What is Floating Licensing?
Floating licensing, also known as concurrent licensing, is a software licensing model that allows a shared pool of licenses to be used by multiple users within an organisation.
Instead of assigning a license to each user or device, floating licensing enables software access on a first-come, first-served basis. When a user launches the software, a license token is checked out from the central pool. When they close the application, that license automatically returns for another user to access.
This model is ideal for teams with fluctuating usage - for example, engineering, design, or analytics environments - where not everyone needs access at once.
How Floating Licensing Works
All active licenses are stored centrally, either on-premise or in the cloud.
When a user requests access, the licensing system verifies availability and issues a temporary license. Once the user session ends, that license is released back to the pool.
With 10Duke, this process happens in real time through cloud APIs, meaning there’s no need for local license servers, dongles, or VPN connections.
Administrators can:
- Define concurrency limits
- Set automatic timeouts for inactive sessions
- Monitor usage patterns across customers or departments
This ensures licenses are always available to those who need them most — without overspending or breaching compliance.
Benefits of Floating Licensing
Benefits for ISVs
- Efficient monetisation – Sell concurrent access while maintaining usage visibility.
- Flexible licensing options – Offer concurrent seats as part of enterprise or team plans.
- Data-driven insight – Understand customer usage to guide renewals and pricing strategies.
- Streamlined operations – Manage one shared pool instead of individual licenses.
Benefits for End Customers
- Cost efficiency – Fewer total licenses required since usage is shared.
- Scalability – Easily adjust license pool size as demand changes.
- Centralised control – Track, audit, and manage usage from one location.
- Fair access – Ensure availability across teams and time zones.
When to Offer Floating Licensing
You should consider offering floating licensing if:
- Your software is used by distributed or shift-based teams.
- Customers want flexibility without purchasing individual licenses.
- You want to support both on-premise and cloud-based deployments.
- Reducing unused licenses is a customer priority.
It’s especially effective for technical and creative tools - such as simulation software, CAD platforms, or data analytics solutions - where simultaneous access maximises value.
Why 10Duke
10Duke provides everything ISVs need to deliver modern, cloud-ready floating licensing.
10Duke offers:
- Cloud-native concurrency management – Real-time license check-in/check-out with full audit trails.
- Flexible license model combinations – Mix floating with subscription, consumption-based, or feature-based licensing.
- Advanced analytics – Get real-time insight into license use and customer behaviour.
- No legacy overhead – Remove the need for local license servers or hardware dongles.
Discover how 10Duke software licensing solution helps ISVs deliver secure, scalable floating licensing - all managed through the cloud. Book a demo
Discover how 10Duke software licensing solution helps ISVs deliver secure, scalable floating licensing - all managed through the cloud. Book a demo
Key Summary
Unlock 15-35% more license revenue from existing customers
10Duke is the best-in-class cloud-based software licensing platform designed for fast-growing software businesses.
Improve how you license and monetize your software products.
The Licensing Lab Blog
A floating software license works a bit differently. With a floating software license, multiple users (usually 5-25 users) share a defined number of seats at the table and whoever gets to the table first gets a seat, if there is one available. When an authorised user wishes to run an application they request a license from a central pool of available licenses and these can be accessed concurrently by a defined number of end-users.