How Licensing Works

We offer Per-User, Unlimited Site, and Enterprise licenses. All licenses are perpetual.
Beyond Compare License Agreement

Per-user License

Each licensed user may utilize Beyond Compare on any number of computers. Depending on the quantity you order, we will deliver a single-user or multi-user license key. A multi-user license key is shared among the appropriate number of users.

Per-workstation variant: A single computer may be licensed for any number of persons who use it one at a time while physically present. It is your choice to treat a license as per-user or per-workstation: No distinction is made when ordering.

Examples

Unlimited User Site License

A site license is appropriate when an organization has hundreds of users at a single location.

The site is defined as a 100-mile radius of a named location, which means this licensing option can cover a large metropolitan area.

Users that connect remotely are not included, unless those users are normally at the named site.

Examples

Enterprise-wide License

All personnel worldwide in the organization are licensed, including subsidiaries and subcontractors while they are working for the organization.

An enterprise license is appropriate for an organization with thousands of users.

Each licensed user may utilize Beyond Compare on any number of computers.

Examples

Server License?

We do not offer server licenses. To use Beyond Compare on a server you would need to license all users that will have access to Beyond Compare. If you can physically limit the number of active connections on the server, you may purchase a license for that maximum number.

BC running as an automatic process on a single server counts as one user. The automated process may deliver comparison results to multiple individuals.

Examples

Licensing FAQ

Who can be considered a "user" in a group license?

Licensed users in an organization are typically employees, but subcontractors may also be included to the extent that they are working on behalf of the organization. Employees and subcontractors in subsidiary companies may also be included.

Can I use my personal Beyond Compare license at work?

We defer to your employer on this matter. If they are OK with your use of personal software at work, then we are, too!

Do you offer floating or concurrent licensing?

No. Beyond Compare does not have a mechanism for detecting concurrent use.

Can I use my license key on an older/newer version?

All license keys are major version specific. That means your BC4 key will work on all 4.x.x releases. To use a newer major version you will need to upgrade. Our license agreement allows anyone registered for the current version to use any previous version of the software. Please contact us with your 8-digit serial number to request an older key.

Which operating system platforms are included with my license?

As of 2016, all BC licenses sold are all platform inclusive. In addition to Windows support, we added Linux support in BC3 and macOS in BC4. If you have an earlier, single-platform BC3 or BC4 license, it may be upgraded to the multi-platform edition of the same major version for free. You may obtain your free upgrade here: scootersoftware.com/shop.php Or, you may contact us at sales@scootersoftware.com.

Do I need to remove BC from one computer before installing on another?

Unlike some software, it is not necessary to deactivate a license on one computer before using it on another. Remember, each licensed user may use BC on any number of computers.

How many seats of my organization's license are available for use?

License management is your organization's responsibility. We do not have a way to track who is using a particular license. To know how many seats you have left, you need a system to track or audit your Beyond Compare users.

How does BC enforce licensing?

Through the magic of the honor system! We simply trust that our customers buy an appropriately sized license, and add licenses when required.

Per-user License Examples

Scenario	Acceptable Use
Shared Workstation	A single-user license may be considered a "per-workstation" license when installed on a single shared computer. This is appropriate for a classroom or laboratory where various users share a computer one at a time while physically present. It is not appropriate if users can connect remotely.
Consultant	You may use your license on your clients' computers. We recommend doing a "portable" install so that it is easier to remove when you are finished. If your client needs to use BC directly, they should buy their own license.
Family Use	You can share your license with family members living together at home for non-commercial use.
Concurrency	If for example you have 20 people who use BC on occasion, but you can assume no more than 3 or 4 would be using it at the same time, you still need a 20-user license. Beyond Compare does not have a mechanism for enforcing concurrency.
Key Distribution	If you have the correct number of licenses to cover all your users, we don't care which license key a particular user has. If you have a large number of users, you may find it easier to distribute the same license key even as you purchase additional licenses.
Mixed Edition	If you have a mix of Pro Edition and Standard Edition licenses, be sure to limit access to the Pro license key to the appropriate number of users.
Transfer to Another User	If a member of your team leaves, you can reassign their license to someone else. We do not need to be notified. This is one reason we recommend that company-owned licenses be put in the organization's name rather than an individual's name.

Site License Examples

Scenario	Acceptable Use
Affordability	If your organization has 375 or more users at a single location, a site license will cost less than licensing individuals. You also have the advantage of not having to keep track of the total number of users.
Remote Access	In general, people who access the site remotely are not licensed to use the site license. See the exceptions below.
Exceptions	Staff who normally do their work while physically at the site may use the site license for occasional telecommuting, or occasional client visits.
Emergencies	If staff cannot work at the site due to an extended emergency (such as the COVID-19 pandemic), they may use the site license from home.
Subcontractors	Subcontractors working on projects for the sole benefit of the company, while physically present at the site, may use the site's license.

Enterprise License Examples

Scenario	Acceptable Use
Offices Around the World	If your organization has 1500 or more users across all locations globally, an enterprise license will cost less than licensing individuals. You also have the advantage of not having to keep track of the total number of users.
Subsidiaries	An enterprise license may be applied to all subsidiaries that are under control of the licensee.
Outsourcing	Subcontractors working on projects for the sole benefit of the company may use their enterprise license.

Server Environment Examples

Scenario	Acceptable Use
BC on a Server	If you can physically limit the number of active connections on the server, you may purchase a license for that maximum number.
Automated	BC running as an automatic process on a single server counts as one user. The automated process may deliver comparison results to multiple individuals.