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MATLAB and Simulink licence options

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This article is about the four standard MathWorks licence options (Individual, Designated Computer, Concurrent and Network Named User) and the use restrictions attached to Student and Home licences. For the commercial overview see MathWorks licensing.

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MATLAB and Simulink licence options are the four deployment models under which MathWorks licenses its desktop products: Individual, Designated Computer, Concurrent and Network Named User. MathWorks describes the first two as suited to a small number of users or devices. The other two are for deploying to many users, and both require a license server to manage checkouts.[1] The option is separate from the intended use (Standard, Startups, Academic, Student or Home), which decides who may use a licence and for what purpose.[9] A single customer can hold several licences with different options under one Master License.[1]

Editions

Each licence lists products, such as MATLAB, Simulink and individual toolboxes, together with a quantity and an option. The table summarises the four options as the Help Center describes them.

Option Licensed to License server Key restriction 
Individual A named user in the organisation[2] No A limited number of computers per user[3] 
Designated Computer One computer, by host ID[4] No One user at a time; physical presence; no remote access[4] 
Concurrent Anyone with access to the network[5] Yes Number of keys per product[5] 
Network Named User A specified number of Named Users by MathWorks user name[6] Yes Users listed may not exceed keys[6] 

Metrics

Individual

The Individual option “enables a single named user to run MathWorks software on a limited number of computers”.[3] The licensee is a person. An administrator adds the user in the License Center by email address, and the user signs in with the MathWorks Account for that address to install.[3] The named user may then operate, install and manage the software. The administrator’s role is to maintain the list of individuals who may use the licence.[2] On each computer, the licence file generated for an Individual licence is tied to a specific operating-system user name. MathWorks therefore asks that the correct end-user name be confirmed during activation.[8] For the exact computer limit, MathWorks points to the SLA and the Program Offering Guide.[15] Catalog: Individual licence is for one named user on a limited number of computers.

Designated Computer

The Designated Computer option authorises installation on only one computer. Use is tied to a host ID that identifies that computer, not a user. Any number of people can log in and use the software, but not at the same time.[4] MathWorks adds that users must be physically present, because a Designated Computer licence does not allow remote access.[4] Catalog: Designated Computer licence covers one computer, one user at a time; Designated Computer licence does not allow remote access.

Concurrent

A Concurrent licence makes products available to anyone with access to the network. It is not limited to named users. A user checks out a key when starting MATLAB or using a function in another product, and the network license manager refuses further requests once every key for that product is checked out.[5] Keys are held per product. The network licence file contains one INCREMENT line per product, and each passcode states how many keys are available.[13] Catalog: Concurrent licences are counted by checked-out keys.

Network Named User

A Network Named User licence “authorizes a specified number of Named Users to install and run MathWorks products over a network”. The authorised users are identified by their MathWorks user names.[6] One licence may include several products, each with the same or a different user count. The users are listed with INCLUDE or GROUP statements in the license manager options file, and the number of users for a product must not exceed the keys available for it.[6] Catalog: Network Named Users must be listed and may not exceed keys.

Counting / floors

Computers per Individual user. MathWorks states that many of its licences limit the total number of computers on which products can be installed. Deactivating a computer that is no longer used frees the licence for another computer. Deactivation can be done on the computer itself or, when that computer is unavailable, from the License Center.[7] For an effective licence position, the License Center list of activated computers per user is the record to reconcile against discovered installations. Catalog: Deactivating a computer frees an installation.

Several licences on one computer. One computer can be activated for more than one Individual or Designated Computer licence by repeating the activation for each licence.[8] An installation found on a computer does not by itself show which licence it uses. The licence files and the License Center activations have to be compared.

Concurrent and Network Named User. For these options the countable quantity is the number of keys per product in the licence file. For Network Named User, it is also the list of users in the options file. Peak concurrent checkouts can be read from the license manager, as described in MathWorks network license manager.

Floors. The public documentation publishes no minimum quantity for any option.

Intended-use restrictions

The intended use adds restrictions on top of the option:

  • Home licences are for personal use only. They are not for government, academic, commercial, for-profit, revenue-generating or other organisational use.[9] The MATLAB Home page repeats that they are not for research use either.[11] Catalog: Home licences are for personal use only.
  • Student licences are for use with courses at a degree-granting institution.[9] They are for students and teachers in educational settings and must not be used for commercial, professional or revenue-generating activities.[10] Catalog: Student licences are limited to coursework and education.
  • Academic licences are for teaching and academic research at a degree-granting institute. MathWorks lists buying academic or student software for commercial use as a form of end-user piracy.[9][12]

Virtualization & partitioning

There is no partitioning metric. MathWorks asks customers to check in the Program Offering Guide that their licence offering permits virtual machines or VDI before virtualising MATLAB.[14] The Designated Computer option excludes remote access.[4] In practice, shared or remote environments are therefore served by Concurrent or Network Named User licences, which check users out from a license server rather than binding to one device.[1] MathWorks also lists over-installing beyond the licensed quantity and installing on a local-area network for unlicensed individuals as end-user piracy.[12] Catalog: Check the licence offering before virtualising MATLAB.

Cloud / BYOL

Individual, Network Named User, Concurrent and Campus-Wide licences can be used for MATLAB on public clouds and in containers if they meet the conditions. These are covered in MathWorks cloud, MATLAB Online and Parallel Server licensing.

Programs

Licence options are converted or extended through Software Maintenance Service. See MathWorks licensing.

Out of scope

This page does not cover the Campus-Wide License and its mix of Individual, Designated Computer and Concurrent licences (see MathWorks academic licensing), or server products licensed by workers (MATLAB Parallel Server). It also does not cover activation limits that appear only in the SLA and Program Offering Guide.

References

  1. Administering Organizational LicensesHelp Center, R2026b. Catalog: Administering Organizational LicensesRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  2. Administer Individual and Designated Computer LicensesHelp Center, R2026b. Catalog: Administer Individual and Designated Computer LicensesRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  3. Individual License AdministrationHelp Center, R2026b. Catalog: Individual License AdministrationRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  4. Designated Computer License AdministrationHelp Center, R2026b. Catalog: Designated Computer License AdministrationRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  5. Concurrent License AdministrationHelp Center, R2026b. Catalog: Concurrent License AdministrationRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  6. Network Named User License AdministrationHelp Center, R2026b. Catalog: Network Named User License AdministrationRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  7. Deactivate MATLAB LicenseHelp Center, R2026b. Catalog: Deactivate MATLAB LicenseRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  8. How can I activate multiple Individual or Designated Computer licenses on a single computer?MathWorks Support Team answer, edited 2025-12-10. Catalog: How can I activate multiple Individual or Designated Computer licenses on a single computer?Effective 2025-12-10. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
  9. Pricing and Licensing - MATLAB & SimulinkUndated. Catalog: Pricing and Licensing - MATLAB & SimulinkRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  10. What are the licensing policies for MATLAB Home and Student Licenses?MathWorks Support Article #000054070, updated 2026-01-05. Catalog: What are the licensing policies for MATLAB Home and Student Licenses?Effective 2026-01-05. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
  11. MATLAB HomeProduct page. Undated. Catalog: MATLAB HomeRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  12. Preventing Software PiracyMathWorks Trust Center. Undated. Catalog: Preventing Software PiracyRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  13. Update or Modify Network License FilesHelp Center, R2026b. Catalog: Update or Modify Network License FilesRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  14. How do I run MATLAB in a virtualized environment?MathWorks Support Team answer, edited 2025-12-10. Catalog: How do I run MATLAB in a virtualized environment?Effective 2025-12-10. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
  15. What are the licensing policies for an Individual license?MathWorks Support Article #000005299, updated 2026-09-22. Catalog: What are the licensing policies for an Individual license?Effective 2026-09-22. Retrieved 2026-10-02.

See also

Catalog Rows Cited

4Metrics9Rules1Programs

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