The right Microsoft software license for every need

Buy used Microsoft licences - securely, cheaply and legally

At Soft & Cloud, you can find affordable used Microsoft licences for Office, Windows and Microsoft Server that can reduce your company's IT costs by up to 70%. Our transfer process for used Microsoft licences has been certified by TÜVIT for the fifth time and offers legal certainty. We only offer used licences for Microsoft software that meet the requirements defined by the ECJ for proper resale.

What is the difference between used licences (used software) and new licences?

When you buy used Microsoft licences from Soft & Cloud, you are not purchasing a physical product, but the rights to use the licensed software, e.g. for Microsoft Office. Used licences and new licences therefore offer the same range of functions and guarantee the same level of support from the manufacturer. In terms of the quality or security of the licensed software, new and used licences do not differ in the slightest. The only difference is the price.

Buying and selling used software

Soft & Cloud specialises in the legally compliant trade in used standard software from Microsoft. We have been buying and selling used Microsoft licences legally and securely for more than 10 years. The legal situation here is based on a ruling by the European Court of Justice from 3 July 2012, which allows the trade in used software as long as certain requirements are met.

At Soft & Cloud, you only buy used software that has undergone a TÜVIT-certified transfer process. We buy licences throughout Europe from companies that no longer need and use them due to over-licensing, restructuring, staff reductions or other reasons. Before each purchase, we check whether the original purchase conditions permit a resale and also that the software has been correctly delicensed and is therefore marketable.

If you buy a used Microsoft Office licence from Soft & Cloud, for example, we automatically store the licences purchased from us as well as all associated downloads and documents on our Soft & Cloud licence management portal. The intuitive web interface allows you to keep track of your purchased licences and usage rights at all times.

Microsoft Office functions

At Soft & Cloud, companies can buy any used licence for Microsoft Office, for example: certified, secure and up to 70 % cheaper than from Microsoft. As software and licences do not wear out and the update and downgrade rights are also transferred to the buyer, the use of pre-owned software enables enormous savings can be realised by using pre-owned software, without any restrictions in terms of functionality, security or support from Microsoft. This also applies to the programmes in the Office suite, which you can purchase from Soft & Cloud both individually and as a complete package (in the Standard and Professional versions). In addition to the versions, we also offer older versions of the software at particularly favourable prices. This also applies to programmes such as Visio or Project, which are not part of the Office suite and are therefore offered separately.

Scope of available software licences

At Soft & Cloud, we offer you a large selection of used software from Microsoft, including Office, Visio, Project, Windows as well as server operating systems and access licences (CAL). You can conveniently request the licences you need via our webshop. We will then send you our offer at short notice.

If you need advice, please contact our experienced licence consultants by telephone or in writing. They will be happy to answer your questions personally and help you find the right software for your requirements and a sufficient number of used licences.

Conclusion

Affordable, secure and transparent - used software from Soft & Cloud costs you little and offers unlimited performance and support from Microsoft. We would be happy to advise you personally, simply call us on +49 2571 8731087 or send us an e-mail with your request to info@softandcloud.com.

Frequently asked questions and answers

Is it legal to buy used software?

In principle, it is legal under European law to buy used Microsoft licences, as long as they are original software that was first placed on the market in the European Economic Area or the EU. The European Court of Justice established this in its ruling of 3 July 2012, which was confirmed by the German Federal Court of Justice in December 2014.

Are Windows licences transferable?

According to a judgement by the European Court of Justice in 2012, the so-called ‘principle of exhaustion’ of copyright law also applies to software, which was confirmed by the Federal Court of Justice at the last instance in 2014. This means that a manufacturer cannot prohibit the resale of its product if it was first placed on the market in the European Economic Area or EU member states with its consent. The basic prerequisite for a legal licence transfer is always licence transfer is always that the previous owner has completely uninstalled the software. Judgements by the ECJ and BGH confirm that legally acquired licences may also be legally resold. The decisive factor is that certain requirements are met when the licence is transferred - something that TÜVIT at Soft & Cloud has repeatedly determined as part of legally compliant certification.

Can licences be resold?

As the exhaustion principle of copyright law also applies to software, companies that no longer need licences can legally resell them. One of the prerequisites for this is that the licenced software has been completely uninstalled, which the seller and buyer must document. Soft & Cloud is the first used software reseller to offer a TÜVIT-certified licence transfer and has successfully passed the TÜVIT audit for the fifth time in a row.

Soft & Cloud thus fulfils all the requirements that the European Court of Justice laid down in its ruling of 3 July 2012 for a secure licence transfer, which means legal certainty for buyers and sellers.

Where are Windows licences stored?

At Soft & Cloud, used licences for Microsoft Office and other Microsoft software products are documented in a central licence management portal, which not only ensures complete documentation but also simplifies administration for the customer. The product key that activates the software on the end device is stored locally or centrally.