RealVNC licensing is the set of terms under which RealVNC sells RealVNC Connect, its remote access and remote support software. RealVNC Connect is made up of RealVNC Server, installed on the devices to be controlled, and RealVNC Viewer, used to control them.[5] The software is governed by a single End User License Agreement (EULA), currently the version headed April 2025. Separate EULAs cover RealVNC software on Raspberry Pi and the discontinued VNC Viewer Plus.[7][1] The contracting entity is RealVNC LLC (Delaware) where the quotation or invoice says so. In all other cases it is RealVNC Limited, a company incorporated in England and Wales.[1]
The EULA grants a non-exclusive, worldwide, non-transferable licence, limited by the subscription’s License Capacity. It covers personal use, internal business use, and, where clause 5 applies, providing Managed Services to End Clients.[1] License Capacity covers five things: the number of Authorized Users, the Concurrent Session Band, the permitted connection types, the number of Devices, and any other restriction on the Website or in writing.[1] Catalog: License Capacity covers users, sessions, connection types and devices; Licence is for personal or internal business use, or authorized Managed Services.
Editions
| Plan | Users | Managed Devices | Active Connections | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | 1 | 3 | One at a time | Free, non-commercial use only[4] |
| Essentials | 1 | 3 | 1 maximum | Cloud connectivity[2] |
| Plus | Unlimited | 50 | 1 included, up to 3 | Session recording, user roles, API access[2] |
| Premium | Unlimited | 150 | 1 included, up to 5 | On-Demand Assist, direct LAN connections, audit, MFA for sessions[2] |
| Enterprise | Unlimited | 150+ | Unlimited | Custom pricing; offline licensing, on-premise deployment, SSO[2] |
The pricing page displayed, on 2026-10-01, USD 8.75 per Active Connection per month for Essentials, from USD 18.25 for Plus and from USD 29.75 for Premium, all billed annually. Enterprise is priced on request.[2] Plan detail, the move to per-session pricing in November 2024 and upgrade rules are in RealVNC Connect plans and concurrent sessions.
Metrics
| RealVNC term | Catalog row | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Concurrent Session | Concurrent Session | A remote connection by no more than one Authorized User to no more than one Device at a given point in time.[1] The pricing page calls it an Active Connection.[2] |
| Concurrent Session Band | Concurrent Session Band | The maximum number of Concurrent Sessions permitted at any point during the Subscription. The Subscription Fee is based on it.[1] |
| Managed Device | Managed Device | A device licensed to a Team. Unattended access is possible only to managed devices.[2] |
| Authorized User | Authorized User | The individual customer, or an employee or contractor the organization designates (and, where applicable, authorized End Client staff).[1] |
Counting / floors
The Concurrent Session is counted per user per device. Three Authorized Users connected to the same device at once use three Concurrent Sessions.[1] The Concurrent Session Limit is shared between all users in the Team.[3] Customers must not exceed the Concurrent Session Band at any time.[1] If use does exceed it, RealVNC may raise the Subscription Fees by written notice, retrospectively and pro rata, from the first time the band was exceeded.[1] Catalog: Each user-to-device connection is a separate Concurrent Session; The Concurrent Session Band must not be exceeded; Excess sessions can be charged retrospectively.
Every remote device on which RealVNC Server is installed must be licensed.[5] Using only On-Demand Assist, the attended-support tool, needs no software licence; technicians are named online instead.[5] Installing RealVNC Connect Viewer and signing in does not count as a licensed remote device.[9] Connections to third-party VNC servers have their own per-plan limits.[9] Catalog: Every remote device running RealVNC Server must be licensed; Installing RealVNC Connect Viewer does not consume a device licence; Connections to third-party VNC servers have separate limits.
Virtualization & partitioning
RealVNC has no processor or virtualization metrics. By default RealVNC Server runs in Service Mode. Subscriptions that include offline licensing or Virtual Mode can instead run it in User Mode or Virtual Mode, which create virtual desktops, for example on Linux. For these modes RealVNC operates a trust-based system. The number of User Mode computers and of running Virtual Mode instances must stay within the subscription’s capacity.[10] Catalog: User Mode and Virtual Mode servers are counted on trust against capacity.
Cloud / BYOL
Most subscriptions are licensed online, so RealVNC Server and Viewer must be able to reach the Internet. Only Enterprise subscriptions include offline licensing. An offline-licensed server can use direct connectivity only.[6] When an Enterprise subscription renews, every offline-licensed server needs an updated offline licence.[6] See RealVNC offline licensing and on-prem deployment. Catalog: Offline licensing is available only with Enterprise.
Programs
- Lite. The EULA’s Free Subscription may be used only for private, non-commercial purposes.[1] RealVNC classes connecting to a computer at work as commercial use. It reserves the right to terminate a Lite subscription it believes is being used commercially.[8]
- Trial. RealVNC Connect can be downloaded for a 14-day free trial.[2]
- Managed Services. Using RealVNC Connect to serve End Clients needs explicit written agreement from RealVNC, or a purchase through one of RealVNC’s authorized third-party web portals.[1]
- Offline licensing and the On-Prem Management Console are Enterprise features.[6]
Contract terms
Subscriptions are 12-month commitments billed annually, and monthly payment is not possible.[2] Under the EULA, a subscription renews automatically for further twelve-month terms unless the customer opts out at least 30 days before the end of the period.[1] The customer may terminate on 30 days’ notice, but termination gives no refund for the unexpired period.[1] Consumers may withdraw within fourteen working days, except for software that has been downloaded.[7] Details are in RealVNC EULA and subscription terms. Catalog: Subscriptions auto-renew for 12 months unless opted out 30 days before the end; Termination for convenience gives no refund.
Audits and compliance
RealVNC may audit use of the Software on reasonable notice. If the audit shows underpayment, including excess Authorized Users or End Clients, the customer pays the shortfall at Subscription Fee rates plus RealVNC’s reasonable costs of conducting the audit.[1] The current plan is shown on the Billing page of the RealVNC Connect Portal.[3] The Portal’s device and user lists, together with the peak number of concurrent sessions, are the figures to compare against License Capacity. Catalog: RealVNC may audit and recover underpayment plus audit costs.
Out of scope
- The VNC SDK, which is governed by a separate Evaluation License Agreement. RealVNC states that it offers commercial licences to embed remote access capability into third-party products.[7]
- RealVNC software bundled with Raspberry Pi OS, governed by its own EULA.[7]
- Licensing of VNC server software from other publishers. RealVNC Viewer connections to such servers count against the separate third-party connection limits.[9]