My Son uses finale which was lent from his school. Now it is time to purchase one. When we look the offical website there is a 99 $ version and 350$ version. What is the difference? He is also exploring the Dorico trial version.
There are special prices for Finale (notation software) for "academic and theological " ($350) and for US college/ university students ($99). Otherwise the price is $600.
Thank you. We were trying to see if there is a difference between $99 and $350 versions
I don’t believe so.
https://www.finalemusic.com/products/finale/special-pricing/
"Site licenses offer discounted pricing and ensure everyone on campus is using the same version. " Note the “same version.”
The student price is based on the assumption that students need more of a discount, I would think. Finale then makes money with upgrades over the years.
I’ll double check later today but that is my understanding.
Thank you.
The newest version 26.3 just came out June 17, 2020.
https://www.finalemusic.com/blog/finale-26-3-is-here/
Note that student upgrades are $99, but general public upgrades are $149.
Once a composer starts with a certain software, they are likely to continue. Assuming decades of work, it is smart to have that discount!
ps People also use Sibelius. No matter what software they use, composers hate it 
Former Sibelius developers created Dorico when a UK Sibelius office closed. For a time there was a rumor Sibelius was going to end but it’s still going strong.
Most people I know use Finale. And when software doesn’t do certain innovative things (like graphic scores), scores are still done by hand
He writes by hand most of the time. He tried Dorico but it kept crashing. I think he will get the student version of Finale and see how it goes.
There is no student version, only student price. PM’ed you.
Hi!
I’m a composer who used Finale from 2006-2020. I switched to Dorico this year. My 2 cents is… don’t go with Finale.
Yes it’s a powerful program and it can do what you want (eventually) but it’s a more painful and time consuming experience. Sibelius is a good choice but I really would pick Dorico. It is by far the one with the most active development, and it has truly excellent support (on the Steinberg forums, and in Facebook groups).