.acv#What you see
In several places in the app, certain buttons carry a small orange "Pro" badge. Until you've activated Pro Mode, those buttons stay visible but the action triggers a subscription prompt. So you can see where the Pro functions are before paying — that's deliberate, so you know exactly what you're unlocking.
When you activate Pro Mode (€9.90/month subscription or activation of a Luminograph code), the Pro badges become functional. What you mostly notice:
- The Color Venn opens: CMYK preview as a Venn diagram to prepare an Aquaprint CMYK print. Available from free Mode for basic visualization (Color Venn 3c) — Pro Mode opens the full gamut 6c/7c options (experimental).
- Your quotas expand: unlimited curves, unlimited presets, 100 HD scans, unlimited generated images, 5 GB of cloud storage (vs 3 / 5 / 10 / 20 / 300 MB in free Mode).
- Advanced export options unlock: additional formats, extended resolutions, batch exports.
- Cloud sync stays active: curves and presets saved on your iPhone show up on the web when you log into the same account, and the other way around. (Sync is also included in free Mode.)
#What doesn't change when you go Pro
The target analysis pipeline is the same. There's only one analysis engine in Calibration Flow, identical in free Mode and Pro Mode. The measurements you get are the same whatever your tier — there's no "more precise" Pro pipeline.
Custom target creation. This function isn't available in the app yet (no custom dimension selector). It's planned, but its final access model isn't decided yet. For now, the six standard targets cover the common cases — see Create a custom target.
#Why it matters
For anyone calibrating several processes in parallel. The extended quotas let you store more than 3 curves without constantly deleting some. Over a year, that's what separates a workflow where you have all your calibrations on hand from one where you're permanently archiving.
For anyone working in CMYK. The Color Venn lets you understand and prepare the per-channel separation instead of suffering an automatic decomposition. On an Aquaprint Color CMYK print, that's what lets you visualize how each channel contributes to the final color.
#When you don't need it
Occasional practice. If you calibrate one target a month, free Mode is enough. The subscription becomes worth it from five to eight calibrations a month, or when you start running out of room in your 3 curves / 300 MB.
You haven't bought a Luminograph yet but you plan to. Buy the Luminograph first — its activation code includes 1 year of free Pro Mode. No need to also subscribe for that first year. See Luminograph code.
You mostly use the basic functions. If you always calibrate in standard A4, no CMYK, free Mode covers you amply.
#Key facts
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Price | €9.90/month incl. tax (EUR zone) |
| Platforms | Web + iPhone + iPad — unified account |
| Free trial period | None (but 1 year included when you buy a Luminograph) |
| Cancellation | Anytime from picturale.app or iOS Settings → Subscriptions |
| Functions unlocked | CMYK Color Venn, advanced export options, extended quotas |
| Extended quotas | unlimited curves, unlimited presets, 100 HD scans, unlimited images, 5 GB cloud |
| Retention after cancellation | Data intact (read-only on the quota overage) |
| Custom target | Coming — not available currently |
#The test
Subscribe from your web account or activate a Luminograph code. Check that the Pro badge disappears from the relevant buttons (Color Venn, advanced export options) and that you can use them without a new prompt. Open the library: your quota should show 5 GB instead of 300 MB. Log in on another device with the same Picturale account: the Pro status should propagate automatically without a new subscription.