How Much Does MATLAB License Cost?

Published on November 5, 2025 | Prices Last Reviewed for Freshness: November 2025
Written by Alec Pow - Economic & Pricing Investigator | Content Reviewed by CFA Alexander Popinker

Educational content; not financial advice. Prices are estimates; confirm current rates, fees, taxes, and terms with providers or official sources.

MATLAB is a leading environment for numerical computing, algorithm design, and data analysis used by engineers, researchers, and students worldwide. Prices matter because the total outlay depends on license type, add-on toolboxes, and whether you choose annual or perpetual terms. This guide explains how the bill comes together so you can decide if a MATLAB license fits your work and budget, as outlined on the MathWorks products page.

License options include Standard Individual for commercial use, Academic variants, Student, and Home. The package you select determines what is included, what you can do with it, and how much you pay each year. Prices below reflect public pages and vendor materials as of October 2025, including the MathWorks Pricing & Licensing page.

Article Highlights

• Commercial Standard Individual is $940/year; common toolboxes add $1,000–$2,000/year each at list.
• Home is $149 perpetual with one year of maintenance included.
• Student pricing appears as $49 base or $99 for the Student Suite.
• Universities with TAH can provide broad access at zero out-of-pocket to users.
• MATLAB Online basic offers 20 free hours/month, helpful for light tasks.

How Much Does MATLAB License Cost?

The current list price shown on MathWorks for a Standard Individual license is $940 per year. This is a single named-user subscription for commercial or organizational use, and it includes Software Maintenance Service during the paid term. Prices for academic and campus-wide programs are handled by quote, which is typical for higher education procurement.

For personal use, MATLAB Home is widely referenced at $149 for a perpetual license that includes one year of maintenance, with regional storefronts sometimes listing EUR 119 before VAT in the EU. Student pricing commonly appears as $49 for base MATLAB or $99 for the Student Suite that bundles MATLAB, Simulink, and ten add-ons. Always check your country store and eligibility rules via MATLAB Answers (Home), the Student pricing thread, and the MATLAB Home store page.

Real-Life Cost Examples

Example A, Student: A PhD candidate reported paying $99 for the MATLAB and Simulink Student Suite, which aligns with the bundle MathWorks advertises for enrolled students. Where available, the $49 base MATLAB option is a smaller outlay but omits the extra bundled toolboxes.

Example B, Engineering firm: A small consultancy licensing a Standard Individual seat pays $940/year for base MATLAB, then adds commercial toolboxes like Signal Processing or Optimization, which list at roughly $1,000+ each per year for individual annual terms in publicly circulated price sheets such as this MATLAB price list and this updated compilation. One or two add-ons can move the yearly spend past $2,000.

Example C, Home user: A hobbyist purchases MATLAB Home for $149 as a perpetual license with one year of maintenance, reported repeatedly in MATLAB Central answers; several EU storefronts show EUR 119 before VAT, which is consistent with local promotions and currency presentation. Prices change. Always confirm.

Cost Breakdown

Base MATLAB: For commercial use, the Standard Individual subscription is $940/year, which includes Software Maintenance Service during the term, covering updates and support. Perpetual purchases in eligible categories include one year of maintenance after the initial buy; see MathWorks’ maintenance overview.

Toolboxes and Simulink: Add-ons are priced separately for commercial seats. Public price lists show common toolboxes at approximately $1,000–$2,000/year for individual annual licenses, with specialized products higher. Exact figures vary by product, currency, and channel.

Maintenance renewals: Maintenance can be renewed annually to keep receiving new releases and make license changes. Community answers note that lapses often require back-payment if you rejoin later (see this maintenance discussion).

Factors Influencing the Cost

Costs depend first on license type. Standard Individual is priced for commercial use, Academic options may lower the bill via institutional agreements, and Student or Home licenses target learning and personal projects with restricted use rights. Duration also matters: annual subscriptions include maintenance during the term, while perpetual buys include the first year and can add future coverage for upgrades. The number of users and whether you need network options can add line items, and toolboxes often represent the largest variable.

Alternative Products and Comparisons

Python with NumPy, SciPy, pandas, and matplotlib is free open source, although you invest time in environment setup and package integration. GNU Octave is also free and MATLAB-compatible for many tasks—start with the Octave home page or go straight to the download.

For symbolic math and some data workflows, Mathematica competes with different bundles. Public listings place personal or subscription packages in the hundreds to low thousands of dollars per year depending on plan and channel; see Wolfram pricing and a representative reseller listing for reference.

Ways to Spend Less

Check if your university runs a campus-wide program (often called TAH) that grants free use of MATLAB and many toolboxes to enrolled users—for example, the University of Hawaiʻi’s MATLAB site license page. MathWorks also offers MATLAB Online basic that provides 20 free hours per month with access to a core set of products—details on MATLAB Online versions.

Expert Insights and Tips

IT managers often advise buying only the toolboxes you actually use weekly and piloting workflows with a trial before committing. Maintenance is valuable when your team depends on new releases or needs vendor support for license changes (covered under Software Maintenance Service).

Total Cost of Ownership

For an individual commercial user, a three-year base subscription totals about $2,820 at $940/year before taxes. If you add two add-on toolboxes in the $1,000–$1,500/year band, the three-year total lands near $8,820–$11,520, depending on product mix and local taxes.

For a small team that requires base MATLAB, Simulink, and the Signal Processing and Optimization toolboxes, the first year can approach $4,000–$5,000, once you combine list prices, any required maintenance, and taxes that vary by region and purchasing channel.

Hidden and Unexpected Costs

Networked or floating arrangements can require license server administration and may incur service fees from your reseller, which are not obvious on base price pages. Some organizations also pay for premium support packages tied to maintenance renewals or buy add-on training to shorten onboarding time; a representative example is this maintenance support listing. Project creep raises costs: a single extra toolbox added midyear changes your maintenance footprint and your yearly renewal, and if a maintenance contract lapses and you later resume, you may owe back-payments.

Payment, Licensing and Support Options

Subscriptions provide the right to use the software for a 12-month period with updates during that term, while perpetual rights allow indefinite use of the version you purchased and include one year of maintenance after the initial buy. Upgrades beyond that year typically require a maintenance renewal. Before purchasing, you can request an official price list or a custom quote and test the environment using either a toolbox price request or a 30-day free trial.

Answers to Common Questions

How much is MATLAB for commercial use?

The Standard Individual subscription is $940/year at list, with add-on toolboxes priced separately. Taxes and currency can change your final invoice.

Is there a free version of MATLAB?

MATLAB Online basic gives 20 free hours/month with a limited product set. There is also a 30-day free trial of the full environment.

What toolboxes are included in the Student license?

The Student Suite bundles MATLAB, Simulink, and ten commonly used products at $99 in many regions, while the $49 base license covers MATLAB only. Check your local store for the exact bundle.

Can I use MATLAB Home commercially?

No. MATLAB Home is for personal, noncommercial use and includes one year of maintenance with the $149 perpetual license. Commercial work requires a Standard license.

Do prices vary by country?

Yes. Regional storefronts display local currency and taxes—for example, EUR 119 for MATLAB Home in parts of the EU before VAT. Promotions and eligibility can also differ.

When considering the cost of a MATLAB license in the US as of 2025, pricing varies based on the license type and intended use. A third-party snapshot compiles ranges for perpetual and annual options (see TrustRadius pricing). Availability through institutions can also change your out-of-pocket—for instance, access noted in the University of Toronto MATLAB license page for academic users.