Atera technician subscription and billing terms are the rules that determine how many technician licences an Atera customer pays for and how that number changes over a subscription. The Terms of Use make a Subscription subject to the Order Form. The Order Form sets the Subscription Term, the Fees, the Subscription Plan and the number of Permitted Users, and it prevails if it conflicts with the Terms.[1] An Order Form can be issued by Atera or a Reseller. It includes the in-product purchase page.[1] Fees for the main subscription are based on the number of Permitted Users in the Order Form.[1] The Help Center calls these technician seats or technician licenses.[2]
Editions
The rules on this page apply to every IT Department and MSP plan. Plans differ in features, not in counting, and all licences in an account must be on one plan and one billing period.[7] See Atera IT Department and MSP plans.
Metrics
The metric is the Technician. The first user to register becomes the Account administrator (Admin). An Admin may add other employees or contractors as Admins, technicians or other Account users, collectively the Permitted Users.[1] The Help Center states the practical consequence: anyone who needs access to the Atera console needs a technician license, “regardless of the role that they have”.[2] End-Users are not counted. They use only the components designed for them, such as the customer portal, ticket creation and certain AI Features, and they have no independent right to use the Services.[1]
Counting / floors
Order Form quantity is a floor (Terms of Use last updated 2025-12-30). The full amount for the designated Permitted Users is due even if fewer Permitted Users used the Services during the Subscription Term.[1] If purchased scope or Permitted Users go unused, no refund is given and the unused Subscription cannot be carried into the renewal.[1] The customer must not exceed the number of Permitted Users in each Order Form.[1] Catalog proof: Fees are due on the Permitted Users in the Order Form, not on actual use; Unused seats are not refunded or carried into the renewal.
One person per login. The login details for each Permitted User may be used only by that Permitted User, and several individuals or entities may not share them.[1] If credentials are used by several individuals, or a Permitted User’s use is excessive compared with anticipated standard use, the customer must pay excess fees immediately on Atera’s first request. The Subscription may also be suspended or terminated.[1] Use is also limited to “reasonable use”, including the number of devices with the End-User Software that each Permitted User handles. No figure is published.[1] Catalog proof: Technician logins may not be shared; Per-technician use is limited to reasonable use, including devices per technician.
Enforcement in the product. The license validation mechanism tracks usage across devices and applications. It logs a user out automatically when it detects parallel use of the same credentials, and a banner then appears for all admin users.[5] A remote session opened from a second location on the same user ID closes the session on the first machine. The Help Center states that more than one concurrent technician requires an additional user license.[6] Catalog proof: License validation logs out parallel sessions on the same credentials; A second concurrent technician requires an additional license.
Seats and active technicians. Seats and active technicians are separate numbers. If the subscription has more seats than active technicians, an Admin can add or activate a technician on a free seat. If all seats are taken, adding a technician first adds a seat to the subscription.[10] Technician accounts cannot be deleted, only deactivated.[10]
| Change | When it takes effect | How it is charged |
|---|---|---|
| Add a seat | Immediately[3] | One-time prorated charge for the rest of the cycle, then full price[3] |
| Remove a seat | Start of the next billing cycle; the removed technician keeps access until then[3] | Lower count applies from the next cycle[3] |
| Replace a technician (remove, then add) | Same cycle | Charged for the additional technician[3] |
| Replace a technician (deactivate, then add) | Immediately | No additional charge[3] |
| Upgrade plan | Immediately[3] | Prorated price difference[3] |
| Downgrade plan | Start of the next billing cycle; for annual plans, request more than 60 days before renewal[3] | New price from the next cycle |
| Monthly to annual | Any time[3] | Prorated[3] |
| Annual to monthly | Not supported[4] | — |
The Subscription FAQ sets a 60-day window for annual subscriptions. Plan changes, cancellation and changes to the number of licensed technicians must be made more than 60 days before the renewal date.[4] The Terms of Use describe Subscription Upgrades as adding Permitted Users, upgrading the plan, adding Features or extending the term. The Platform or Order Form states whether an upgrade restarts the Subscription Term or runs for the remainder of the existing one.[1] Catalog proof: Technician seat additions are immediate and removals apply next billing cycle; Mid-cycle plan upgrades are prorated; Replacing a technician in the same billing cycle is charged unless the old one is deactivated first; Annual billing cannot be switched back to monthly.
Virtualization & partitioning
Not applicable. The technician count does not depend on the number or type of managed devices, and customers and sites are unlimited.[4]
Cloud / BYOL
Not applicable. The Services are SaaS, and the End-User Software licence runs only with the Subscription.[1]
Programs
Billing and payment
The main subscription is charged automatically in advance, whether monthly or annual.[7] Fees and payments are non-refundable and non-cancellable unless the Terms say otherwise, and they exclude taxes.[1] Atera accepts credit cards and, for qualifying customers, wire transfers. If a payment fails, Atera retries it several times over 14 days. After that the account may be suspended until the balance is paid.[4] A chargeback is a material breach of the payment obligations. It can make all invoiced and uninvoiced amounts due immediately, with interest of up to 1.5% per month.[1] Atera may change fee amounts with effect from the next billing cycle. It will make reasonable efforts to give at least two weeks’ notice of changes to Subscription Fees.[1] Catalog proof: Main subscription is charged in advance; Subscription fee changes apply from the next billing cycle.
Renewal and cancellation
Unless the Order Form says otherwise, a Subscription renews automatically for successive terms equal to the Initial Term. This includes paid Features. The renewal is at the same price unless the customer is notified otherwise, and it excludes discounts and promotions.[1] Annual auto-renewal must be cancelled at least 60 days before expiry.[1] Inside the final 60 days, renewal cannot be stopped for that cycle.[4] Monthly plans can be cancelled at any time.[12] A deactivated paid account is cancelled at the end of the billing cycle, and access cannot be resumed.[11] See Annual subscription and Monthly subscription. Catalog proof: Subscriptions renew automatically for a term of equal length; Annual subscriptions must be cancelled at least 60 days before expiry; Monthly plans cancel any time; annual plans at the end of the period.
2026 pricing alignment
On 2026-04-28 Atera announced that legacy-pricing accounts would move to current website pricing. Legacy accounts are those signed before 2024-05-01 or locked into legacy pricing since July 2022.[8] Monthly subscriptions changed from the first billing cycle in June 2026. Annual subscriptions change at the first renewal on or after late July 2026, and a renewal falling before 2026-07-28 stays on legacy pricing until 2027.[8] Enterprise, Superpower and custom contracts receive a 90-day notice. Plan features, device limits and service levels do not change.[8] Returning customers pay current pricing.[4] See 2026 pricing alignment. Catalog proof: Legacy annual renewals before 2026-07-28 keep legacy pricing until 2027; Returning customers are priced at current rates.
Free trial
The Free Trial Subscription lasts 30 days. It supports up to 300 agent installations and includes 30 days of Network Discovery. Custom assets, API access, SSO and most App Center integrations are withheld until a paid subscription starts.[9] The Terms bind the customer during the trial. Atera gives no warranties and need not provide support during it.[1] Catalog proof: Free trial gives Expert or Growth features for 30 days and 300 agents.
Resellers, transfer and termination
For subscriptions bought from a Reseller, the Terms prevail over a conflicting Reseller Agreement as between the customer and Atera. The subscription also depends on Atera receiving the Reseller’s payment.[1] The customer may not assign the Terms without Atera’s written approval. The exception is a successor from a merger, acquisition or sale of substantially all assets, provided it is not an Atera competitor.[1] On termination or expiration all licences end. The customer must download its Client Data beforehand and remove the End-User Software from its own and its Customers’ devices.[1] If Atera discontinues the Services completely during the term, it refunds prepaid fees pro rata.[1] Catalog proof: Reseller-bought subscriptions are governed by the Atera Terms; Terms may not be assigned without approval except to a successor entity; On termination the customer must remove the End-User Software.
Out of scope
- Robin, Network Discovery, Work from Home and App Center billing, covered in Atera add-ons, AI and App Center licensing.
- Negotiated Order Form terms that override the Terms of Use.
- Data retention after termination, which is governed by Atera’s data retention policy.