Licensing

Buy it once. Keep it.

Every ACTCAD license is perpetual, shareable, scalable and eligible for upgrades. What changes between the five types below is only how the license reaches the machine — never how long you get to keep it.

Perpetual, all types
No renewals
Support included

Five ways to license it

Pick the one that matches how your team works.

Not sure? The key-based license suits most people. Everything else solves a specific constraint — a LAN, a remote team, or a site with no internet.

Most common

Key-based license

The usual choice

Activate over the internet with a unique serial number, emailed to you on purchase.

Unlimited transfers between machines
One computer active per license at any time
Offline activation supported where there is no internet
Usage monitoring through the client portal

Built forPrimary CAD users and independent consultants

Network floating license

NFL

Licenses activated across your firm’s LAN, floating between connected computers as people need them.

One license runs on one computer at a time
Floats freely between LAN-connected machines
Returns to the server automatically when the software closes
Activated by license key or USB dongle

Network License Manager user guide

Built forSmall businesses and enterprises with office-based teams

Live cloud license

CLS

Activated through the ACTCAD Cloud License Server, for remote and hybrid CAD users.

Up to five machines authorized per license
No activation or deactivation step for the user
Transfers automatically over the internet
Suits people who move between home and office machines

Built forHybrid and distributed teams

Dongle-based license

USB

Access ACTCAD with a USB dongle — the license travels in your pocket.

Portable between computers with no reinstallation
Needs neither internet nor LAN connectivity
Replaced if damaged
A lost dongle requires a new purchase

Built forSecure sites and locations with limited connectivity

Side by side

The differences that matter.

	Key-based	Network	Live cloud	Dongle
Perpetual license	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Internet needed to run	No — offline activation available	No — LAN only	Yes	No
Machines per license	1 active at a time	1 active at a time	Up to 5 authorized	Any, one at a time
Moving between machines	Unlimited transfers	Floats across the LAN	Automatic over the internet	Move the dongle
Returns when idle	On deactivation	Automatically on close	Automatically	On unplugging
Eligible for upgrades	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

For more information — talk to sales.

What perpetual means here

No renewal date anywhere.

A subscription seat stops working the day you stop paying, and takes your access to your own drawings with it. A perpetual license does not have that switch.

Try it for 15 days

The version you buy keeps working, indefinitely
Free updates within the version you own
Upgrades to a newer version are available, never compulsory
Support is included rather than sold as a tier
Licenses are shareable and scalable as the team changes
No auto-billing, so nothing lapses by accident

Questions

Asked before buying.

All answers

Some ACAD LISP programs are not working properly in ActCAD

Most of the LISP commands are supported in ActCAD. However, there are a few limitations on VISUAL LISP Some of the Visual LISP commands are not supported by ActCAD. Check the code thoroughly and compare with ActCAD Help Developer Reference.

How to increase Entity Selection Pickbox Size and Entity Snap Aperture?

Below are the steps to achieve this result in ActCAD 2016 Software. 1. Select any entity inside ActCAD. 2. In that condition, go to Tools->Drawing Settings -> Coordinate Input Tab 3. Then you will notice two options at the bottom for Entity Selection Pickbox, increase the size at the pickbox dropdown list. 4. Similarly you can increase the Entity Snap Aperture, by increasing the Aperture size.

How do I know the version number that I have installed ?

Open ActCAD. Help menu -> About ActCAD The dialog box shows the exact number of installed version

Where is print information stored ?

Stored in the system registry : - ''Save changes to Layout'' check box value - ''Use Setting from'' check box value - Header and Footer Stored in the drawing: - Print Area - Fit print area to size of page - Scale - Print origin - Use Line Weight - Printer - Paper Landscape/Portrait - Units - Upside down set Stored in CTB files : - Pen colors related to color table - Lineweight related to color table - Linetype

How to Insert Blocks from ActCAD Block Library ?

Double Click on the block that you want to insert into a drawing & specify the insertion point

Copy and Paste does not work. I cannot copy the drawing in another drawing ?

The reason could be that the drawing from which entities are being copied was closed. -- Make sure the file from which the entities were copied is still open. -- If it is closed: open the file of the drawing of origin, select entities to be copied from the Edit menu and choose "Copy" or "Copy with Base Point." -- Open or move into the destination drawing without closing the drawing of origin, Edit menu and choose Paste or Paste to Original Coordinate". NOTE: The right way to copy is to always use the command "Copy" from the Edit menu

Not sure yet

Still deciding which license?

Tell us how your team is set up and we will tell you which type fits — usually in one reply.

Ask us which one Buy now