yes. They used to offer a discount during the last month of the term, but I am not sure if they still do. But try LW Basic first just to be sure it runs ok on your set up. If it's running ok & you're happy with it & you have some experience, then consider getting pro.

Downloads are only as good as the people who are uploading can offer in regards to speed etc. Pro's best attributes are that is can find more of the rarer files. For common files you won't notice any difference in searches. For downloads, you can download from a couple more people per file compared to basic which can help speed up downloads. Try before you buy, & get to know the program first.