{
 "id": "houdini",
 "name": "Houdini",
 "category": "design_creative",
 "website": "https://www.sidefx.com",
 "domains": [
  "sidefx.com"
 ],
 "summary": "Houdini (SideFX) is sold as licences. Houdini Indie bought on Steam is an auto-renewing subscription you cancel in your Steam account. Commercial rentals and the Annual Upgrade Plan go through your SideFX account manager. SideFX publishes no self-serve cancel steps for its own store.",
 "routes": [
  {
   "channel": "sales_contract",
   "label": "Commercial licences: AUP or rental",
   "applies_to": "Commercial perpetual licences on the Annual Upgrade Plan (AUP), and rental licences, which include the AUP",
   "who": "The licence holder; SideFX's pages do not name a role",
   "method": "contact_sales",
   "start_url": "https://www.sidefx.com/company/contact-us/contact-product-and-sales-info/",
   "steps": [
    {
     "do": "Contact your SideFX account manager, or use the Contact SideFX product and sales page if you don't have one",
     "expect": null
    },
    {
     "do": "Ask to end the rental or not to renew the Annual Upgrade Plan, and get the end date in writing",
     "expect": null
    }
   ],
   "confirm_by": "Not stated by SideFX",
   "effective": "Not stated by SideFX",
   "notice": "Not stated. The AUP for perpetual licences is renewed annually",
   "refund": null,
   "fees": null,
   "source_ids": [
    "s19",
    "s9",
    "s8",
    "s18",
    "s4",
    "s10",
    "s12",
    "s13",
    "s1",
    "s2",
    "s30",
    "s7",
    "s11",
    "s16",
    "s17"
   ]
  },
  {
   "channel": "reseller_or_partner",
   "label": "Houdini Indie billed through Steam",
   "applies_to": "Houdini Indie bought on Steam as a Yearly Subscription (12 or 24 months), billed on a recurring basis",
   "who": "The Steam account holder",
   "method": "platform_settings",
   "start_url": "https://checkout.steampowered.com/recurringsubscription/subscriptions/",
   "steps": [
    {
     "do": "Sign in to Steam and open your account details at the subscriptions page",
     "expect": null
    },
    {
     "do": "Cancel the Houdini Indie subscription",
     "expect": null
    }
   ],
   "confirm_by": "Not described by Steam; check the subscription's status on the Steam subscriptions page",
   "effective": "It stops renewing; you keep access through the end of your current billing cycle",
   "notice": null,
   "refund": "Steam refunds a renewable subscription that hasn't been used in the current billing cycle if you ask within 48 hours of the purchase or of an automatic renewal",
   "fees": null,
   "source_ids": [
    "s6",
    "s20",
    "s21",
    "s22",
    "s23",
    "s24",
    "s25",
    "s26",
    "s29"
   ]
  }
 ],
 "pay_less": [
  {
   "type": "free_plan",
   "what": "Houdini Apprentice is free, with access to all of Houdini's features and a few restrictions",
   "evidence": "documented",
   "source_ids": [
    "s14",
    "s27"
   ]
  },
  {
   "type": "downgrade",
   "what": "Houdini Indie is a Limited Commercial licence for people making less than $100K USD per year, at $299 for 1 year",
   "evidence": "documented",
   "source_ids": [
    "s3",
    "s5"
   ]
  },
  {
   "type": "annual_billing",
   "what": "Buy Indie for 2 years at $449 instead of $299 for 1 year",
   "evidence": "documented",
   "source_ids": [
    "s5"
   ]
  },
  {
   "type": "student_or_nonprofit",
   "what": "Education licences for students of accredited schools and training centres; schools contact the Education team",
   "evidence": "documented",
   "source_ids": [
    "s28",
    "s15"
   ]
  }
 ],
 "export": [],
 "after_cancel": {
  "access_until": "Steam: through the end of the current billing cycle. Not stated for SideFX-billed Indie, rental or AUP terms",
  "data_kept": "Not stated; SideFX's pages cover licences, not account data",
  "you_lose": [
   "Upgrades: commercial licences get upgrades only on an active AUP or rental, and going off the AUP means buying a new licence to rejoin",
   "Karma tokens bundled with perpetual licences, which end when the AUP expires",
   "When the licence agreement ends, licences must be returned with the tools provided in the software"
  ]
 },
 "agent_notes": {
  "sign_in_needed": true,
  "phone_or_chat_only": false,
  "retention_step": null,
  "tips": [
   "Check where Houdini Indie was bought: a Steam purchase is cancelled in Steam, not with SideFX",
   "Steam renews Indie automatically every 12 or 24 months until you cancel",
   "Perpetual licences renew the Annual Upgrade Plan yearly; SideFX's pages do not say how to stop that renewal, so ask your account manager",
   "Licences left on SideFX's servers are reached by logging in to the SideFX account"
  ]
 },
 "sources": [
  {
   "id": "s1",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/buy/",
   "title": "Buy Houdini",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "perpetual or rental licences",
   "supports": "Houdini is sold as perpetual or rental licences"
  },
  {
   "id": "s2",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/buy/",
   "title": "Buy Houdini",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "available as long as AUP is active",
   "supports": "Karma tokens bundled with perpetual licences last only while the AUP is active"
  },
  {
   "id": "s3",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/buy/",
   "title": "Buy Houdini",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "These Limited Commercial licenses are designed for people making less than $100K USD per year.",
   "supports": "who the Indie licence is for"
  },
  {
   "id": "s4",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/buy/",
   "title": "Buy Houdini",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Contact SideFX",
   "supports": "the Buy page links to the product and sales contact page"
  },
  {
   "id": "s5",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/products/houdini-indie/",
   "title": "Houdini Indie",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "BUY INDIE FOR $299 1YR | $449 2YR",
   "supports": "the Indie price for each term"
  },
  {
   "id": "s6",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/products/houdini-indie/",
   "title": "Houdini Indie",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Also available on STEAM",
   "supports": "SideFX lists Houdini Indie on Steam"
  },
  {
   "id": "s7",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/faq/question/how-do-i-upgrade-my-houdini-licenses/",
   "title": "How do I upgrade my Houdini licenses?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Active Indie and Education subscriptions are issued upgrades to the account automatically.",
   "supports": "Indie and Education are subscriptions, and their upgrades are issued automatically"
  },
  {
   "id": "s8",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/faq/question/how-do-i-upgrade-my-houdini-licenses/",
   "title": "How do I upgrade my Houdini licenses?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Commercial customers are entitled to upgrades to those licenses on an active annual support plan (AUP) or rental.",
   "supports": "commercial upgrades depend on an active AUP or rental"
  },
  {
   "id": "s9",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/faq/question/how-do-i-upgrade-my-houdini-licenses/",
   "title": "How do I upgrade my Houdini licenses?",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "If you have Commercial licenses and do not have upgrades, please contact your SideFX account manager.",
   "supports": "contact the account manager when upgrades are missing"
  },
  {
   "id": "s10",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/support-programs/annual-upgrade-plan",
   "title": "Annual Upgrade Plan",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "With Perpetual licenses, you can take advantage of these benefits in your first year then renew annually.",
   "supports": "the AUP is renewed annually for perpetual licences"
  },
  {
   "id": "s11",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/support-programs/annual-upgrade-plan",
   "title": "Annual Upgrade Plan",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "If you go off the program then you will need to repurchase a new Houdini license to get back on AUP.",
   "supports": "leaving the AUP means buying a licence again to rejoin"
  },
  {
   "id": "s12",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/support-programs/annual-upgrade-plan",
   "title": "Annual Upgrade Plan",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "The Annual Upgrade Plan is also included with Rental Licenses.",
   "supports": "rental licences include the AUP"
  },
  {
   "id": "s13",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/support-programs/annual-upgrade-plan",
   "title": "Annual Upgrade Plan",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "This pay-as-you-go approach includes all of the benefits built into a single rental price.",
   "supports": "rental is pay-as-you-go"
  },
  {
   "id": "s14",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/company/contact-us/contact-product-and-sales-info/",
   "title": "Contact - Product and Sales Info",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Houdini Apprentice gives you free access to all of Houdini's features with a few restrictions.",
   "supports": "Apprentice is free with restrictions"
  },
  {
   "id": "s15",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/company/contact-us/contact-product-and-sales-info/",
   "title": "Contact - Product and Sales Info",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "If you are a school, training center or student, please contact our Education team using the following link:",
   "supports": "Education licences go through the Education team"
  },
  {
   "id": "s16",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/Support/licensing/commercial/",
   "title": "Commercial licensing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "If you leave your licenses on the SideFX servers then you can log in to access them.",
   "supports": "licences on SideFX servers are reached by logging in"
  },
  {
   "id": "s17",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/legal/license-agreement/",
   "title": "License Agreement",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "unredeem all Entitlements (i.e. return all Licenses) using the tools provided as part of the Software",
   "supports": "on termination, licences are returned with the software's tools"
  },
  {
   "id": "s18",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/company/contact-us/contact-product-and-sales-info/",
   "title": "Contact - Product and Sales Info",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Contact - Product and Sales Info",
   "supports": "SideFX's product and sales contact page, linked as Contact SideFX on the Buy page"
  },
  {
   "id": "s19",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/buy/",
   "title": "Buy Houdini",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "If you would like further information, please don't hesitate to reach out to your Account Manager.",
   "supports": "commercial customers are pointed to their account manager"
  },
  {
   "id": "s20",
   "url": "https://store.steampowered.com/app/502570/Houdini_Indie/",
   "title": "Houdini Indie on Steam",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "To be billed on a recurring basis",
   "supports": "the Steam Yearly Subscription bills on a recurring basis"
  },
  {
   "id": "s21",
   "url": "https://store.steampowered.com/app/502570/Houdini_Indie/",
   "title": "Houdini Indie on Steam",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "$299.00 at checkout, auto-renewed every 12 month(s) at $269.99.",
   "supports": "the 12-month Steam plan renews automatically"
  },
  {
   "id": "s22",
   "url": "https://store.steampowered.com/app/502570/Houdini_Indie/",
   "title": "Houdini Indie on Steam",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "$449.00 at checkout, auto-renewed every 24 month(s) at $399.99.",
   "supports": "the 24-month Steam plan renews automatically"
  },
  {
   "id": "s23",
   "url": "https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/",
   "title": "Steam Refunds",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "you can cancel an active subscription at any time by going to",
   "supports": "cancelling a Steam subscription from your account details"
  },
  {
   "id": "s24",
   "url": "https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/",
   "title": "Steam Refunds",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "Once cancelled, your subscription will no longer automatically renew.",
   "supports": "cancelling stops the renewal"
  },
  {
   "id": "s25",
   "url": "https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/",
   "title": "Steam Refunds",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "you will retain access to the content and benefits of the subscription through the end of your current billing cycle",
   "supports": "access lasts to the end of the billing cycle"
  },
  {
   "id": "s26",
   "url": "https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/",
   "title": "Steam Refunds",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "within 48 hours of any automatic renewal",
   "supports": "the refund window for an unused renewal"
  },
  {
   "id": "s27",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/buy/",
   "title": "Buy Houdini",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Apprentice licenses are acquired for free when you install Houdini.",
   "supports": "Apprentice licences are free"
  },
  {
   "id": "s28",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/buy/",
   "title": "Buy Houdini",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Students of accredited schools and training centers are eligible to use Houdini Education licenses",
   "supports": "who can use Education licences"
  },
  {
   "id": "s29",
   "url": "https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/",
   "title": "Steam Refunds",
   "publisher": "platform",
   "quote": "If a renewable subscription has not been used during the current billing cycle",
   "supports": "the refund applies only to unused subscriptions"
  },
  {
   "id": "s30",
   "url": "https://www.sidefx.com/buy/",
   "title": "Buy Houdini",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "If AUP expires then these tokens are no longer available.",
   "supports": "Karma tokens end when the AUP expires"
  }
 ],
 "verification": {
  "level": "partial",
  "checked_on": "2026-10-08",
  "by": "stackcut-research",
  "unverified": [
   "SideFX's pages do not say how to cancel, or stop the renewal of, an Indie or Education subscription bought from SideFX's own store",
   "Whether SideFX-billed Indie, rental or AUP terms renew automatically, and any notice period, are not stated",
   "The refund policy for licences bought from SideFX is not stated on its public pages",
   "How to stop an AUP renewal is not documented; the steps here follow SideFX's advice to contact your account manager",
   "Current AUP and rental prices are not published",
   "Which account role can manage licences, upgrades or renewals is not stated"
  ],
  "review": {
   "by": "stackcut-review",
   "on": "2026-10-08",
   "result": "fixed",
   "notes": [
    "Added a Steam route: Houdini Indie on Steam is a Yearly Subscription that auto-renews every 12 or 24 months, cancelled from Steam's subscriptions page, with access to the end of the cycle",
    "Added Steam's 48-hour refund window for an unused subscription or renewal",
    "Pointed the commercial route to the account manager, as the Buy page and upgrades FAQ do; the contact page has no sales instructions",
    "Limited the contact route to commercial AUP and rental licences, and listed the missing Indie store cancel steps as not confirmed",
    "Added the 2-year Indie price and the Education eligibility wording"
   ]
  }
 },
 "page": "https://stackcut.io/cancel/houdini",
 "json": "https://stackcut.io/exits/houdini.json",
 "evidence": {
  "packet_revision": "af315902ab482979cafc8ce6bbe74e6d02c670024b4bdd7cd6742d707a318559",
  "docs_checked_on": "2026-10-08",
  "last_observed_success_on": null,
  "verification": "partial",
  "freshness": {
   "as_of": "2026-10-09",
   "status": "current",
   "checked_on": "2026-10-08",
   "age_days": 1,
   "stale_after_days": 30,
   "next_check_on": "2026-11-07"
  },
  "routes": [
   {
    "route_id": "houdini--sales-contract--r1",
    "channel": "sales_contract",
    "checked_on": "2026-10-08",
    "freshness": {
     "as_of": "2026-10-09",
     "status": "current",
     "checked_on": "2026-10-08",
     "age_days": 1,
     "stale_after_days": 30,
     "next_check_on": "2026-11-07"
    }
   },
   {
    "route_id": "houdini--reseller-or-partner--r2",
    "channel": "reseller_or_partner",
    "checked_on": "2026-10-08",
    "freshness": {
     "as_of": "2026-10-09",
     "status": "current",
     "checked_on": "2026-10-08",
     "age_days": 1,
     "stale_after_days": 30,
     "next_check_on": "2026-11-07"
    }
   }
  ]
 },
 "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
 "credit": "Stackcut Exits (https://stackcut.io/cancel), CC BY 4.0"
}