[IMPORTANT UPDATE] New Subscription Tiers + Readers Library Now Live as of October 3, 2025
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Im not particularly fond of the credit I earned from last months premium subscription being not enough to buy a book this month. And finding out about it after the price change went through. No before price change get it while you can event, which would of softened it all.
The actual price change I do not mind. Just that month not equalling a book credit despite that being its purpose.
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@morbelek said in [IMPORTANT UPDATE] New Subscription Tiers + Readers Library Now Live as of October 3, 2025:
They have also given notice. They have sent out emails, held a stream, even posted on their website. I personally saw the stream and got the email before the October 3rd date.
The problem is that they only sent the email to newsletter subscribers. The video was only posted on YouTube and may not have been pushed to users unless they were YouTube followers. So they haven't given notice to all users per se. The post on the website was placed yesterday, after the implementation...
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@morbelek Thanks for the detailed response. I figured it would be more or less something like that. Although I disagree with you on the subject of notice - I certainly did not receive any from J-Novel until after they had already changed my ongoing membership and plenty of others have said the same. And I still today haven't received a single email from them on the subject. But that likely is irrelevant to any legalities based on your other points.
I'm just going to stop buying any coins for the remainder of my subscription as I feel I've been cheated out of the 15% discount I signed up for. I'm not under any illusions J-Novel will lose any sleep over that, but I'd probably have bought 30-40 books over that time, so it's still a chunk of money they've thrown away over not treating members fairly.
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As a premium subscriber this is a breach of trust.
I was holding twelve months worth of coins which means I could have bought twelve books if I was warned before this change. Now that the value of coins has decreased, I can only buy ten.
I wouldn't have minded increasing my monthly subscription, I understand why prices for every service are increasing, but with what you just did I have lost my trust in you.
This thing wouldn't have been possible with the old premium credits system that was replaced by coins three years ago.
Since the catchups are also gone I don't have any use to keep my subscription active.
I have hence canceled my subscription.
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Adding my voice to those unhappy with the implementation of this change. If I had received any notice, as a user who visits the website multiple times per day and checks my email compulsively, I would have thought nothing of the price increase and would likely have upgraded my subscription without a second thought.
Instead, the announcement on the website went up AFTER the change had gone through, and I still have not received any notice via email. I don't spend much time on youtube and similar sites because, unsurprisingly, I prefer READING my news. The idea that the website itself wasn't the first and highest priority venue for this announcement is ludicrous. The coins I have been sitting on have decreased in value, and the 38 (I counted after reading this announcement) books I was intending to purchase around the holidays are more expensive. I would have absolutely made different decisions with even 24 hours notice.
I have not yet decided whether to renew my subscription in February or not, but prior to this it wasn't even a question that I was going to continue, and now it very much is. I will likely only purchase half of the books I was intending to this winter as well.
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With my reading habits, I'm not particularly affected by the change to club membership. I enjoyed the occasional Catch-Up series, but I've been here long enough that most of the time I had already tried all the series on offer. I will miss that short moment of hope each month that there will be a gem in there, but the randomness of it meant that it always felt like a bonus when something good popped up.
The reader's tier looks completely worthless to me, though it might be good for someone new to LNs. At most, I would buy a month's subscription to it, read the handful of decent series in there, then cancel. If it was a ~1$ add-on to the club membership, it might be worth it, but it's not worth a 60% increase. Put another way, the 0.50$ discount to have both is insultingly low.
And finally, the way this has been handled makes me exceedingly happy I never got around to upgrading to premium, and has ensured I never will. Screwing over your biggest supporters with no warning is a bad look. I still get enough value to continue my club membership, but this whole thing left a sour taste in my mouth and I'm going to be reminded about it every month when I wonder what's on Catch-Up.
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I'm in the unfortunate boat of having renewed my year's subscription just in September, and not getting what I paid for only a month later. I must admit, the monthly catchup is 80% of what I pay for, followed by 20% weekly update reading on a couple novels I'm invested in.
The lack of communication here really is horrible. Having opted out of the newsletter, I still feel like if they were going to alter the terms of the subscription service, they should have sent a special communication just to cover their legal bases. To have nothing, not even a banner on the website, is really unforgivable.
The other piece is how the catchup feature has morphed into a library feature. This to me is not a replacement. I see the argument for not making things time-bound, but it doesn't tie into the non-reader subscriptions as well, given that the only reading benefit these subscriptions offer is the prepub release access. The library doesn't let you catch up to current at all - it's just select volumes.
It's hard not to be bent out of shape here. I still believe in the work that JNC does and I believe in supporting translators and editors, but this was such a carpet pull that I'm starting to feel regret in spending money on a subscription. I feel taken advantage of. The current legacy model is nothing without the monthly catchup feature. I could have easily taken the hit to the discount in coin purchases - indeed, I might not have even noticed.
I really feel like they should bring back the monthly catchups for the next year just for the legacy subscription holders, and not allow legacy renewals. That seems like the most fair way to transition. The chosen model really sucks, and like many others here, I feel like my trust has been betrayed.
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I'm going to miss catchup. The way they usually put LNs adapted to anime on it when said anime were airing was a convenient way to catch up (see what I did there?) on series with enough traction to see an adaption in the first place.
In that sense the reader library is much worse since partial availability doesn't allow actually getting fully caught up on a series. I've also already read a number of the complete series included in it, reducing its value for me.
With 51 series being in the full availability category, that would be the rough number of catchup series if we only had 4.25 series a month, and catchup was usually 5-6 IIRC, so currently it's also numerically weaker than catchup. This might change over time, but I'm not exactly sitting around watching glacier racing here.
I'm also in the camp that the communication from J-Novel regarding the changes failed to reach me and I'm fairly unimpressed about it.
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Found many of the series I love through the monthly catchups. There has been over a year since there appeared something new that I liked and hadn't known about. I will miss the catchups but oh well. In a few decades nothing will matter to me anyway so why getting worked up.
In the meantime, this made me rethink my premium subscription - I don't have enough time for the new things in my life so there's vanishingly small chance I'll return to read anything again. I rarely ever buy the books, opting to sit on a pile of coins that will probably remain unused. But in line with the tone of the changes, that people should be paying fairly for what they get, I downgraded to regular membership.
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I love JNC dearly and you've translated many great books over the years, so while I'm happy to continue to support you, I'm not happy about the changes and the loss of monthly catchup.
There was a certain amount of dopamine, at the start of every month, finding out what books you would release on catchup. I will miss it.
I've downgraded from Premium to Readers Club. The extra cost for Premium Club is no longer worth it and Premium Readers Club is just a blatant cash grab.
Previously for $120, people could read currently translated novels, catchup on 1-3 series a month and buy a single volume with their coins. Now they're paying $132, and all they get is whatever prepubs are available, plus buy a single volume with their coins.
If they want to access to Readers Library, they have to pay 42% more than the old Premium Subscription.
No thanks.
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What's the ETA on reader's club functionality for mobile? I mostly read on the app not on my desktop. Obviously you can read the reader's club stuff on the app if you find it. but when can we filter for it and when will be able to search within that filter?
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I don’t have any thoughts on the different tiers, but for me the most important thing is that J-novel Club continues with DRM-Free epubs when you buy the title. The pay-to-borrow-until-we-change-the-conditions spearheaded by Amazon is the worst way of selling e-books as far as I’m concerned. J-N Club currently uses the best model for e-book sales.
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@morbelek said in [IMPORTANT UPDATE] New Subscription Tiers + Readers Library Now Live as of October 3, 2025:
They have also given notice. They have sent out emails, held a stream, even posted on their website. I personally saw the stream and got the email before the October 3rd date.
I have received absolutely no notice and was on a premium subscription, I've upgraded but this has me significantly disgruntled. I only ever noticed because I visited the site today (usually use the app)
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@ShakyrNvar said in [IMPORTANT UPDATE] New Subscription Tiers + Readers Library Now Live as of October 3, 2025:
If they want to access to Readers Library, they have to pay 42% more than the old Premium Subscription.
Imo the price hikes are fine in isolation, it's objectively still a good deal (the extra coins each month alone making it "cheaper" than the regular subscription tiers if you are someone who would have bought those coins anyway) but the lack of proper notice ahead of time really doesn't sit right with me at all and is something I will not excuse a second time.
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Plenty has already been said, so I'll just provide additional votes for the key items from my perspective.
@admin The communication lack was the biggest negative with this whole thing. With it not on the official site in any official manner until after the change became effective, and email notifications relying on the newsletter opt-in, this was guaranteed to be a mess. Specific to emails for future reference, this is why 99% of companies have separate toggles in email preferences for notification of terms and other critical items separate from marketing (aka newsletter) opt-ins - please put this on the list to get implemented.
Regarding the new Reader memberships, yes they are great for anyone who doesn't buy books. JNC can get a little something for series that have passed their sales prime, and people who don't want to buy can Reader subscribe permanently and have access to all those complete titles and all future additions of older series.
What saddens me about the new tiers how nonsensically Premium was wrecked. Not only did the currently paid for Premium subscriptions get value removed from them (the top discount is why my subscription was on auto-renewal), but there is no equivalent replacement in the tiers for what was lost. Why did Premium Club not retain the 15% discount, and/or why is the new Reader option the one with it instead?
Premium Club isn't really premium because of this, and doesn't give the urge to upgrade from standard Club like it did in the previous model. Buyers don't need Reader, so giving Reader a better discount seems to be for show - more personally it is felt as being penalized for being a Premium member for many years and buying over 1400 JNC novels instead of just reading them.
I realize I am a minority group of members here with my library size, but you really don't want me to maintain a Premium membership at all with this change. I'll leave my 9 months of remaining legacy Premium active until we get some official word of how annual legacy membership upgrades/downgrades will be handled. The remaining thing I am questioning is whether paying $5/month after that specifically to gain access to the marketing I do use (volume 1 pre-pubs of new series to see if I want to add the series to my buy list) is worth it or if I should drop to Amazon reviews or something once the books are out. I feel like I've got a black eye and a couple busted ribs from how this change was handled so yes I am a little gun shy now.
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Referenced by C cfoley
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@Cryten said in [IMPORTANT UPDATE] New Subscription Tiers + Readers Library Now Live as of October 3, 2025:
Im not particularly fond of the credit I earned from last months premium subscription being not enough to buy a book this month. And finding out about it after the price change went through. No before price change get it while you can event, which would of softened it all.
The actual price change I do not mind. Just that month not equalling a book credit despite that being its purpose.
JNC previously advertised "Premium Members get 699 Coins every month to download a Premium light novel directly from J-Novel Club" which implies they will be able to spend those monthly benefits on a whole premium book.
As such it would be reasonable for anyone who did not spend their JNC premium credit to request a refund on the premium they paid for premium if they wish to downgrade or cancel their premium tier and have unspent monthly premium coins in exchange for returning those coins.
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i've been a premium member for a couple of years now, with my main purpose to read the catchup books that i like every month. now i have to spend $170 some a year to do read some books every month for the same and am finding about the financial impact after the fact instead of like a month ahead of time?
i get there was a youtube video or something, but i avoid youtube, why would it not be on the front page here instead as big news?
Now i contemplate downgrading or cancelling entirely ( i went ahead and cancelled the membership i had since 2023.) not worth it anymore. Honestly heartbreaking. This website and the series carried me through some tough times.
i have to find light novels elsewhere. i do have a lirbrary around the corner. this is mentally exhausting.
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@subarctic said in [IMPORTANT UPDATE] New Subscription Tiers + Readers Library Now Live as of October 3, 2025:
So my understanding of this is that, for those on the "Legacy" Premium Annual Plan, it's better to just stay on the current Legacy plan? Switching to the "new" Premium Annual Plan is $12/year more, gives 1200 coins/year more, but we can spend $12 to get 1333 coins.
depends: when is your renewal date? also depends on if you care about catchups? if so - you can upgrade and get pro-rated credit for however much is left of your annual subscription (pay slightly less for premium+reader annual than otherwise) , if (like me) premium annual is about having access to pre-pubs, allotment of coins, and access to forums, just leave it alone (renew when the time comes into the new premium plan, not the premium + reader plan) and pay the $12 more a year
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@eroschilles said in [IMPORTANT UPDATE] New Subscription Tiers + Readers Library Now Live as of October 3, 2025:
i've been a premium member for a couple of years now, with my main purpose to read the catchup books that i like every month.
This should have never been why you were premium instead of normal member. With that reasoning, you were overpaying for no reason to begin with. So I am unsure why you care about a price change now.
