Understand licensing for NVivo

NVivo 12 Windows

Each client machine needs an NVivo license, and a license is also required to install NVivo Server on the server.

This topic describes the different types of licenses that are available for NVivo. If you want information on NVivo Server licensing, refer to Understand licensing for NVivo Server.

In this topic

• About license keys

• Perpetual licenses

• Student licenses

• Enterprise licenses

• NVivo Server licensing

• NVivo editions

About license keys

Each computer that runs NVivo 12 Windows software needs a license key. The first part of the license key indicates which platform it can be used on.

License keys that start with:

• 'NV*12'  can be used to install and activate NVivo 12 Windows or NVivo 12 Mac.

• 'NM*12'  can only be used to install and activate NVivo 12 Mac.

Each license key can be used on a limited number of devices. Refer to your enterprise license agreement (also known as site license agreement) or the End-User License Agreement.

To view the End-User License Agreement after NVivo 12 Windows is installed:

1. Click the File tab, point to Help, and then click About NVivo.

2. Click View your license agreement.

Perpetual licenses

A Perpetual license allows you to install NVivo on a maximum of two devices and use it indefinitely in conjunction with NVivo compatible products and supported operating systems. Each Perpetual license provides a single license key for each individual user.

Perpetual licenses can be purchased as either single licenses or multiple licenses.  Discounts apply for purchases of three or more licenses.

Student licenses

Full time students can purchase twenty-four month time-limited licenses to use NVivo Pro for educational purposes.

Enterprise licenses

Enterprise licenses (formerly known as site licenses) allow you to install NVivo on multiple computers up to the maximum number of licenses that your site has purchased. The enterprise license covers a three year period.

Active enterprise licenses entitle you to free upgrades when new software is released.

If you are an enterprise license customer, it is your obligation to ensure that the total number of QSR software product installations does not exceed the permitted number of users you are entitled to have under your enterprise license agreement.

NVivo Server licensing

NVivo and NVivo Server are separate software products. NVivo Server is a server-side application that manages NVivo projects in a centralized database repository—allowing users to work on the same project at the same time.

To work with NVivo projects stored on a server, your organization needs licenses for both NVivo and NVivo Server. Each client machine needs an NVivo license, and a license is also required to install NVivo Server on the server. Refer to Understand licensing for NVivo Server for more information.

NVivo editions

There are two editions of NVivo 12 Windows client software: Pro and Plus. Each edition features a different level of functionality to support a range of projects and research needs.

The client license key determines the edition—some licenses allow access to more than one edition. Users with access to multiple editions can switch between them in Application Options.