topic Re: What exactly are the optional Archicad API Developer Licenses for? in Archicad C++ API

What exactly are the optional Archicad API Developer Licenses for?

til0byte — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 13:45:42 GMT

I’m trying to understand the purpose of the two optional Archicad API licenses:

Developer License – 500 €/year
Developer Support Service – 500 €/year

It’s not clear to me what real, practical benefits these provide compared to not purchasing any of them.

What exactly does the Developer License unlock that I wouldn’t have otherwise?
And what does the Developer Support Service actually give me in day-to-day development?

Also, what do I actually need to develop Archicad add-ins? Is the public API SDK enough, or is the Developer License required?

Any insights or experience would be appreciated.

Re: What exactly are the optional Archicad API Developer Licenses for?

BerndSchwarzenbacher — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 14:19:31 GMT

Hi!

The Developer License is a cheaper Archicad license that is fully functional but you are not allowed to use it for producing drawings in your function as a draftsperson, architect etc. So if you have already an Archicad license from your job, there's no benefit in the developer license. It's mainly for people like me who's main profession is development.

The Developer Support Service is no longer available unfortunately.

You don't need any of the two points to develop Add-Ons. Public available SDK is enough. You still need to sign up in the Developer Registration to be able to create your Developer ID & Add-On IDs so you can distribute your Add-Ons. But I think this is free of charge.

Best regards,
Bernd

Re: What exactly are the optional Archicad API Developer Licenses for?

Akos Somorjai — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 08:44:20 GMT

Yes, it is free.

The developer licenses help those developers who don't have access to Archicad otherwise.

Best, Akos

Re: What exactly are the optional Archicad API Developer Licenses for?

Palawat — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 14:31:19 GMT

As I remember, it's not that ;

you are not allowed to use it for producing drawings in your function as a draftsperson, architect etc.

https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Archicad-C-API/Being-a-Graphisoft-Developer-Need-Guidance/td-p/321811#:~:text=1,license,-2

Or maybe it's changed and I didn't know about that. It'd be nice if someone from Graphisoft can confirm this.

And also, with developer license, you can only have 2 versions of Archicad installed on one maching at the same time.

Re: What exactly are the optional Archicad API Developer Licenses for?

BerndSchwarzenbacher — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 07:32:09 GMT

@Palawat thanks for pointing us to this! Not sure where I got the wrong information from. Probably misinterpreted something 😅

I don't experience the restriction with 2 versions of Archicad.
I have AC INT 23 - 29 installed on my PC and can use them all at the same time.
The license just doesn't work for other language versions in my case. But most of the time it's enough for me to run the other language versions in DEMO mode.

Best regards,
Bernd

Re: What exactly are the optional Archicad API Developer Licenses for?

Palawat — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 03:44:40 GMT

I was inform by email right when I first purchased dev. license. The license manager tool was quite wonky back then and I was afraid it would mess things up so I haven't tried installing more than 2 versions since then.

Thank you very much for sharing. It would make my life a lot easier supporting people still using old versions. 🙂

Re: What exactly are the optional Archicad API Developer Licenses for?

DeclanD — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 22:18:17 GMT

Hi Akos,

With this developer license which versions of Archicad can we access, can we access pre-subscription versions, eg Archicad 24?

Cheers,
Declan

Re: What exactly are the optional Archicad API Developer Licenses for?

Tamas Polyak — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:12:42 GMT

Hi Declan,

If you have a 10duke license, you can go back to AC27 when it was introduced. With a Codemeter license you can go back as far as AC22.

Best regards,

Tamás