Activate and Use ReadyAPI
This page covers online activation, where licenses validated against SmartBear-hosted servers. Working in a private network or air-gapped environment? See Licenses in Private Networks. Running tests headlessly or in a CI/CD pipeline? See Headless and CI/CD activation.
What you need before starting
Before activating ReadyAPI, make sure you have the following:
A SmartBear account, created automatically when you request a trial, or set up by your license administrator through manage.smartbear.com.
A Floating or Fixed (Named) license assigned to your account.
Your machine must be able to reach the following endpoints:
https://manage.smartbear.com:443https://api.slm.manage.smartbear.com:443https://login.slm.manage.smartbear.com:443https://server.manage.smartbear.com:443https://server.slm.manage.smartbear.com:443https://profile.id.smartbear.com:443https://profile-api.id.smartbear.com:443https://auth.id.smartbear.com:443https://aaa.manage.smartbear.com:443
If your organization uses single sign-on (SSO), you need an Access Key rather than your password. Ask your license administrator.
Activate a trial license without ReadyAPI installed
To activate a trial license before installing ReadyAPI, do the following:
Go to the ReadyAPI product page and click Start My Free Trial.
Complete the form. SmartBear creates your account and sends a setup email to you.
Follow the link in the email to set your password.
Download and install ReadyAPI. The trial activates automatically on first launch.
Note
Trials give 14-day Pro access to one module. You can't renew a trial or apply for one once a commercial license is in use.
Activate a trial license from inside ReadyAPI
If ReadyAPI is already installed and you want to try an additional module, do the following:
From the main menu, select Help, then License Manager.
Select the module you want to trial.
Click Start Pro Trial and follow the on-screen instructions.
Note
If ReadyAPI cannot reach SmartBear license servers, for example on a private network, ReadyAPI prompts you to activate offline. Contact SmartBear Support to request an offline trial, then follow the setup steps in Licenses in Private Networks.
Activate a commercial license for the first time
To activate a commercial license for the first time, do the following:
Launch ReadyAPI. You are prompted to sign in on first use.
Enter your SmartBear account email and password (or your Access Key if your organization uses SSO).
Click Sign In.
ReadyAPI connects to SmartBear servers, confirms your license, and launches. Your credentials are stored locally, so you do not need to sign in again on the same machine.
Use ReadyAPI in private networks
If you work in a private network without access to the internet, you can use SmartBear ID-based offline licenses. Your license administrator can convert your Fixed or Floating license to an offline license and then activate it on the machine where ReadyAPI is installed, or on the On-Premises License Server in your network. See Licenses in Private Networks.
If you have multiple licenses assigned
ReadyAPI selects your license automatically using this priority order:
A license already in use on this machine takes precedence over a free one.
A commercial license takes precedence over a trial.
A Floating license takes precedence over a Fixed (Named) one.
An older license takes precedence over a newer one.
Important
In virtualized or containerized environments, Fixed (Named) licenses are automatically ignored regardless of priority. Use a Floating license instead.