For the work I do, I have not needed the Pro version of portal. The cost difference between basic and pro made it an easy choice to purchase a starter kit to get the basic portal, plc, hmi, cable, and manuals in a convenient case. I have used the HMI, the PLC, the cable, and software many times for many projects.

Because virtually none of the logic uses the physical IO addresses (except in one input and output mapping routine that maps physical inputs to internal bits and internal bits to physical outputs), I can test the logic with the simulator by making simple adjustments to the mapping routines. It makes it easy to rewire an entire project and only change the mapping routine in one place. Yes, the portal can do that with the rewire option, and that's nice, but this is actually faster and easier to understand for the technicians.

I have simulated some fairly complex logic, then borrowed the hardware just prior to installation into the equipment to verify my logic, make any minor adjustments between theoretical and real-world device responses, and have a good sense that on startup it will be user suggestions for changes rather than debugging large chunks of logic.

I have used simulation software and it is nice that it does not use up flash memory rewrite cycles, but I think I still have a few decades of debugging left on my starter kit plc and hmi.