By the end of November 2025, we launched Advanced DB Cleaner version 4, our most powerful release to date. This version was rebuilt entirely from scratch and introduces several major new features.
Some of these features cannot be sustainably offered under a lifetime license [Learn more here]. As a result, we transitioned from lifetime pricing to an annual subscription model.
However, to support our existing lifetime (LTD) users on version 3.x, we introduced a two-phase migration process.
The Migration Plan for LTD Users
Because our Lifetime Deal (LTD) users are extremely valuable to us and have supported the product for many years, we carefully planned a dedicated transition for them. This transition will be carried out in two phases, with the goal of ensuring they can also benefit from version 4, its modern architecture, and advanced features, while fully respecting their long-term commitment and the trust they placed in us.
Phase 1 – Optional Upgrade with 50% Lifetime Discount
📅 From January 01, 2026 → February 28, 2026 (2-month period)
Migration Phase 1 has already started! Please read here to learn how to upgrade during this phase
During this initial phase:
- All LTD users will be offered Advanced Database Cleaner 4.x (full version, including the Remote Scan) with a permanent 50% discount:
- 50% off the first purchase
- 50% off all future renewals, forever
This offer will be available for a 2-month window
Phase 2 – Migration for Remaining LTD Users
While Phase 1 is active, we will prepare and finalize a special 4.x version without Remote Scan, ensuring it includes the modern 4.x interface, all core cleanup, optimization, and performance features, Ongoing updates, and improvements…
📅 Target date: March 01, 2026
All remaining LTD users who are still on version 3.x and do not upgrade during Phase 1 will receive a notification inviting them to update to Advanced Database Cleaner 4.x (without the Remote Scan feature).
Important notes:
- You will get notified about the update as usual. Once updated, your version will change from 3.x to 4.x
- Your license remains valid
- You gain access to the modern 4.x plugin
- You are not forced into a subscription with recurring costs
Permanent Upgrade Option After Migration
After the migration is completed (phase 1 and phase 2), LTD users running version 4.x without Remote Scan will continue to have the ability to upgrade at any time to the full 4.x version, including Remote Scan, with a lifetime 25% discount applied to all renewals.
Summary of Your Options
As an LTD user, you will have two clear paths:
- Upgrade to FULL 4.x, including the Remote Scan feature
→ 50% lifetime discount (if you purchase during the initial 2-month window)
→ 25% lifetime discount afterward - Move to 4.x without the Remote Scan feature
→ No additional cost
A Final Word
We deeply value our early supporters.
Lifetime users helped shape Advanced Database Cleaner into what it is today, and we are committed to honoring that trust while ensuring the product remains viable and innovative in the long term.
If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, we encourage you to reach out to us. We are listening, and we will continue to do better.
Thank you for being part of the SigmaPlugin community.
—
Younes
Founder, SigmaPlugin
8 comments
Strange that I've never heard about this update... Did you send emails about it?
I think that what you offer is very good, taking into account the LTD and surely having two versions will create also costs for you, so really appreciate what you are doing here. In a world where there's a bunch of LTDs rising and falling every week, it's a good point for you to treat us as good as you do.
Honestly, I don't know yet if I'll upgrade, as it's still $75US (i.e. more than a hundred dollars for me in Canada) per year, and this is for a feature that I currently don't have and still wonder how much of a benefit it is (of course, I understand there IS a benefit, especially for people already paying... but is it worth $75/year?)...
But again, thank you for all your work and for the benefit you give us!
Thank you very much for your thoughtful comment and for taking the time to share your feedback 😊
Just to clarify: we have not sent any emails yet. At the moment, we are still carefully preparing the full migration process to make sure everything is clear, fair, and technically smooth for all LTD users. Once this process is fully ready, we will notify all LTD users by email and also communicate clearly inside the plugin and on our website.
Our goal is to make this transition as respectful and transparent as possible for our long-time supporters. We truly appreciate your understanding and your trust while we finalize the details.
Concerning the Remote Scan, it allows the plugin to enhance the local scan results by performing additional analysis on our server's side, which helps identify categorization and orphaned items more accurately, especially in complex or heavily customized setups. Based on our internal metrics, we already see that new users are extensively using this feature, as reflected by the number of remote scan calls we receive.
That said, it's important to clarify that Remote Scan is completely optional.
The local scan already detects categorization and orphaned items, just like in previous versions. Remote Scan is meant as an extra layer of precision, not a requirement to use the plugin effectively.
If you'd like to understand exactly how Remote Scan works and why it improves accuracy, you can read the full explanation here:
👉 https://docs.sigmaplugin.com/article/57-the-remote-scan-in-advanced-database-cleaner-precision-meets-security
I hope this helps clarify things, and please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any other questions.
I suppose that if we test it (for a month or year, depending on what we buy) and then decide to cancel it, we will simply revert back to the lite (i.e. V.4 without remove) version, but keep the same number of installations (unlimited for me) as if we just migrate without upgrading...?
That's absolutely correct. Since you hold a lifetime license, you will always retain access to it without the remote scan feature, even if you later cancel your subscription to the full Version 4.
Here is how the process works:
Thank you for the update. Please could you give more details on the remote scan? As a LTD owner, if we do not have this feature, can we still login to a site with this plugin and scan manually please ? Thank you
Hi Stephen,
The Remote Scan improves the accuracy of detecting orphaned items and provides more precise relationship detection, such as identifying which options belong to which plugins or themes, as well as tables, post meta, and user meta, etc.
You can read more about the Remote Scan here
If you don't have access to the Remote Scan feature, you can still perform local scans just as you did in version 3.x.
Ok that all sounds like fair deal. Just so you know though I think I will be leaving the setup as it is and going for the version 4 with no scanning. I don't want to get another annual payment but also if you had given me an option to pay something like $150 as a one off, I would have paid it just to get the scanning although I have no idea what benefit there is. Support for customers goes both ways I have found your plugin so great that I would want to support you.
Hi Dominic,
Your decision is completely understandable, and version 4 without Remote Scan will still give you a strong and reliable setup. Nothing essential is lost compared to what you've been using so far.
I also truly value your feedback about a one-time payment option. The Remote Scan involves ongoing infrastructure and maintenance costs, which is why it's offered as an annual payment, but your willingness to support the plugin genuinely means a lot to me.
You can read more about the Remote Scan here
Thanks again for your trust and continued support. I'm always here if you need anything.