User CAL or Device CAL: Which is right for your business?
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Short answer: A User CAL is worthwhile if one person accesses from multiple devices – for example, with a laptop and a home office PC. A Device CAL is worthwhile if multiple people use the same device, such as in shift operation. We offer both types in 5-packs: Windows Server 2022 User CAL and Device CAL each cost €119.95 for five licenses, which is €23.99 per CAL.
The difference in one sentence
A User CAL is tied to a person and allows access from any number of devices. A Device CAL is tied to a device and allows access by any number of people using that device.
When a User CAL is worthwhile
If a person uses a desktop PC, notebook, and occasionally a tablet, you still only need one license with the User CAL. For employees with multiple devices or in a home office, this is almost always the cheaper and simpler choice.
When a Device CAL is worthwhile
For a shared terminal, a workshop cash register, or a shift workstation used by multiple employees, a Device CAL is worthwhile: one device, one license – regardless of how many people use it over the course of a day.
What a CAL costs with us
We offer access licenses in 5-packs – this is the usual unit in volume licensing and significantly cheaper than individual purchase:
| Server Version | User CAL (5-pack) | Device CAL (5-pack) | per license |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Server 2019 | €59.95 | €59.95 | €11.99 |
| Windows Server 2022 | €119.95 | €119.95 | €23.99 |
| Windows Server 2025 | €204.95 | €154.95 | €40.99 / €30.99 |
Important: CALs must not be older than the server they access. Newer CALs, however, cover older servers.
Mixed environments: combine both types
It is not necessary to commit to one type for the entire company. Many businesses combine User CALs for employees with multiple devices and Device CALs for shared workstations.
Example calculation
A business with 8 employees, 3 of whom have home office notebooks in addition to their office computer, and 2 workshop terminals shared by 5 people: 8 User CALs for the employees, 2 Device CALs for the terminals – making 10 CALs. For Windows Server 2022, this would be two 5-packs of User CALs and one 5-pack of Device CALs, totaling around €360.
"I had initially thought about buying Device CALs for everyone because it sounded simpler – in the end, the mixed solution cost me almost thirty percent less." A office manager describes how the additional calculation effort in license planning paid off concretely.
Conclusion
For mobile or home office employees, count by person; for shared workstations, count by device. Check out Windows Server 2022 User CAL and Device CAL, or our entire CAL overview. The exact quantity will be calculated by the CAL configurator.
