TL;DR: All software that uses the SOLIDWORKS API or Document Manager (DocMgr) will owe royalties under a new agreement. Hardware and Advocacy partners don’t pay royalties. Non-signers enter a two-year wind-down.
What’s changing:
- New agreement goes live for online signing in Aug 2025; deadline to sign is Nov 1, 2025; program begins Jan 1, 2026.
- Royalties apply to any software product that uses SOLIDWORKS API or DocMgr (covers CAD, PDM, Simulation, DraftSight, etc.).
- No royalties for Hardware and Advocacy partners.
- Scope across DS products: partner solutions tied to SOLIDWORKS and 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS are covered by the same agreement (no separate addendum). Native 3DEXPERIENCE platform apps (e.g., xDesign) remain under CAA.
Exempt from Royalties
- Time-limited trials, evaluation, or demonstration licenses
- Provided free of charge for prospective customer testing.
- Not renewed or extended for the same user.
- Royalties apply only if the trial is converted to a paid license.
- Free academic licenses
- Provided at no cost to qualified students, teachers, educators, or faculty.
- For non-commercial educational purposes.
- Non-commercial use licenses
- Provided free of charge for verified non-commercial purposes.
- Example: a project for public benefit (“for good”) unrelated to any paid offering.
- Freemium versions
- Limited-functionality or entry-level versions at no charge.
- Option to upgrade to a paid version or purchase add-ons.