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Rhino 3D gives you three ways to activate and manage your licence: Cloud Zoo, single-computer, and LAN Zoo. They all use the same perpetual licence key — you can switch between them at any time without repurchasing. This guide covers how each method works, when to use which, and the practical details that matter when you're setting up Rhino for yourself or a team.
The Three Licensing Methods
McNeel provides three activation methods for Rhino 6 and newer, all managed from the same licence key:
- Cloud Zoo — Login-based. Your licence lives in your Rhino Account and works on any computer where Rhino is installed. No constant internet connection required.
- Single-Computer — The licence key is entered directly on one machine. No internet connection needed after initial validation. You can move it to a different computer by removing it from the old one.
- LAN Zoo — A free server application runs on your network, floating licences to anyone on the same private network. Access from outside the office requires a VPN connection.
All three methods use the same licence key. Switching between them takes about 30 seconds in Rhino's licence settings — no need to contact McNeel or repurchase anything.
Cloud Zoo: Login-Based Licensing
Cloud Zoo is McNeel's recommended method for most users. Your licence is stored in your Rhino Account at accounts.rhino3d.com, and you activate Rhino by logging in rather than entering a key.
For individual users: Create a Rhino Account, add your licence key to it, then log in when Rhino starts. You can use Rhino on any computer — desktop, laptop, office, home — with the same login. Rhino continues working offline; it only needs to connect to McNeel's servers occasionally to refresh the licence.
For teams: An administrator creates a Cloud Zoo Team in their Rhino Account, adds licence keys to the team pool, and invites members by email. Team members log in with their own Rhino Accounts and pull a licence from the pool automatically. Large organisations can link the team to their domain so anyone logging in with a company email address is automatically added.
Cloud Zoo supports custom authentication providers including Google, Active Directory, Okta, and OneLogin for domain-linked teams, so licence access can follow your existing identity management setup.
One note for academic users: Educational single-user licences can use Cloud Zoo for personal use across multiple computers, but cannot be shared with other users via Cloud Zoo teams. The licence is tied to the named account holder.
Single-Computer Licensing
Single-computer licensing locks your Rhino licence to one specific machine. After entering the licence key during setup, Rhino validates it and runs without any subsequent internet connection.
This method suits environments where constant internet access isn't available or permitted — air-gapped workstations, secure facilities, or offline rendering nodes. You can move the licence to a new computer by removing it from the old machine and entering the key on the new one. No need to contact McNeel support to do this.
If you previously used Cloud Zoo and want to switch to single-computer licensing, remove your licence from the Cloud Zoo in your Rhino Account settings, then enter the key directly in Rhino's licence dialog and select "Use only on this computer."
LAN Zoo: Network Floating Licences
The LAN Zoo is McNeel's free server application for floating licences across a private network. You install the Zoo server on one machine, add your licence keys to it, and any Rhino user on the same network can pull a licence automatically when they start Rhino.
When a user closes Rhino, the licence returns to the pool. This lets a studio with, say, 10 designers and 6 Rhino licences share those licences efficiently — only 6 need to be active at any one time.
Remote access requires a VPN connection back to the office network. The LAN Zoo doesn't support internet-based floating directly; Cloud Zoo is the better choice for distributed teams working from different locations.
For a detailed cost comparison of when a floating licence setup makes financial sense, see our LAN Zoo buying guide.
Switching Between Methods
One of the most common questions we get: can I change my licensing method later? Yes. All three methods use the same licence key, and you can switch at any time from within Rhino:
- Cloud Zoo to single-computer: Remove the licence from your Rhino Account, then enter the key in Rhino and select "Use only on this computer."
- Single-computer to Cloud Zoo: Remove the key from the old computer, add it to your Rhino Account, and log in via Cloud Zoo.
- Either to LAN Zoo: Enter the key in the LAN Zoo server's administration interface. The key is then available to anyone on the network.
You don't lose your licence or need to repurchase when switching. The key itself doesn't change — only how Rhino accesses it.
Legacy Version Access
When you purchase or upgrade to Rhino 8, your licence key also unlocks Rhino 6 and Rhino 7. This is useful if you work with clients or collaborators still running older versions, or if a specific plugin hasn't been updated for Rhino 8 yet.
The key detail: an upgrade chain counts as a single licence. If you upgraded from Rhino 7 to Rhino 8, you can run either version — but not both at the same time on different machines. If you need Rhino 7 and Rhino 8 running simultaneously on separate computers, you need a second licence.
Rhino 8 is the current fully released version. Rhino 9 is in public beta and available to all Rhino 8 licence holders at no additional cost during the beta period.
Academic and Lab Licence Notes
McNeel's academic licences — available to current students, educators, and institutional staff — include full commercial use rights. The licence holder can use Rhino for paid client work; the only restriction is that the licence is not transferable to another person.
Academic single-user licences cannot be shared via Cloud Zoo teams. The named account holder can install Rhino on multiple computers and use it via Cloud Zoo, but other users cannot access that licence.
Lab licences — designed for schools and universities — are floating-only since Rhino 8. They cannot be assigned to individual computers; they must be managed through Cloud Zoo or LAN Zoo so that multiple students can access them from shared workstations. For a full breakdown of lab licensing options, see our university lab licensing guide.
Which Method Should You Choose?
- Solo user with one computer: Single-computer is simplest. No login required, no internet needed after setup.
- Solo user across multiple computers: Cloud Zoo. Log in on any machine, work offline when needed.
- Small team (2-5 users): Cloud Zoo with a Team. Share a pool of licences, no server to maintain.
- arger team or office (6+ users): LAN Zoo if everyone is in one location; Cloud Zoo Teams if distributed across locations.
- Secure/offline environment: Single-computer. Complete air-gap operation after initial setup.
Questions About Rhino Licensing?
If you're deciding between Cloud Zoo, single-computer, or LAN Zoo activation — or you need help managing multiple licences across a team — get in touch and we'll talk through your setup.
Contact the CADWAX team