About Licenses and Pricing

Multiple license options are available for commercial single-users, academic multi-users, developers and enterprises.

April 10th, 2025

Which Type of License Do I Need?

Commercial single-user licenses are best suited for expert users who need direct access to the complete database. Enterprise licenses offer a set of single-user licenses for multiple experts working in the same organization.

Integrating ecoinvent data into software and tools, including internal tools, calls for a Developer license.

Individual faculties of schools and universities can apply for an Educational license. Students of educational institutions are recommended to apply for access through their faculty or professorship lead.

Detailed information about our license offerings can be found here.

Use our license calculator to select the license type that best suits your needs.

Which License Types Can Access Files and Reports

Some of our license types provide access to ecoinvent files and reports, as listed:

License type	Direct License*	Partner License**
Yearly Subscriptions	Yes	No
Perpetual Licenses***	Yes	Yes
Enterprise	Yes	Yes
Developer	Yes	N/A

* Direct License: These include any licenses purchased directly through ecoinvent.
** Partner License: These include any licenses purchased through one of our partners.
*** Perpetual Licenses: You have access to the ecoinvent version that was current at the time of your original license purchase or your most recent maintenance update

Please use our contact form for any further questions you might have.

What do I Have to Consider if I Want to Make ecoinvent Available for Third Parties Through an Interactive Tool?

When you make ecoinvent data available to third parties through an interactive tool (even in the background), you become a “reseller” of our database. You will need an additional sublicensing agreement on top of your commercial license. The yearly sublicensing fees depend on the number of datasets and impact indicators in use and the number of tool end users.

Do Prices for ecoinvent Licenses Differ When Buying Directly From You vs. a Software Provider?

You can buy a license from us and then integrate it into an LCA software tool. Some LCA providers charge integration fees, so please contact them directly.

Does ecoinvent Offer Free Licenses? 

Free-of-charge licenses are available for universities and schools in low- and low-middle-income countries according to the updated classification from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), published in the World Economic Situation and Prospects Report 2024. Students at educational institutions are recommended to apply for access through their faculty or professorship lead.

License Upgrades

License upgrades are only applicable to perpetual license holders. Subscription licenses are attached to the current, latest version of the database.

How Is the Price of My License Upgrade Calculated? 

The cost of upgrading your license is automatically calculated based on the number of new versions of the ecoinvent database that have been released since your last accessible version. Here's how the pricing is structured:

1. Base Upgrade Price: The standard upgrade fee is 750 EUR for each version upgrade required to bring your license up to the current version. This fee is applied for the first single-user license upgrade that your organization completes.
2. Discounted Price for Multiple Licenses: If your organization holds multiple single-user licenses, the upgrade price for the second and subsequent licenses is discounted to 562.50 EUR per version.
3. Upgrade Cap: If your current license provides access to a version of the database that is more than five versions in the past, instead of upgrading you have the option to purchase a new license. This ensures that the cost of updating your license does not exceed the price of acquiring a completely new license. The new license will grant you access to the latest version of the ecoinvent database, as well as all previously released version 3 releases.

Determining Your Latest Version: You can find information on your latest accessible version of the ecoinvent database by completing the following steps:

1. Sign in to ecoQuery.
2. Click on your username in the top right corner and select ‘Manage Account’ from the drop-down menu. This redirects you to the ecoinvent Accounts platform.
3. On the Overview page, you will see a list of all licenses you hold. Click the ‘Details’ button underneath any license that you hold to view further information about your license, including the 'Latest version' of the ecoinvent database you are currently able to access.

Example Calculation: If the latest version accessible under your license is version 3.7 and the current version is 3.10, you need to upgrade through three new versions (3.8, 3.9, and 3.10). If this is your first license upgrade, the total cost would be 3 versions x 750 EUR = 2,250 EUR.

How Do I Ensure that My License Upgrade Has Been Processed Successfully, and How Can I Obtain a Receipt for the Transaction? 

Once you have completed the process of upgrading your license on the Accounts platform through an online credit card payment, you will receive the following communications:

1. You will receive an email from Stripe confirming that your payment has been successfully processed. This email will also contain directions on how to access or download a receipt for the transaction.
2. You will receive an email from ecoinvent confirming that your license has been successfully upgraded. This email will also contain further information on what is included in your license upgrade and provide directions on how to access the latest version of the ecoinvent database on ecoQuery. 

What Is The Difference Between a License Upgrade and a Maintenance Extension?

There is no difference between a license upgrade and a maintenance extension; both terms refer to the process of enabling access to newer versions of the ecoinvent database that have been released since your last license period ended. Traditionally, a maintenance extension might suggest extending the time duration of a license, but here, a license upgrade specifically means an update to your license to allow access to the latest database versions. The terms are used synonymously to refer to this update process.

 

Why Introduce an Annual Subscription Model? 

This update reflects our use cases. An annual subscription license offers more flexibility and transparency regarding fees. 

Who Will Be Affected by This Update? 

This update affects new customers starting April 1st, 2025. 

This update does not affect our existing customers, who can continue to renew their maintenance for perpetual licenses. 

What Is the Difference Between a Perpetual License and an Annual Subscription License? 

A perpetual license allows you to make a one-time payment for indefinite access to the database. Once purchased, you own the license and can use it indefinitely without any additional fees, though you may need to pay for updates or support separately. 

An annual subscription license, on the other hand, is a subscription model where you pay on an annual basis. The license is valid for one year, and you will need to renew it each year to continue using the database. This model includes ongoing updates, support, and access to new features as part of the subscription. 

Will I Have Access to All Updates and New Features With an Annual License? 

The annual licenses are attached to the current latest version of the database. 

What Happens if I Cancel My Annual License? Will I Lose Access? 

If you choose not to renew your subscription, your access to the database through ecoQuery, ecoinvent’s online portal, will be revoked at the license expiry date. This means you will no longer be able to retrieve or use the data, even if you previously downloaded a copy. Since the subscription model does not grant perpetual usage rights, you are not legally permitted to continue using any downloaded copies after your subscription expires. To maintain access and the legal right to continue working with any downloaded data, you must keep an active subscription. 

Are There Any Changes to the Terms and Conditions of the License Agreement?

No, the terms and conditions of the license agreement have not changed.  

Payment and Billing of the Annual Subscription License

How Will I Be Billed for the Annual License? 

You can choose to pay by invoice or by credit card from our website. 

Will the Annual License Automatically Renew? 

The annual license will not automatically renew. To request a renewal, you must login to your account here. 

Will I Receive a Discount for Paying Upfront for Multiple Years? 

We do not offer the option to pay upfront for multiple years.  

Will I Receive a Discount for Purchasing Multiple Licenses Upfront? 

We do not offer discounts for multiple single-user commercial licenses or multi-user educational licenses. We do offer the option to upgrade your commercial license to an Enterprise license, starting with a package of five users. 

Migration from Perpetual to Annual Licenses (for existing customers) 

If I Purchased a Perpetual License, Can I Switch to an Annual License? 

Yes, switching to an annual license is possible at any time. This will activate the annual license fee, with the start date set to the time of purchase and the license expiring one year later. 

The original perpetual license remains unaffected, providing lifelong access to the specific database version included in that purchase. Switching to an annual license is most relevant when a new release becomes available that is not covered under the perpetual license, and access to this more recent version is required. 

Additional Clarifications 

What if I Have Further Questions or Need Help Understanding The New Licensing Model?

Please use our contact form for any further questions you might have.

What Is ecoinvent’s Refund Policy?

As soon as payment is successfully completed, a refund cannot be issued. This is because licenses are activated upon payment with access to the complete database, including download options.

Any commercial queries regarding ecoinvent licenses purchased through our partners should be directed to the partner in question.

Looking for Additional Support?

For questions related to login issues, licenses, rights and restrictions, commercial partnerships, or using ecoinvent through a tool or application, please contact our sales team at sales@ecoinvent.org.