Licensing
Pricing Options
License Pricing Options
Pricing options vary by product. Our two flagship commercial products — SimWise 4D and Working Model 2D — are available with three pricing options: tokens, annual term, or perpetual. Our other products are available with two of those three options — annual term or perpetual — but not with tokens. Use the sections below to find the pricing structure that applies to your product.
This page covers pricing — what you pay for and what you get. For information about license types (node-locked, USB dongle, and network/floating), see our Licensing Options page.
Pricing Options for SimWise 4D and Working Model 2D
Overview of the pricing options
Each option trades up-front commitment against per-day cost in a different way. The table below summarizes the differences; the sections that follow give the details.
| Pricing option | Best for | Term | Continues by default? | Software updates | Technical support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokens | Occasional or project-based use | Tokens valid 24 months | n/a (pay per use) | Yes (latest version) | Requires support contract |
| Annual license (Working Model 2D) | Predictable year-round use | 12 months | No — must be renewed to continue | Yes | Requires support contract |
| Annual subscription (SimWise 4D) | Predictable year-round use | 12 months | Yes — auto-renews until cancelled | Yes | Requires support contract |
| Perpetual license | Long-term, daily use over multiple years | Indefinite (license never expires) | n/a (one-time purchase) | Included with maintenance | Included with maintenance |
Annual license vs. annual subscription is a subtle but real distinction: both run for 12 months, with the same in-software experience. A Working Model 2D annual license ends at the 12-month mark unless you explicitly renew. A SimWise 4D annual subscription continues automatically into a new 12-month term unless you cancel.
Every pricing option is available as either a node-locked (single-user) license or a network/floating (multi-user) license — see Node-locked vs. network below. The third license type, the USB dongle, is offered only with a perpetual node-locked license. For full details on the three license types and how each is enforced, see our Licensing Options page.
Token licensing
Tokens let you pay only for the days you actually run the software. Buy a bundle of tokens, redeem them when you need to use the product, and don't worry about a recurring subscription bill in months when you don't.
One pool, two products. Tokens are shared between Working Model 2D and SimWise 4D — a single bundle can be used to run whichever product fits the task. This is unique to the token model; all of the other pricing options on this page are product-specific.
How tokens work
- One activation = 24 hours of use. Each time you start the software, you consume tokens for a 24-hour activation window.
- Working Model 2D consumes 1 token per 24-hour activation.
- SimWise 4D consumes 3 tokens per 24-hour activation.
- Tokens are shared across products. A single pool of tokens can be used to run either Working Model 2D or SimWise 4D — whichever product fits the task that day. Buy one bundle, use whichever product you need. This is unique to the token model; annual licenses, subscriptions, and perpetual licenses are each tied to a single product (a Working Model 2D license cannot run SimWise 4D, and vice versa).
- Tokens are valid for 24 months from purchase. Use them in any pattern that fits your work.
- Software updates are included. Token-licensed users always run the current release. Technical support requires a separate support contract (typically added via perpetual maintenance).
Token bundles
Bundles are discounted as the quantity increases. Larger bundles are intended for teams or for users who plan concentrated, multi-month projects. The "Days of use" columns show how many full 24-hour activations a bundle supports for each product.
| Bundle | Tokens | Price | Per token | Discount | WM2D days | SimWise days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 50 | $500.00 | $10.00 | — | 50 | 16 |
| Small | 100 | $900.00 | $9.00 | 10% | 100 | 33 |
| Project | 150 | $1,275.00 | $8.50 | 15% | 150 | 50 |
| Quarter | 300 | $2,250.00 | $7.50 | 25% | 300 | 100 |
| WM2D Two-Year | 500 | $3,400.00 | $6.80 | 32% | 500 | 166 |
| Year | 600 | $3,900.00 | $6.50 | 35% | 500* | 200 |
| Heavy | 750 | $4,500.00 | $6.00 | 40% | 500* | 250 |
| Team | 1,000 | $5,500.00 | $5.50 | 45% | 500* | 333 |
| Volume | 1,500 | $7,500.00 | $5.00 | 50% | 500* | 500 |
* The 24-month token validity caps a single Working Model 2D user at 500 days of use (250 working days × 2 years). Bundles above 600 tokens are most efficient for teams, mixed-product use, or heavy SimWise 4D usage.
Annual license / annual subscription
An annual-term license gives you continuous, unlimited use of the software for 12 months. It's the right choice when you know you'll be using the software regularly throughout the year. Both products offer this 12-month option, with one important difference:
- Working Model 2D — annual license. Runs for 12 months. At the end of the term, the license stops working unless you renew. You're never billed unexpectedly.
- SimWise 4D — annual subscription. Runs for 12 months and then automatically renews for another 12 months, and so on, until you cancel. Cancelling at any point ends the subscription at the close of the current term.
The day-to-day product behavior — continuous use, software updates included, no technical support — is identical for both.
Payment options
SimWise 4D's annual subscription can be paid as a single annual payment or as 12 monthly payments. Paying monthly is convenient but costs slightly more in total than paying annually up front, since you're spreading the same 12-month commitment over twelve installments. Working Model 2D's annual license is paid as a single annual payment only.
| Product | Annual payment | Monthly payment* | Per working day† |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working Model 2D (annual license, single-user, node-locked) | $1,435.00 / year | — | $5.74 |
| SimWise 4D (annual subscription, single-user, node-locked) | $2,000.00 / year | $200.00 / month (12 × $200.00 = $2,400.00 total) |
$8.00 |
* Monthly payment is for the same 12-month annual subscription, billed in 12 installments. Paying monthly costs slightly more in total than paying once annually.
† Calculated against 250 working days per year, using the annual-payment price.
What's included
- Continuous, unlimited use of the licensed software for the term.
- All software updates released during the term.
- License is tied to a single product (annual licenses and subscriptions are product-specific, unlike tokens) and to a single computer or network seat — see our Licensing Options page for the available license types.
What's not included
- Technical support. Self-service documentation and online forums remain available; direct support requires a separate support contract.
- Continued use after the term expires. A Working Model 2D annual license stops the software at expiry unless renewed; a SimWise 4D annual subscription auto-renews into a new term unless cancelled.
Perpetual license
A perpetual license is a one-time purchase that lets you run the version you bought indefinitely. There's no expiration, no recurring license fee, and no renewal. Optional annual maintenance keeps you on the latest release and gives you direct technical support from DST engineers.
| Product | Perpetual license | Annual maintenance | Year-1 total with maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working Model 2D (node-locked single-user) | $3,595.00 | $719.00 / year | $4,314.00 |
| SimWise 4D (node-locked single-user) | $5,995.00 | $1,195.00 / year | $7,190.00 |
Multi-user, USB-dongle, and network/floating configurations are available for perpetual licenses; request a quote for pricing. The USB dongle is offered only with a perpetual node-locked license — it is not available with tokens, annual licenses, or annual subscriptions.
What maintenance gets you
- All software updates released during the maintenance term.
- Direct technical support from DST engineers.
- Maintenance is annual and renewable. If maintenance lapses, the perpetual license still runs — you just stop receiving updates and lose access to support until you renew.
Perpetual licensing is the most economical option for users who will run the software heavily over multiple years. Without ongoing maintenance, a perpetual license pays for itself versus an annual term at roughly 2.5 to 3 years for either product. Adding maintenance pushes the break-even further out but keeps you on the latest release with direct technical support.
Node-locked vs. network/floating
All three pricing options — tokens, annual term, and perpetual — are offered in both node-locked and network/floating license types. The choice is independent of the pricing model and depends on who will use the software:
- Node-locked. The right choice when a single user will run the software. The license is bound to one computer and that user runs the software on that computer.
- Network/floating. The right choice when multiple team members need access. Licenses live on a license server, and any networked client can check one out when they need it. Buy enough concurrent licenses to cover peak simultaneous use, not one per person.
The pricing shown elsewhere on this page is for the node-locked versions. The relative pricing between models is the same for network/floating licenses — tokens are still the cheapest entry point, annual still sits in the middle, and perpetual is still the long-term economical choice — but the absolute numbers differ. Request a quote for network/floating pricing for your team size. See our Licensing Options page for full details on how each license type is enforced.
Which option is right for you?
Different usage patterns favor different pricing options. The four scenarios below cover the most common cases. If your situation isn't a clean match, the cost calculator below can help you compare options for your specific usage.
1. "I only use the software a few days a month."
~1–5 days / month Use-as-you-go
A subscription would sit idle most of the time. Tokens are designed for exactly this case — pay only for the days you actually run the software, with the flexibility of 24 months to use them.
Recommendation: Token bundle (Starter, Small, or Project, depending on volume).
2. "I have a concentrated project for a few months, then it's done."
Project-shaped use Variable intensity
Tokens fit projects that don't follow a yearly cadence. A 300-token bundle covers 100 days of Working Model 2D or 100 days of SimWise 4D, used however the project demands — back-to-back, in waves, or saved for follow-up work later.
Recommendation: Quarter (300 tokens) or Year (600 tokens) bundle, depending on the project size.
3. "I use the software regularly throughout the year."
Predictable Year-round
Once your usage is regular and predictable — typically more than two weeks of work per month for Working Model 2D, or roughly twice a week for SimWise 4D — an annual term becomes more economical than tokens and removes the need to track consumption. For SimWise 4D, monthly payments are available if you'd prefer to spread the cost of the 12-month subscription across the year.
Recommendation: Annual license (Working Model 2D) or annual subscription (SimWise 4D), paid annually or monthly.
4. "This is a core tool I'll be using for years."
3+ years of daily use Strategic investment
A perpetual license becomes the cheapest option around the 2.5- to 3-year mark, and the value grows from there. Adding annual maintenance keeps you current and gives you direct support when you need it.
Recommendation: Perpetual license + annual maintenance.
Cost calculator
Pick a product and your expected usage. The calculator estimates the cost of each pricing option for your scenario and recommends the best fit. It uses node-locked pricing; relative differences between options are the same for network/floating licenses, though absolute numbers will differ. It's an approximation — for a quote tailored to your situation, contact us.
Calculator estimates total cost over the chosen horizon. Token bundles are selected to cover expected usage with minimum waste, accounting for the 24-month token validity. Perpetual costs include the license plus annual maintenance for the full horizon.
Pricing Options for Other DST Products
The remaining DST products are:
- SimWise Motion & FEA
- SimWise for Alibre FEA, Motion, & 4D
- Working Model 2D Education
- Interactive Physics
These products are licensed in the same way as SimWise 4D and Working Model 2D, with one exception: tokens are not offered. The available pricing options are:
- Annual term — 12 months of continuous use, software updates included. Renewable.
- Perpetual license — one-time purchase, runs indefinitely. Optional annual maintenance keeps you on the latest release and provides direct technical support.
All three license types apply, with the same conventions as the flagship products:
- Node-locked — single user, bound to one computer.
- USB dongle — offered only with a perpetual node-locked license, identical to the flagship-product rule.
- Network/floating — multiple users sharing a pool of concurrent licenses served from a license server.
Software updates are included during the annual term or while maintenance is active on a perpetual license; technical support requires a separate support contract (typically obtained via perpetual maintenance). Pricing is region-specific and depends on product, license type, and number of seats — please request a quote. For details on how each license type is enforced, see our Licensing Options page.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between an annual license and an annual subscription?
The day-to-day software experience is identical — both run for 12 months, include all updates during the term, and don't include technical support. The difference is what happens at the end of the term:
- A Working Model 2D annual license ends at 12 months. The software stops working unless you explicitly renew. You're never billed unexpectedly.
- A SimWise 4D annual subscription automatically renews into another 12-month term unless you cancel. Cancelling at any point ends the subscription at the close of the current term.
Can I pay for the SimWise 4D annual subscription monthly?
Yes. The SimWise 4D annual subscription can be paid as a single annual payment or as 12 monthly payments. Both options cover the same 12-month subscription term; paying monthly is slightly more in total than paying annually up front, since the cost is spread across twelve installments.
What happens to unused tokens?
Tokens are valid for 24 months from the date of purchase. Unused tokens at the end of that period expire. Plan token bundles around your expected usage; the calculator above will warn you if a bundle would lead to expired tokens.
Can I switch between pricing options later?
Yes. Many customers start with tokens to evaluate fit, then move to an annual term once their usage stabilizes, and to a perpetual license once they've committed long-term. Contact us to discuss credit toward an upgrade.
If I use both Working Model 2D and SimWise 4D, do I need separate tokens?
No — and this is a real advantage of the token model. A single pool of tokens works across both products. Working Model 2D consumes 1 token per 24-hour activation, SimWise 4D consumes 3. Buy from one bundle, use either product. By contrast, annual licenses, annual subscriptions, and perpetual licenses are each product-specific: a Working Model 2D license can run only Working Model 2D, and a SimWise 4D license can run only SimWise 4D.
Can I use a USB dongle with tokens or an annual subscription?
No. The USB dongle license type is offered only with a perpetual node-locked license. Tokens, annual licenses, and annual subscriptions are available as node-locked or network/floating licenses but not as dongle licenses.
Do tokens, annual licenses, or subscriptions include technical support?
Not by default. Tokens, annual licenses, and annual subscriptions all include software updates but do not include direct technical support. Support requires a separate support contract, most commonly obtained by adding annual maintenance to a perpetual license.
What's the difference between a pricing option and a license type?
The pricing option (token, annual term, perpetual) determines what you pay for and what you receive. The license type (node-locked, USB dongle, network/floating) determines how the license is enforced and whether it can be moved between machines or shared on a network. See our Licensing Options page for details on the three license types.
Can I buy network/floating licenses?
Yes. All three pricing options — tokens, annual term, and perpetual — are available as network/floating licenses for teams. Pricing shown on this page is for node-locked single-user licenses; the relative difference between options is the same for network/floating, with different absolute numbers. Request a quote based on your team size.
Can I get a quote tailored to my situation?
Yes. Request a quote using the form on our quote page — tell us about your usage profile and any team-size or multi-seat needs, and we'll work out the best combination of licenses for you.
