Some people feel it is some feel it isn't. I personally feel it is, whether it is faster or not can depend on how you set it up, what type of connection you have, etc. If you are on dial-up I do not know that you would see much improvement in speed due to the limitations of you connection. With Pro If operating in Leaf mode you get 5 connections vs 4 with basic thus 20% search capability.
With greater search capabilities you should get more sources to download from. More sources = more connections = greater speeds.
If you run in ultraper mode then Pro and basic for me are pretty much equal unless I have been on line for a while then pro seems to get more connections than basic. This could just be my imagination though.
Yes it is a one time fee of $18.88 and that entitles you to 6 months of updates. My subscription is running out within the next 8 days and I will be renewing for me it is worth it.

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A little common sense goes a long way

Later Grandpa