Hello Andyman and welcome to the forum.

Your questions indicate you are considering multiple upgrade paths but are unclear about the possible ramifications. Hopefully my response will help clarify your intentions.

Unlike the Band-in-a-Box program you've used for so many years, current editions (2014 and later) require a serial number. If you purchase hard product (CD, DVD, USB memory stick or hard drive) the serial number is provided on a sticker. If you use the file download option the serial number is provided by email. The serial number is requested during first run or every time the program is opened up to 30 days. After 30 days the program stops working. RealBand also requires a serial number. An unauthorized retailer may not be able to provide you with program serial numbers.

Band-in-a-Box is available for use on Mac (Apple) or PC (Windows) operating systems. RealBand is included at no additional cost with PC and is not available for use with Mac.

All packages include the same Band-in-a-Box and, when available, RealBand programs. While the programs don't change each package offers different content. Content includes styles, midi super tracks, loops, video tutorials and RealTracks. The ProPak offers the least content, Mega offers a little more, PlusPak is whatever content is new for this year, UltraPlus Pak includes all available audio content in lossy (compressed) audio files, Everything Pak includes all available audio and video content and the Audiophile Pak includes the same content as the Everything Pak plus all the audio is duplicated in 16 bit / 44Khz lossless (uncompressed) pcm files.

New versions of the Band-in-a-Box and RealBand programs are released once a year. Fixes and updates can be downloaded for free between version releases.

Key points are: the programs change once a year, the same programs are delivered in all packages and the reason each package has a different price is each package includes different content.

PG Music has sale prices for the packages when new program versions are released. You may want to consider getting the ProPak now and using it's limited content while learning how to use 2017 Band-in-a-Box and RealBand. Then, if it turns out you like the content better than you think upgrade to a higher content package during the new version sale. You can also purchase just the content sets you desire.

Jim Fogle - 2025 BiaB (Build 1128) RB (Build 5) - Ultra+ PAK
DAWs: Cakewalk Sonar - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8
Laptop: i3 Win 10, 8GB ram 500GB HDD
Desktop: i7 Win 11, 12GB ram 256GB SSD, 4 TB HDD
Music at: https://fogle622.wix.com/fogle622-audio-home