If there are other advantages to Crossword Compiler, I too would be interested in hearing about them.

I'm not that versed with Crossfire past a demo I played around with once in trying to construct something.  But past noting that Crossword Compiler has a demo as well so you can see (https://www.crossword-compiler.com/download.html), I'll say where it seems to be different.   There's a number of grid templates you can use to start making a grid.  Then if you're interested, the big difference is that CC will handle other puzzle formats if you might be interested in making those (cryptic/quick, freeform, barred, sudoku, and a few others, and can adjust style checking accordingly).  I can't comment on save formats since both demos locked that down (among others).  But in general, I went with Crossword Compiler over Crossfire because it seemed like it was more versatile (and hence you could do more) for a similar price with what little I could do in playing with both demos and reading what people were saying.   Of course, I can't point too much about how they are in the process of creating grids since I haven't done too much of that in CC (mainly mods where necessary, debugging, some image generation, and a couple of junk grids).  But I don't have any complaints so far about how it's worked, though nowhere near doing grids I'm comfortable with submitting anywhere to "pay off" the expense for it.

On the purchase page you see this text:

Crossword Compiler subscriptions are based on a yearly payment cycle, and include all major and minor updates to all included products. You can cancel the subscription renewal at any time, but an active subscription is needed to use the program(s). Alternatively you can make a one-off purchase.

The "one-off" purchase is what you need to select if you want to buy it outright.

I checked the website (https://www.crossword-compiler.com/ordering.html) before I wrote and did not find that it was available by any means other than subscription.  I see now what I missed before, distracted by the large squares and numbers running across the bulk of the page: in small print towards the top:  "Alternatively you can make a one-off purchase."  My humble apologies to Crossword Compiler, and my thanks to Glen9999 for setting everybody straight.

Really appreciate the responses. Thanks!

Quote from: DarlaFanbridge on October 13, 2020, 08:23:02 AM

geometry dash breeze
Truthfully, Nero being claimed as a fiddling emperor is more like mythology and never was reality.

But I quite like this illusion.

Why do you like that?