BricsCAD Licence Modes Explained
Quick answer: BricsCAD has three licence modes. An academic licence gives students, faculty, and schools free access for 12 months, renewable with a current student ID. A single-user licence covers one person on one computer at a time. A network licence lets multiple people on the same LAN share a pool of seats, with the seat count capping how many can work concurrently. Mode is separate from licence level (Lite, Pro, and so on) and licence type (perpetual or subscription); mode is really about who and how many people are using the software, not what features they get or how they pay for it.
Academic, Single-user, and Network at a Glance
| Academic | Single-user | Network | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it’s for | Students, faculty, schools | Individuals | Teams and offices sharing seats |
| Cost | Free | Paid | Paid |
| Users | One person, renewable yearly | One person, one computer at a time | Multiple people, limited by seat count |
| Setup | Sign up and verify with a student ID | Standard activation | Requires your own network licence server |
Academic Licence
What it is: Free access to a single-user BricsCAD Ultimate licence for 12 months, covering every toolset (2D drafting, 3D modelling, BIM, and mechanical design), open to students, faculty, instructors, and educational institutions.
To get one:
- Fill out the student sign-up page and upload a photo of a valid student ID.
- Download and install the 30-day free trial of BricsCAD Ultimate.
- Octave validates your information.
- You receive a one-year academic licence key by email.
- Activate it in BricsCAD.
You’ll get a reminder email as the 12 months run out, and renewal just needs a current student ID. Schools, faculties, and instructors register separately from individual students, but get the same free yearly access.
Single-user Licence
What it is: One copy of BricsCAD, usable by one person on one computer at a time.
“One computer at a time” doesn’t mean the licence is locked to that machine forever. You can deactivate it on one computer and reactivate it on another whenever you need to move it, for example when switching from a desktop to a laptop. What you can’t do is run it on two machines simultaneously under one licence.
Network Licence
What it is: A shared pool of licences that anyone on the same local network (LAN) can draw from, up to the number of seats you’ve purchased. If you buy 10 seats, up to 10 people can use BricsCAD at once, regardless of how many staff have it installed.
The trade-off against single-user is setup complexity: a network licence requires installing and running your own network licence server on your premises, which is generally a task for whoever manages your IT. In exchange, it’s typically more cost-effective than buying single-user licences for a team where not everyone needs BricsCAD open at the same time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can teachers get a free academic licence, or is it only for students? Both. Faculty, instructors, and whole educational institutions are eligible for the same free 12-month access as students, though schools register separately from individual students.
Can I move a single-user licence to a new computer? Yes. Deactivate it on the old computer and reactivate it on the new one. It’s restricted to one active installation at a time, not to one specific machine permanently.
Do I need special IT infrastructure for a network licence? Yes. You need to set up and run your own network licence server on your premises to distribute seats, which single-user and academic licences don’t require.