ESTsoft (CEO Chung Sang-won), a company specializing in artificial intelligence services, announced on the 6th that it has launched 'ALTools AD-ZERO', which lets users use ALTools without advertising.
ALTools AD-ZERO is a version of ALTools — used by 25 million people — with all advertising removed, a subscription service launched in response to consumers who want to focus purely on the programs' functionality.
ALTools was previously a free service, run on an advertising revenue model that provided ESTsoft's various utility programs, including ALZip and ALYac, as a package.
ALTools AD-ZERO includes ALZip, ALYac, ALSee, ALCapture, ALPDF, ALSong, ALZip M and ALSong M — the most widely used of ESTsoft's utility programs, selected for the AD-ZERO service.
ALTools AD-ZERO, a subscription service, requires sign-up. Users can sign up on the ALTools website or in ALManager, the integrated management program that makes it easy to download, run and update every ALTools product. Once signed up, users log in through ALManager on PC and through each app's settings on mobile.
The subscription costs KRW 1,900 a month. Users can pay less through the 'early bird discount promotion' ESTsoft is running to mark the launch, which offers the first 10,000 subscribers a striking KRW 990 a month for life.
ESTsoft plans to strengthen the benefits of ALTools AD-ZERO further, extending the service experience to maximize its value. To that end it is preparing an integrated points membership that will let users exchange points earned in ALTools AD-ZERO for major Korean loyalty points.
ESTsoft CEO Chung Sang-won said: "Introducing a subscription service for ALTools was a strategic choice to reflect existing users' needs while strengthening our revenue model," adding, "We plan to keep making changes and trying new approaches that maximize the value of the service."
Details of the 'early bird discount promotion' marking the launch of ALTools AD-ZERO are available on the ALTools website.