EULA Generator

An end-user license agreement, or EULA, is the contract between the maker of a program and the person who installs it. It does not sell the software. It grants permission to use it, on conditions, so that the maker keeps the rights in the code and can say what users may not do. This generator drafts one from the choices that really differ between products.

What the form asks

Enter the software name, an optional version, the licensor (a company or a person), the governing law, a contact email and an effective date. Then choose a licence type: perpetual for a one-time purchase, subscription for a licence that lasts while the user pays, or free. Choose the installation scope: one device, devices used by one user, or devices of one organisation. Four switches finish the form: updates are covered by the agreement, the software collects usage or diagnostic data, it includes open-source components, and it is beta or pre-release.

What the agreement says

Clause 1 identifies the parties and the software, including documentation and updates. Clause 2 is the licence grant: limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable and revocable, for devices the user owns or controls. Clause 3 lists restrictions: no copying beyond backup, no modifying or reverse engineering except where the law gives that right regardless, no renting or sharing, and no building a competing product. Clause 4 states that the software is licensed and not sold, and that all rights stay with the licensor and its suppliers.

The remaining clauses depend on your answers. The updates switch decides whether upgrades become part of the software or need a separate agreement. The data switch adds a notice of what is collected and points to your privacy policy. The open-source switch adds a clause saying those components stay under their own licences. The beta switch adds a warning that the software may contain errors and may change before release. Termination, warranty disclaimer, limitation of liability, governing law and contact details close the agreement.

A worked example

The first sample is Maple Planner version 2.1, a desktop program from Maple Software Ltd sold with a perpetual licence for devices used by one user. The output is dated 10 November 2026 and runs to about 540 words. Clause 2 grants the licence for devices “that you own or control and use yourself”. Clause 5 says updates become part of the software, and that Maple Software Ltd has no duty to provide support or updates unless a separate agreement says so. Clause 6 covers data collection. The second sample, a beta subscription app, changes the licence type and adds the pre-release warning.

Choosing sensibly

Match the installation scope to your price list: a licence for one device that you then sell as a household pack creates arguments. Switch on the data clause only when it is true, and make the privacy policy say the same. If you ship open-source components, check their own licences, because some require you to pass on notices or source code, and a EULA cannot override that.

Limits

A EULA is a contract of adhesion, which many courts read strictly against the maker. Limits on warranty and liability are not enforced in the same way everywhere, and consumer law can override them. Open-source projects should use the licence that matches their terms and do not need a proprietary EULA. This is a general template, not legal advice, so have it reviewed before you ship software under it.

Related tools

• Terms and Conditions Generator suits a hosted service better than an installed program.
• Privacy Policy Generator explains what the diagnostic data clause refers to.
• SLA Generator adds uptime and support commitments for business customers.
• Disclaimer Generator provides the shorter notices that a download page may need.