What Is a Concurrent User License and Its Advantages?
When businesses invest in software, one of the key decisions they face is selecting the right licensing model. Two common approaches are per-user licenses and concurrent user licenses. Understanding the differences between them can help companies make a more cost-effective choice, especially when managing large teams or intermittent software usage.
What Is a Concurrent User License?
A concurrent user license allows a specific number of users to access the software at the same time, regardless of how many total users are in the organization. For instance, if your business purchases 10 concurrent licenses, any 10 people can use the software at once, even if your company has 50 or more employees. As soon as a user logs out, another person can log in and use the same license.
This is different from a per-user license, which ties access to a specific user. In a per-user model, each employee who needs to use the software must have their own license, whether or not they are using the software at the same time as others. AllMax Antero is a concurrent user license model – where you can still create as many users and set permissions as needed.
Key Advantages of Concurrent User Licensing
- Cost Savings for Larger Teams
Concurrent licenses are particularly beneficial for companies where not all employees need continuous access to the software. For example, in a water utility where some employees use work order management software like Antero sporadically throughout the day, paying for a license for each person can quickly become costly. With a concurrent license, you can purchase fewer licenses than the number of total employees and rotate access among users as needed. This reduces the overall cost while still meeting your team’s needs.
- Flexible Access
Concurrent user licenses offer much more flexibility for organizations with fluctuating or rotational work patterns. If employees work in shifts or only need to use the software occasionally, concurrent licenses allow more users to benefit from fewer licenses without causing downtime or overpaying. For instance, during peak periods, field workers could log in to manage work orders, while office staff use the same licenses for inventory management when the field crew is offline.
- Scalability for Growth
As your business grows, a concurrent user license model can adapt more flexibly to increased headcount. Rather than having to purchase an individual license every time a new employee joins, you can simply monitor usage and add more concurrent licenses when needed. This scalability is especially important for smaller businesses that are growing but need to manage their software costs efficiently.
- Simplicity in License Management
Managing individual per-user licenses can become a complex administrative task, especially for large organizations. You’ll need to assign, track, and adjust licenses each time there’s turnover, a shift in roles, or an employee is away. With concurrent licenses, license management becomes far simpler. Since the licenses aren’t tied to specific individuals, there’s no need to constantly adjust access for users.
- Optimized for Multi-Shift Work Environments
Concurrent licenses work extremely well in environments where teams work across multiple shifts. For example, in industries like manufacturing, utilities, or public service, employees may only use specific software during their shift, leaving licenses available for the next shift. This maximizes the value of each license and ensures constant availability without redundancy.
When Should You Choose Concurrent Licenses Over Per-User Licensing?
While concurrent licensing can provide significant savings, it may not be suitable for every business. If your team requires constant access to the software—such as customer support teams or high-volume data entry jobs—then per-user licensing might be more straightforward. But if your employees use the software sporadically or in rotation, concurrent user licenses can save you significant costs without sacrificing access to the tools you need.
Final Thoughts
Choosing between concurrent and per-user licenses is a strategic decision that can impact your company’s bottom line. For many organizations, especially those with dynamic workforces or part-time software use, concurrent user licensing offers the perfect balance of flexibility, cost-efficiency, and scalability. Before making a decision, it’s worth considering the nature of your employees’ software use to determine which model best suits your organization’s needs.
By opting for a concurrent user license, businesses can avoid unnecessary expenses, simplify software management, and offer employees greater flexibility—making it a win-win for both the company and its workforce.
