Trust me $500.00 I cheap compaired to my bernina software.
The machine has special software in order for it to know how to process the information to the embroidery module part of your machine. The software usually has designs built in and editing capabilities.
You can change things about the design you are wanting to embroider by going into the software program and telling it to do things. Like to reverse the design or re-size it. The are in some programs a way to stretch it this way or that. Depending on how much changing of the design or making your own design capabillities the program has, will determine the price of the software.