Complaints
Customer Complaints Summary
- 29 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 10 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:05/15/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Since 2021 I have periodically purchased various software programs from ***. Until recently everything was fine, however, I had to reset my computer due to malware and as a result lost all of my software programs requiring me to reinstall them with saved install files I had backed up. After re-instaling the five NCH programs I found that I was being prompted to purchase a current version of them after entering the install code for each.. I sent *** a message through their website asking why I could not use my programs anymore and never received a response. I called their published contact number ************ and there was no answer. When I purchased the software I expected to be able to use them ad infinitum. I did not purchase them having a limited life cycle.
Business Response
Date: 05/16/2025
Hi. Support will be reaching out to this customer directly via the listed email. The phone number they tried to call is not our phone number. Support requests can be filed for free here: *****************************************. The problem they are encountering is easily solved with support.Initial Complaint
Date:04/18/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On March 20, 2025 I purchased a yearly suscription of PicoPDF software from the merchant. They automatically enrolled me in auto renewal. On April 17, I asked them to change my account from auto renewal to manual renewal, to which they replied: "The Annual plan you have auto renews every year until it is canceled." I don't want to cancel my plan yet because I already paid for one year and I want to make my money's worth. On the other hand, it's very inconvenient having to keep track of this to avoid a renewal due to their unwillingness to provide an auto-renewal opt-out. A respectable company would take the customer feedback, contact their webmaster, and offer an opt-out option instead of invoking their company policies. Frankly, I don't care less about their policies. I made it very clear that, if they charge me for any future renewals, I will dispute the charge with my credit card company as "unauthorized" and I will file negative reviews about their unfair business practice. The way they are doing business is totally unacceptable.Business Response
Date: 04/22/2025
Hello. The customer received this response from the support team:
"You may cancel the renewal before the subscription ends, but there's no option to manually renew the subscription. Once the subscription is canceled and you want to subscribe again, you will have to sign up for a new one.
Cancellation is for the renewal only, you may use the license for the paid period. You may cancel the renewal of your subscription here: *******************************************************
Let us know if you have other questions."Summary: 1) The customer can cancel their subscription at any time so it does not auto-renew using the link provided in the response they received. 2) The software can be used for the full year of the subscription whether it has been canceled or not, as explained in the response they received. 3) There is no way to toggle "auto-renew" on or off - that is not a feature that is currently available as explained in the response they received. It seems this complaint is about a feature that is not available with our subscription process rather than the support received, or the product itself. The product will 100% auto-renew if the subscription is not canceled.
Customer Answer
Date: 04/22/2025
Complaint: 23222245
I am rejecting this response because: the merchant did not provide an auto-renewal opt-out on their website and the two post-sale emails that I received from them, in additiona to their website, have no information on how to cancel the subscription. One should not have to go through the BBB to get an issue as simple as that resolved. I don't consider this issue resolved because they just beat around the **** and did not provide an opt-out option that is clear for all to see. This is poor customer service when companies don't have transparent cancellation politcies.
Sincerely,
****** ******Initial Complaint
Date:12/10/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
In 2023 I downloaded free software online; Voxal, Express Zip, and Pixillion, which are all NCH Software. Later, I decided to remove the free software and found that I couldnt. Many files duplicated and attached themselves to other program files and registry in my C drive causing a significant amount of bloat. I tried to find a contact number for *** online, but the only number led to a website basically stating that I cant talk to a human being unless I purchase their premium service membership. After several attempts to get help, I eventually gave up as there was no avenue for me to pursue. Recently I became aware that *** started responding to complaints here, so Im trying again. I want them to remove ALL NCH related files from my computer at no expense to me, as I would have never installed any of it if I had known this beforehand. There is plenty of material on-line posted by others to support these complaints.Business Response
Date: 12/11/2024
Our support team will be reaching out directly to assist this customer. We have free email ticket support for anyone here ***************************************** available at the top of our main web page. Phone support is a paid support service.Customer Answer
Date: 12/11/2024
Complaint: 22670584
I am rejecting this response because: Since I had no recourse at the time, I asked a tech savvy friend to help me get rid of as many of the *** files as possible. The NCH software no longer shows up in the standard Uninstall list of programs in Windows 10, but a deeper search does show how the software remains connected to other files in my C drive. I will require a technician's help to find and delete all these files, as this is beyond a simple uninstall procedure.
Sincerely,
*** ******Business Response
Date: 12/13/2024
We have free online support, and our support manager has specifically reached out to this customer to assist with their issue. They should check their spam folder if they are not seeing the multiple inquires sent to them over the last 24 hours requesting additional information on the issue. Until they respond to the support inquiries, or submit their own support request independently, we are unable to assist.Customer Answer
Date: 12/14/2024
Complaint: 22670584
I am rejecting this response because: To date I have only received two emails since opening this complaint. One from Christian on Dec. 11th, and one from ******** on the 12th. Nothing else in my spam folder. This is not so simple a situation as a standard uninstall will correct. While the programs files are removed, the registry is full of links between file types and the now removed NCH software. Please see the attached file for a list of 26 registry keys which we found during a cursory search. So far I've found at least 40 more which appear in the search results. Additionally the attached screenshot shows other NCH related files which were not removed during the initial uninstall attempts.
Sincerely,
*** ******Business Response
Date: 12/16/2024
With regards to complaint ********. This customer is refusing to work with our support team on a resolution. There is nothing further we should need to communicate to this customer through the ******************** - the customer is not working with us in a reasonable fashion. It would be appreciated if you could close this ticket after the next inevitable rejection rather than continuing a circular dialog with an unreasonable customer. Thanks. ****.Business Response
Date: 12/16/2024
The behavior being described does not have a precedent if standard Windows uninstall was utilized and more information was requested by support so that they could assist the customer. Here is the request from support sent by ******** on 12/12:
"If you did uninstall everything correctly as you would any other program, you should not be having any issues with your files. To properly assist and grasp what the issue is, could you please provide us a more detail description of the issue, could you please provide screenshots or a small video showing your issue. Also, if any files you wish to open are requesting one of our programs to open, all you need to do is right-click on the file you have issues with, and select the OPEN WITH option, then choose which app you wish to use to open the file and then check the box to set that as the default app to open those type of files.
We will be waiting for your reply.The customer received this but has provided no response to support - only another BBB resolution rejection. Without further information from the customer it is not possible to assist with their problem.
Initial Complaint
Date:11/12/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
NCH Software's INVASIVE program was installed on my computer without my permission. They have blocked every means to uninstall it. Their 'Uninstall' link goes to a page telling how I can remove every program from my computer but theirs.I guess they think this is a cute way to do business, but it only exposes them for the scum that they are.Business Response
Date: 11/13/2024
*** does not publish any software that installs without permission. We have a standard uninstall dialog for all of our published software. This option is readily available through Windows>Control Panel>Uninstall Software, and Mac and mobile software standard uninstall procedures. If the customer is seeing any other dialog when they attempt to uninstall then it is likely they have installed some sort of malware through a channel other than NCH Software. Support is free and can be contacted at *****************************************. As a courtesy a support manager will be reaching out to this customer via the email provided to assist with any issues related to our software.Initial Complaint
Date:08/20/2024
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On 8/18/2024 I paid for an access code to use software I downloaded from the company. On 8/19/2024 the funds were taken from my account. As of today I have yet to receive a code to use the software and no response to my emails from the company.Business Response
Date: 08/21/2024
Firstly, apologies to this customer for their frustration. It has been confirmed that both tickets submitted by this customer were received by support, and replies including codes were successfully sent to both support tickets regarding this issue. It is likely that both the original codes and the support tickets are in the customers SPAM folder. If they are unable to find the code or to receive communication from our company for some reason that they can't determine or fix, we are happy to refund their payment upon request.Customer Answer
Date: 08/21/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
*******************************Initial Complaint
Date:08/02/2024
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I've been trying for 2 weeks to get NCH to answer an email or chat.Business Response
Date: 08/05/2024
Our free and paid support link is *****************************************. Sometimes ticket responses can be missed in customer email client SPAM. If chat/phone support was purchased the proper access would have been received via email. Support will be reaching out directly via ticket to this email address provided. Please check SPAM folders as that is the usual reason support tickets would not be received. Chat should be immediate, unless an offline message is left and that would be answered within hours in most cases. There are not the same SPAM issues with chat so it is unknown how a chat can go unanswered for 2 weeks. Again support is reaching out directly so please check SPAM if nothing is received into the inbox.Customer Answer
Date: 08/05/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
***************************Initial Complaint
Date:08/02/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I contacted NCH SOFTWARE and told them I was not using the software any more because it did not work properly. I wanted a refund, and to stop charging me. They charged me again 3 months later July 24, 2024 as you can see by the uploaded document.Business Response
Date: 08/05/2024
We apologize for any errors with subscription processing. Support is reaching out directly to get this issue resolved quickly. Please keep an eye out for an email from NCH Software support.Initial Complaint
Date:08/01/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
paid for a service impossibile to be used. Their page results impossible to open itBusiness Response
Date: 08/01/2024
Support is reaching out directly to assist this customer with a refund or whatever is required.Initial Complaint
Date:08/01/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
The software has stopped working. I tried reinstalling, but when I try to activate the registration, the website (different from the commerce site) 404's (not found). Forgot my password and the commerce site doesn't send reset email.Business Response
Date: 08/01/2024
Support is reaching out to this customer directly to provide a refund. And hopefully to find out more information. There is no software product listed and we do not use passwords for product registration. So the actual issue is not clear.Initial Complaint
Date:06/23/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased PhotoStage software online and I was charged for it. However I never got the registration codes. I tried to contact them via email. Even after 48 hours I am not getting any response from them. Their live chat does not work and they dont have a customer number. It is totally frustrating.Business Response
Date: 06/24/2024
We are sorry to hear you did not receive your code. Support will be emailing to resolve this issue.
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