Altium’s licence agreements are two documents with overlapping scope. The Altium LLC End-User License Agreement (EULA) governs “certain software of Altium or its affiliates” specified in an order that refers to it, together with Altium 365 terms of service, and the version retrieved is dated October 2025.[1] The Altium Master Services Agreement (MSA), dated 2025-10-02, governs Altium Cloud Services, Altium On-Premise Software and Altium Desktop Software listed in an Ordering Document.[2] Altium’s website terms say that purchases of products or services through its websites are governed by the MSA or by another separate written agreement, and that the MSA prevails on conflict.[6] Altium Designer Agile documentation refers to the MSA where Altium Designer documentation refers to the EULA.[3][4]
Editions
| Topic | EULA (October 2025) | MSA (2025-10-02) |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Licensed Materials: software, libraries, extensions, developer kits[1] | Altium Cloud Services, On-Premise Software, Desktop Software[2] |
| Grant | Non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use within the geographic scope and number of Authorized Users[1] | Limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable and non-sublicensable licence for the term in the Ordering Document[2] |
| Term | Term-based unless the Order Form says perpetual[1] | Perpetual, Time-Based, Named User, Concurrent User, Evaluation, Academic or Student models[2] |
| Verification | Documentation and certification within 30 days[1] | Documentation, information and physical access within 30 days[2] |
| Disputes | California law, or English law in the EU or UK[1] | California law and ICC arbitration[2] |
Grant and geographic scope
The EULA grants a non-exclusive, non-transferable licence “in accordance with the geographic scope and number of Authorized Users” licensed, “solely for the design, simulation, implementation and/or manufacture of Licensed User Products”.[1] Three scopes are defined. Single Site Rights allow an on-demand licence at a single geographic site no greater than one-half mile (800 meters) in radius. Continental Rights cover multiple sites within one continent, where Altium names North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific excluding China. Global Rights cover multiple sites anywhere in the world. Locations used under Continental or Global rights, including by Affiliates, must be designated in the Order Form.[1] The MSA leaves “Regional License Rights” to be defined in the Ordering Document and defines Global License Rights as use at multiple pre-designated sites worldwide.[2]
The EULA allows Temporary Use for Single Site licences, such as taking a laptop to a contractor site, if the use is time-limited and non-continuous, creates no extra copy on another party’s computers, gives no ongoing third-party use and discloses no confidential information, and the use stays within the number of copies licensed.[1] See Temporary Use.
Users, affiliates and contractors
The EULA defines Authorized Users as employees, contractors or other authorised representatives of the licensee.[1] It bars the licensee from allowing affiliates, subsidiaries, business units at other sites or third parties to use the software without proper licences, from allowing more than the licensed number of Authorized Users at any time, and from letting people outside the geographic scope use it on a floating or other basis.[1] Contractors may use the software as if they were employees if they have signed confidentiality agreements that extend to Altium’s information, but the licensee must not exceed the licensed number of persons.[1] The licensee must also check that a contractor is not engaged by a direct competitor of Altium.[1] Use beyond the licence is treated as a breach and copyright violation, with immediate termination “whether Altium is aware of such breach or not”.[1]
The MSA requires each Authorized User to have a unique account with a distinct email address that cannot be shared, and bars access by third parties, including Affiliates unless the Ordering Document says otherwise and any Altium Competitor, without Altium’s prior written consent.[2]
Metrics
The EULA metric is the Authorized User at a given geographic scope. The MSA defines two further models. Under the Named User model access is restricted to one identified individual, who may use it from any location without geographic restriction, and the licence cannot be shared even by people who do not use it at the same time. Under the Concurrent User model access is limited to the maximum number of concurrent sessions in the Ordering Document, together with its geographic restrictions, regardless of which individuals use it.[2] The rules are in MSA Named User licence cannot be shared and MSA Concurrent User licence is not tied to individuals.
Counting / floors
The EULA says that the number of Authorized Users can be increased at any time by paying additional licence fees at the then-applicable pricing, provided the additional users do not use the software before payment.[1] If a licensee wants to expand or extend use or move to other products, it must notify Altium before the expanded use and arrange for licensing and payment.[1] For a licence on a single computer, a second copy may be installed on another computer if the two are never used simultaneously, and a backup copy may be kept.[1] Bundled products are treated as a single product for usage and transfer, and a Bundled Product may not be installed, in whole or in part, on a computer or network for which it is not licensed.[1] Neither agreement states a minimum seat count.
Virtualization & partitioning
The only virtualization reference is in the restriction on circumventing the Altium Security System, which includes “any virtualization method”.[1] The agreements do not set hypervisor or core-count rules. The MSA bars use of the products outside the entitlements in the Ordering Document, which may include number and type of Authorized Users, numbers of licences, copies or instances and other metrics.[2]
Cloud / BYOL
Altium states that an On-Demand licensing system may be unavailable at times and that the EULA gives no warranty of its availability.[1] The MSA covers cloud services through service levels at altium.com/altium-365/sla and security measures aligned with industry standards, with the licensee solely responsible for judging whether they are adequate.[2] The agreements include no bring-your-own-licence clause for third-party clouds in the retrieved text.
Programs
- Geographic licence scope. Single Site, Continental and Global.[1]
- Auto-renewal. A Time-Based Licence that explicitly includes Auto-Renewal renews for the stated duration unless either party gives written notice of non-renewal at least 90 days before the renewal date. Renewal is subject to Altium’s then-current pricing and terms, and Altium will give notice of pricing adjustments before the renewal date.[2] In the Company Dashboard auto-renew can be switched on or off per licence and attracts a payment discount.[5]
- Perpetual licences. Under the MSA a perpetual licence is indefinite but limited to its geographic scope, and use outside it is a material breach that may end the licence. It includes no updates or support unless the Ordering Document says so, and Altium does not offer perpetual subscriptions with new perpetual licences.[2] The EULA likewise states that perpetual licences may not be available at purchase or renewal.[1]
- Evaluation licence. The MSA allows evaluation use only during a fifteen-day period unless stated otherwise, and the EULA says that an evaluation consents to Altium collecting information on location, frequency and features used.[1][2]
- Academic, Student and Individual licences. The EULA defines an Academic licence for instruction and non-commercial research, a six-month Student licence ordered with a valid edu address and an Individual licence for an individual or entity with commercial revenue not above USD 250,000 per year or the regional equivalent. Altium may ask for documents to check eligibility.[1]
- Perpetual licence subscriptions. Subscription renewals are no longer available for perpetual licences.[3]
Audits and compliance
Verification rights are explicit in both documents. Under the EULA, during the term “Altium shall have the right to request that You provide within thirty (30) days of receipt of Altium’s written request sufficient documentation to support, and certification of, use of the Licensed Materials” in compliance with the EULA.[1] Under the MSA, within 30 days of request the licensee must “provide documentation, information, and any physical access, reasonably necessary for Altium to determine Your compliance”.[2] Altium may suspend or revoke access if payment is 30 days overdue, if use threatens security or violates law, or if use exceeds the scope of the licence.[2]
Some software detects unauthorised use or copying and reports it to Altium, which may collect personally identifying information such as name and email address.[1] Evaluation and beta users consent to usage data collection.[1] Activating a Standalone licence gathers PC information to ensure compliance with the EULA.[3] See Altium may require documentation and certification of compliance and Altium may require compliance documentation and physical access.
Termination, assignment and liability
The EULA terminates immediately without notice if the licensee breaches a material provision, whether the licence is term-based or perpetual, and the licensee must destroy the Licensed Materials.[1] Under the MSA either party may terminate for a material breach, including non-payment or unauthorised use, not cured within 30 days after written notice, and payments are non-refundable.[2] The EULA bars assignment, including by merger or asset sale, without Altium’s prior written consent and payment of the then-current transfer fees, while Altium may assign to an affiliate or an acquirer of all or substantially all of its assets.[1]
The EULA caps Altium’s entire liability at the fees paid in the preceding twelve months for the applicable materials, offers error correction or replacement and, if neither is commercially feasible, termination and refund during the first ninety days, and makes the licensee liable for Altium’s reasonable attorneys’ and experts’ fees if it breaches.[1] The MSA caps liability at fees paid or payable in the twelve months before the first event giving rise to the claim.[2] The EULA is governed by California law, or English law if the materials are acquired in the EU or UK, and the MSA by California law with disputes settled under the ICC rules.[1][2]
Out of scope
- Territory-specific modifications to the EULA for certain EU member states, which change decompilation rights, warranty and liability terms.[1]
- The MSA’s Professional Services Addendum and data-processing terms.
- Signed Ordering Documents and negotiated amendments.