A business example
A small business subscribes to a hosted accounting application and later decides to move to another provider.
Subscription
The business pays for continuing access to the service.
Daily operation
Its records are entered and maintained in the hosted system.
Exit
The business needs usable exports, access timing and migration arrangements.
What this shows
A low monthly price does not answer whether the business can retrieve its records when leaving. Exit terms are part of the service decision.
What it is often confused with
A software subscription does not automatically include data migration, implementation or ownership of the software.
What to look at in your business
Check data export, renewal, support, availability and exit arrangements.
Context and further reading
This entry explains the business term. The related guide below provides the next layer of context; any applicable legal test depends on the transaction and relevant period.
Kosha.Services · Updated 2 October 2026