SOLIDWORKS licensing falls into two types; perpetual licenses and term licenses. Perpetual license is the license that you purchase to own while term license is you pay as you use or in other word; renting. SOLIDWORKS has offerings in both of these categories and customers can use either or both of these options depending on their needs.
If you wish to save the upfront cost, SOLIDWORKS Term Licensing is the right option.
What is Term Licensing?
Term Licensing is basically renting a SOLIDWORKS License for either a three month or 1 year term instead of purchasing a perpetual license.
Term license allows you to use SOLIDWORKS products with a quarterly subscription. It is very convenient in a way that it enables access to many types of applications in SOLIDWORKS as the full version of perpetual license is. However term licensing is more flexible and cheaper.
Why choose a SOLIDWORKS Term License?
Term Licenses are perfect for small companies that in the need of extending their cash flow, considering the factors below;
- When SOLIDWORKS licenses are essential for only short term projects or for the short phase of a project for example, SOLIDWORKS Simulation is only needed to predict the product’s real-world physical behaviour.
- When the staffs hired are for contract terms or for internship program students just for they to use the license temporarily in a short period of time.
- Companies are in saving-mode and when cash-flow is the concern.
- And many more.
What are the other things you need to know about Term License?
- Term Licenses are available for either 3 months or 1 year term and it includes a grace period that added to the date of expiration to allow a sufficient time for the users if they have troubles in installing.
- Only one Term License is allowed on a machine. However you may transfer the license out if you wish to change the license to other machine.
- The transfer/ deactivate process of the Term License is similar to Perpetual License.
- Term License installation is similar to standalone products installation and it requires a serial number.
- The activation process is also similar to Perpetual License where it requires internet. If the machine does not connected to the internet, SOLIDWORKS may be activated manually via email.
- Term License always include subscription and offers the same benefits as the Perpetual License; technical support, customer portal, enhancement request, knowledge base, free access to SOLIDWORKS Visualize Standard,PDM Standard,SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard for Professional license, etc.
- Term licensing is not available for EDU, Global Licenses and Research at the moment. Term Licensing is available for single users not for network license.
- Term License has access to My.Solidworks Professional but only limited to 1 user per license. The other users could access to the My.Solidworks Standard.
- Term Licensing is available to all existing and also new customers.
- Non-active customers for a Perpetual License are also entitled to order a Term License.
Perpetual Licenses
Perpetual license however still is the most popular and wanted due to its benefits. If you were to purchase SOLIDWORKS today and to consider along with a Subscription Service, Perpetual license is the option. Perpetual license will benefit you as it will forever be yours as well as in accessing to every previous and latest version of SOLIDWORKS. Perpetual License has become the main option of all as due to its lowest total cost of ownership.
There are two types of perpetual licenses to be considered:
- Standalone License: It is for one user and activated on one machine. After activation done, no internet connection or network server is required to run SOLIDWORKS. The license could be moved to another machine but it needs deactivation on the current machine and reactivation to the new machine.
- Networked/Floating (SNL): One license could be shared with multiple users with network/floating licenses. SOLIDWORKS access needs license server installed by the administrator and you can always add a license to the network in the future. You may use the license home also or even go on a business trip. It is not a problem at all.
*Please note, a term license cannot be converted to a perpetual license.
So what is the right licensing option for you? If you find it hard to answer, contact us at +6019-269 2054 , we are more than happy to assist you!
– Intan Farradiana, Application Engineer, IME Technology Sdn Bhd