ReadyAPI Licenses
ReadyAPI licenses are managed through SmartBear License Management (SLM). Sign in with your SmartBear account; no license files or keys required.
You need a trial or commercial license for one or more ReadyAPI modules:
ReadyAPI Test: functional, security, and assertion-based API testing.
ReadyAPI Performance: load generation and performance benchmarking.
ReadyAPI Virtualization: API mocking and service simulation.
The ReadyAPI license - trial or commercial - unlocks the full feature set of the module you have licensed. Contact your Account Manager or visit the ReadyAPI Pricing website.
Step 1 - Choose your license type
Every ReadyAPI license is either Floating or Fixed (Named). For most teams, Floating is the right choice.
Floating license (Recommended)
A Floating license is drawn from a shared pool. Any authorized user can check out a seat when needed and release it when done. The pool scales with your team without reassignment overhead.
Use a Floating license when:
Multiple team members need access to ReadyAPI.
You run ReadyAPI in a continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline or from the command line (headless).
You run ReadyAPI in a virtual machine or Docker container.
You use service accounts for automated test execution.
Your team structure changes over time.
Floating licenses absorb team change naturally. No reassignment limits and no admin overhead when people join or move roles. If you run any automated testing, you need a Floating license.
Fixed (Named) license - for individual users with no automation needs
A Fixed license is assigned to one named user on one machine. It is a deliberate choice for specific scenarios, not the default.
Use a Fixed license when:
A single, identified person uses ReadyAPI interactively on their own machine.
That user has no CI/CD, headless, or pipeline requirements.
You are in a regulated environment requiring named-user audit trails.
Important
You can reassign each Fixed User license SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) up to three times through self-service in any rolling 12-month period. Reassign a license only when the original authorized user no longer works for your company.
Floating and Fixed Licenses Compared
The following table helps you choose the right license type for your team and environment.
Floating (shared pool) | Fixed (named user) | When to choose | |
|---|---|---|---|
Who uses it | Any authorized user draws from a shared pool. | One named individual on one machine. | Floating: teams and shared environments. Fixed: single identified users only. |
Interactive desktop use | Yes. | Yes. | Either works. |
CI/CD and headless test runs | Required. | Not supported. | You must have Floating for any automated pipeline use. |
Virtual machines and Docker | Required. | Not supported. | Floating is required for containerized and VM environments. |
Multiple users sharing a seat | Yes - shared pool. | One user only. | Floating scales naturally across team members. |
Team or org changes | No reassignment needed. | Limited - up to three reassignments per term. | Floating absorbs team change with no admin overhead. |
Reassignment | Not applicable. The pool of users can be modified and updated as required. | Up to three self-service reassignments per license SKU in any rolling 12-month period. Allowed only when the original user is no longer associated with your company. Contact SmartBear Software before reassigning. When you reassign a license, License Management notifies license administrators how many reassignments remain for that SKU. | Choose Fixed only if your users are stable, since a seat can be reassigned only when its user leaves the company. |
Online (default) | Yes. | Yes. | Both types work with SmartBear-hosted license servers. |
Offline / private network | Yes - On-Premises License Server. | Yes - bound to one machine. | Both support offline use; the setup differs. |
Managed through | SLM portal or On-Premises License Server. | SLM portal. |
For the full licensing terms, see SmartBear Terms of Use.
Step 2 - Choose online or offline
By default, ReadyAPI licenses are online - they are validated against SmartBear-hosted servers at runtime. No additional setup is required.
If your environment has no internet access (air-gapped networks, regulated environments, or private network deployments), you can convert your license to offline mode. Offline licenses are managed on-premises and do not require a connection to SmartBear servers at runtime.
Online (default) | Offline / private network | |
|---|---|---|
Floating | Shared pool, validated against SmartBear-hosted servers. Required for all CI/CD and headless use. | Requires an on-premises license server in your network. The license is bound to that server. Required for private-network CI/CD. |
Fixed (Named) | Assigned to one named user. Sign in with your SmartBear account. Desktop interactive use only. | Bound to one specific machine. Admin converts through the SLM portal. Cannot be used with Test Runners or CI/CD. |
Note
By default, ReadyAPI uses online licensing. If you want to use offline licensing, your Account Manager must enable it. Both license types support offline mode, but the setup differs.
Step 3 - Activate
Choose the option that matches your network environment and license type.
Scenario | Instructions |
|---|---|
Online Fixed or Floating | Sign in to ReadyAPI with your SmartBear account. See Activate and Use ReadyAPI. |
CI/CD and headless (Floating only) | Use an Access Key or Client Credentials in the testrunner command. See Headless and CI/CD activation. |
Private network / air-gapped (Floating) | Set up the On-Premises License Server and convert your license to offline. See Licenses in Private Networks. |
Private network / air-gapped (Fixed) | Convert to offline use and generate a license based on the user machine fingerprint. See Get an Offline Fixed License. |
Release a seat | Close ReadyAPI, sign out, or release through License Manager. See Free a License Seat. |
Step 4 - Manage your licenses
All licenses are managed at manage.smartbear.com. From there, you can:
View the shared Floating pool and who currently holds a seat.
Assign Fixed licenses to named users (up to three reassignments per term).
Configure On-Premises License Servers for offline Floating licenses.
Convert licenses to offline mode (requires Account Manager approval).
Trial licenses
Trial licenses provide 14 days of access to one module and use online Floating mode by default. You can't renew a trial or apply for one once a commercial license is in use.
Note
File-based licenses are no longer issued, activated, or supported as of October 1, 2025. All customers use SLM ID-based licenses. Contact your Account Manager to migrate. See File-Based Licenses.