IDE licensing models
Last modified: 28 February 2025License Vault provides the following licensing options for JetBrains tools used in your organization.
- Prepaid IDE licensing
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Available with pay-as-you-go and prepaid billing models
You add your previously purchased JetBrains subscriptions to License Vault to automatically distribute them across your entire organization.
- Fully postpaid IDE licensing
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Available with the pay-as-you-go billing model
License Vault supplies IDE licenses automatically when your team needs them. At the end of each billing period, you pay for the exact number of licenses used.
- Mixed IDE licensing
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Available with the pay-as-you-go billing model
With this option, you get the best of both worlds. You can add your previously purchased IDE subscriptions to License Vault and then set up additional postpaid license pools. These postpaid pools will help you accommodate temporary peaks in license usage and provide licenses to new employees on the fly.
IDE licensing models comparison
The IDE licensing model determines your billing schedule, price per license, and default license distribution settings. Refer to the table below to compare the two options.
Prepaid IDE licensing | Postpaid IDE licensing | |
|---|---|---|
Compatibility with IDE Services billing models |
You can always add your prepaid licenses to License Vault, regardless of which IDE Services billing model you chose |
Postpaid IDE licenses are not available for customers using a prepaid IDE Services instance |
Price per IDE license | Standard monthly or yearly pricing | Standard monthly pricing |
Applicable discounts | All discounts available to you apply | Discounts do not apply |
License utilization |
You pay for your IDEs even when your team is not using them. You have to track your license utilization and manually cancel unused subscriptions. |
License Vault provides licenses on demand and releases them when they are no longer in use. You only pay for your IDEs when your team actually needs them. |
If enabled, a 20% surcharge applies |
At no additional cost | |
5 revocations per month by default or Unlimited with Floating mode | Always unlimited |
Prepaid IDE licenses
If your organization already owns licenses for JetBrains tools, you can move these licenses to License Vault to distribute them automatically.
Additionally, you can make your prepaid licenses floating to quickly transfer them between users. For more information on how license distribution works, see License Vault.
How to obtain prepaid licenses
You can simply continue to purchase and renew your JetBrains IDE subscriptions as usual through your preferred channel, such as the JetBrains store, your Sales representative, or a JetBrains partner in your region.
How much prepaid licenses cost
Standard annual or monthly subscription pricing applies. You can also take advantage of any discounts available to you.
How much it costs to distribute prepaid licenses
In the default configuration, License Vault automates your prepaid license distribution at no additional cost. However, if you choose to make your licenses floating, an additional 20% charge is applied.
See the table below to compare your options. To learn more about floating licenses and their pricing, refer to Floating licenses.
Non-floating | Floating | |
|---|---|---|
Distribution price |
You only pay your standard IDE subscription prices. License Vault distributes your licenses at no additional cost. |
This additional charge is calculated per license and only applies to the licenses that were in use during the billing period. |
License release period | 3 days | 20 minutes |
Revocation limit | 5 revocations per month | Unlimited |
Postpaid IDE licensing
Postpaid IDE licensing is available if you are using the pay-as-you-go billing model for your entire IDE Services suite. Consider using this feature if you do not yet have any subscriptions for JetBrains tools or want to take advantage of a more flexible licensing model.
With the postpaid model, License Vault provides IDE licenses on demand and automatically releases them when they are no longer in use. There is no need to manually track your license utilization and cancel unused subscriptions. At the end of each billing period, you pay for the exact number of licenses that were in use.
To start using postpaid IDE licensing
Make sure you are using the pay-as-you-go billing model for your entire IDE Services suite. Postpaid IDE licensing is not available for prepaid IDE Services instances.
Enable License Vault and, if necessary, set postpaid license limits. Refer to Manage IDE Services products for instructions.
Share the IDE Services URL with your team. License Vault will automatically provide licenses to all authorized users.
How much postpaid licenses cost
Postpaid licenses are always provided at standard monthly subscription prices. Discounts are not applied.
How much it costs to distribute postpaid licenses
Postpaid licenses are always distributed free of charge. Floating mode, which is optional and comes with a 20% surcharge for prepaid licenses, is always on and costs nothing extra with postpaid licensing.
You only pay for the licenses themselves, not for their distribution.
Mixed IDE licensing
You can combine the advantages of both licensing models by adding your prepaid licenses and enabling postpaid licensing at the same time. In this case, you can take advantage of the annual pricing and discounts while enjoying the flexibility provided by postpaid licenses.