Understand licensing for NVivo

NVivo 10 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

Each computer that runs NVivo 10 Windows software needs a license key. The first two characters of the license key indicate which platform it can be used on.

License keys that start with:

  • 'NV'  can be used to install and activate NVivo 10 for Windows or NVivo 10 for Mac.

  • 'NM'  can only be used to install and activate NVivo 10 for 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 10 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 your computer and use it indefinitely. 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.

Time-limited licenses

Full time students can purchase time-limited licenses to use NVivo for educational purposes. Time-limited licenses are available as:

  • Twelve-month student licenses

  • Six- month semester licenses

If this type of license has expired, then the user can purchase a new license key to extend their license.

Enterprise licenses

Enterprise licenses (formerly known as site licenses) are a single contract with only one software license key, not one key for each individual user. The enterprise license covers a specific period.

With an enterprise license, NVivo can be installed on multiple computers up to the maximum number of licenses that your site has purchased.

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.