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SmartBear License Management

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This article is about SmartBear License Management (SLM), the ID-based licence system for SmartBear's installed products, and the On-Premise License Server used in private networks. For the contract terms see SmartBear Master Solutions Agreement.

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SmartBear License Management (SLM) is the licence system SmartBear uses for its installed products. SmartBear’s documentation says it is used only by ReadyAPI, TestComplete, TestEngine, VirtServer, TestExecute and TestLeft. Swagger subscriptions are managed in a separate tool, SmartBear Admin.[1] SLM was formerly known as User-Based Licensing (UBL). SmartBear announced the move to it in 2021, replacing third-party licence management such as the HASP model used for TestComplete.[9]

SLM licences are “ID-based”. To run a product, a user signs in with a SmartBear ID, an email address and password. The product then checks with SmartBear’s licence servers whether the account holds a seat.[1] Licences are bound to individual users rather than to the computers where the products are installed.[9]

Editions

SLM itself is not sold. It comes with a licence for a participating product. Moving to SLM does not change product prices, and SmartBear provides migration support at no additional cost.[9] There are two deployment modes:

Mode Controlled by Typical use 
Online (default) SmartBear licence servers on the Web[2] Any computer that can reach the SmartBear licence endpoints during start and run[1] 
Offline, Fixed User The SmartBear product on the workstation[5] Private networks without Web access 
Offline, Floating The On-Premise License Server in the customer’s network[5] Private or air-gapped networks, headless test machines 

Purchased licences are online by default. They can be converted to offline and back in the License Management portal.[2]

Metrics

SLM has two seat types. Both can have one or more seats.[1]

SLM seat type Contract name How seats are consumed 
Fixed User Fixed (Named) License The administrator assigns one seat per person. The number of users cannot exceed the number of seats, a seat can be used only by its assignee, and a person cannot consume multiple seats.[2] 
Floating Floating (Concurrent) License The administrator assigns a pool of users that may exceed the number of seats. Any user in the pool can run the product while a seat is free. One person running the product on several computers at once consumes several seats.[2] 

SmartBear describes Fixed User licences as typical for individuals or teams with a few QA engineers, and Floating licences as typical for organizations with many QA professionals.[2] The contract names come from the Solution Specific Terms, which define a Fixed (Named) License as activated by one User on a single computer.[8]

Counting / floors

Assignment. After purchase a licence is not assigned to anyone. A licence administrator assigns seats in the portal by email address. This can be done one at a time, by bulk assignment, or by sharing a link that users open to accept the licence.[4] A seat is consumed while the product is open and released when it is closed.[3]

Fixed User reassignment limits. This is the rule most likely to affect a licence position. Fixed User licences may be reassigned only to permanently transfer the licence when the original user is no longer employed by the customer, and this needs written notice to SmartBear. Reassignments are limited to one per seat. The allowance can be moved between seats of the same licence, but reassignments in the last 365 days cannot exceed the number of seats.[3] Floating licences have no such limit and can be revoked and reassigned freely.[4] Catalog: SLM Fixed User licences allow one reassignment per seat in 365 days.

Releasing versus revoking. An administrator can disconnect an idle user. This releases the seat but keeps the user in the assignment list. Revoking removes the user from the list.[4] Removing an organization member does not revoke that person’s licences. Instead the licences are highlighted so the administrator can reassign them.[4]

Licence priority. If a user is assigned several licences for the same product, SLM uses them in a fixed order. A licence already in use comes first, then a commercial licence before a trial, then a fixed licence before a floating one, then an older licence before a newer one.[4] Catalog: SLM applies an in-use, commercial, fixed and older licence first.

Bundles. Bundled licences span ReadyAPI (Test Pro, Performance Pro and Virtualization Pro), TestComplete and TestExecute. A bundle of modules within one product enables one user per seat. A bundle covering two products, such as TestComplete and TestExecute, allows one user per product, so one seat lets two people work.[2] Catalog: Bundled licenses.

Trials. A trial licence is a time-limited licence with one seat, assigned automatically to the user who requested it.[2]

Virtualization & partitioning

Fixed User licences cannot be used on virtual machines or with Docker containers. Floating licences can.[2] The SLM FAQ on service accounts lists the consequences: multiple people cannot use a fixed licence, fixed licences must not be used for automation, containers, VMs or CI/CD, and floating licences should be used for automation and CI/CD. A service account email address cannot be used to share a fixed licence across users.[1] Catalog: Fixed User licences cannot be used on virtual machines or containers, Fixed licences may not be used for automation, CI/CD or shared service accounts.

Cloud / BYOL

Online licences need a connection to SmartBear’s licence endpoints (manage.smartbear.com and related hosts on port 443) both at start and during the run. If the connection breaks, the product keeps running for up to 24 hours and then stops.[1] Catalog: SLM online licences keep running for 24 hours without a connection. SmartBear says the licence server stores the SmartBear ID account and, for Floating licences, the system name on which a seat is used, which only the licence administrator can see. The service is hosted in an encrypted AWS virtual private cloud.[1]

Programs

Offline licensing and the On-Premise License Server

SmartBear recommends online licences where possible. Where network rules cannot be changed, licences are converted to offline ones.[11] Offline licensing is off by default and the On-Premise License Server is deactivated. A SmartBear sales representative enables them on request, and a licence must have no users assigned before it can be converted.[5] Catalog: Offline licensing, Offline conversion requires a sales request and an unassigned licence.

  • The On-Premise License Server works with Floating licences only. Fixed User offline licences are activated and handled by the product on the workstation.[5]
  • The server reads user accounts from the customer’s directory through LDAP or an identity provider. Without that configuration, all users appear as “anonymous.user”.[5]
  • It runs on Windows (server editions only), Linux, Solaris or BSD. Up to 1,000 licence users need one 2.5 GHz core and 512 MB RAM; above 1,000, two cores and 1 GB RAM.[12]
  • To add licences, the server generates a machine fingerprint file. For floating licences the file contains a server identifier, user and machine names, the operating system and MAC addresses.[13]
  • Offline licences are bound to the computer where they are activated. They must be released there before they can be used on another machine.[11]

For headless testing, the On-Premise License Server issues an access key or client credentials for a service account. Desktop tokens issued by the on-premises server expire after 4 weeks regardless of use, and access keys after 10 years.[6] Service accounts authenticate with a client ID and secret, and switching the server’s login method to single sign-on does not invalidate them.[4]

Migration from key-based and file-based licences

To migrate, the customer’s SmartBear account manager asks for written confirmation that the customer agrees to deactivate its existing licences, and for a licence administrator contact. After the rollout the customer confirms that the old HASP licences have been decommissioned “to ensure compliance with SmartBear terms of use”. Customers with perpetual licences under maintenance must also migrate to keep receiving maintenance.[9] For ReadyAPI, VirtServer and TestEngine, file-based licences have not been issued, activated or deactivated since 2025-10-01.[10]

Audits and compliance

SLM is SmartBear’s main compliance instrument for installed products. Administrators can see in real time who is using licences and revoke licences that are no longer used.[9] The portal also shows each seat’s status and idle time, and an idle user can be disconnected.[4] The Usage Statistics view counts check-ins, check-outs and rejected requests, which are attempts to take a seat when none was free. A CSV export covers the last 30 days and lists timestamps, product, user email, host name and seat counts, all in UTC.[7] The chart view shows the highest number of seats used each day and the number of rejected requests.[7] Rejected requests are a sign of demand above the licensed concurrency.

The contractual audit right is separate. Under the Solution Specific Terms, SmartBear may audit Licensed Software use once every 12 months and invoice excess use.[8] See SmartBear Master Solutions Agreement.

Out of scope

  • Swagger and other SaaS seat administration in SmartBear Admin, covered in SmartBear Swagger, Zephyr and BugSnag licensing.
  • Product-specific activation steps, command-line parameters and proxy configuration.
  • SSO, LDAP and OIDC configuration of the On-Premise License Server beyond what affects licence counting.

References

  1. SmartBear License Management: AboutCatalog: SmartBear License Management: AboutRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  2. SmartBear License Management: License TypesCatalog: SmartBear License Management: License TypesRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  3. Activate and Use Fixed User LicensesCatalog: Activate and Use Fixed User LicensesRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  4. License Management for License AdministratorsCatalog: License Management for License AdministratorsRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  5. Floating Licenses: On-Premise License ManagerCatalog: Floating Licenses: On-Premise License ManagerRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  6. Headless TestingOn-Premise License Server. Catalog: Headless Testing with the On-Premise License ServerRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  7. SmartBear License Management: Usage StatisticsCatalog: SmartBear License Management: Usage StatisticsRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  8. SmartBear Solution Specific TermsCatalog: SmartBear Solution Specific TermsRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  9. TestComplete Licensing FAQLast modified 2026-10-01. Catalog: TestComplete Licensing FAQEffective 2026-10-01. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
  10. ReadyAPI File-Based License End-of-Life PolicyCatalog: ReadyAPI File-Based License End-of-Life PolicyRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  11. Licensing in Private NetworksRetrieved 2026-10-02.
  12. System Requirements (On-Premise License Server)Retrieved 2026-10-02.
  13. Machine Fingerprint FilesRetrieved 2026-10-02.

See also

Catalog Rows Cited

2Metrics6Rules2Programs

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