PLC Programming Software Without an Annual License (Ladder + Structured Text)
Which PLC programming tools give you ladder logic and structured text without a yearly subscription, and which ones lock you to one hardware brand? Licence models compared from vendor sources.
Short answer: If you want ladder logic (LD) and structured text (ST) without paying a yearly fee, you have four main choices:
- CODESYS Development System: no licence fee for the IDE, and it runs on many hardware brands. You pay for a runtime on each target device.
- OpenPLC: open source, with no licence fee at all.
- Beckhoff TwinCAT 3: core engineering has no licence cost, but the runtime is licensed.
- Rockwell CCW Standard: free, but it only programs Micro800 controllers.
If your plant already runs Siemens S7 or Allen-Bradley ControlLogix/CompactLogix, you cannot avoid that vendor's paid tool. Siemens still sells unlimited (perpetual) TIA Portal licences. Rockwell sells Studio 5000 through subscription-based ordering options.
This page is about how you pay (once, per device, per year or never) and whether the IDE ties you to one hardware brand. For a download-by-download list of free tools, use our free PLC programming software list.
Reviewed October 25, 2026 against each publisher's own pages (sources at the end). Licence terms change, so recheck the publisher page and your quote before you commit a project. We do not list prices that the publishers don't publish.
Ownership disclosure: PLC Programming and PLC Simulation Software are run by the same team. Our product appears once below, in the learning row, with its own subscription terms stated.
The five ways PLC software is licensed
"No annual license" can mean very different things. Name the model before you compare tools:
| Model | What you pay | Typical examples | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open source | Nothing for the software | OpenPLC, Beremiz | You handle support, target hardware and qualification yourself |
| Free IDE, paid runtime | Nothing for the editor; a runtime licence per controller or PC | CODESYS, TwinCAT 3 | Runtime and add-on licences per machine; demo runtimes time out |
| Free manufacturer edition | Nothing, as long as you buy that maker's hardware | CCW Standard (Micro800), Machine Expert Basic (M221), AutomationDirect CLICK / Do-more / Productivity | Only programs one hardware family |
| Perpetual ("unlimited") licence | One-time purchase; updates are optional and often yearly | Siemens TIA Portal / STEP 7 (unlimited licence + optional Software Update Service) | New major versions may need an upgrade or a paid update contract |
| Subscription | Yearly (or monthly) fee for as long as you use it | Rockwell's subscription ordering options for Studio 5000 | Access depends on renewal |
A single product can mix models. Siemens, for example, offers unlimited, rental and trial licences for the same engineering software, and separately sells an annual Software Update Service that renews automatically unless you cancel.
Which tools give you ladder and structured text with no yearly fee?
| Tool | Ladder (LD) | Structured text (ST) | How the IDE is licensed | What you still pay for | Hardware lock-in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CODESYS Development System | Yes | Yes (plus FBD, SFC, CFC) | No licence fee ("may be used free of charge") | Runtime per device, often bundled by the PLC maker; optional add-ons | Low: many brands license the CODESYS runtime |
| OpenPLC | Yes | Yes (IEC 61131-3 languages) | Open source | Your own hardware, support and validation | Low: supported PCs, single-board computers and microcontrollers |
| Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 (XAE) | Yes | Yes | Core PLC engineering has no licence cost | Runtime licences and extended functions; 7-day trial licences for evaluation | Medium: built for Beckhoff PC-based control |
| Rockwell CCW Standard | Yes | Yes (plus FBD) | Free download | Full Micro800 simulator is in paid Developer Edition (Standard has a 10-minute demo) | High: Micro800 only |
| Schneider Machine Expert – Basic | Yes | Check the M221 guide | Free, registration-based | Larger Modicon controllers need licensed Machine Expert | High: Modicon M221 only |
| AutomationDirect CLICK / Do-more / Productivity | Yes | Own instruction sets, not IEC ST | Free downloads | Nothing for the software | High: AutomationDirect PLCs only |
| Siemens TIA Portal / STEP 7 | Yes (LAD) | Yes (SCL) | Paid: unlimited, rental or 21-day trial | Licence purchase; optional annual Software Update Service | High: Siemens SIMATIC |
| Rockwell Studio 5000 Logix Designer | Yes | Yes | Paid; Rockwell points buyers to subscription ordering options | Licence or subscription through Rockwell or a distributor | High: Logix controllers |
Reading the table:
- "Yes" for ST means the editor offers it. Whether every target controller supports it is a separate question, so check the manual for your exact CPU.
- AutomationDirect's free tools are excellent value, but they are ladder-centred and tied to AutomationDirect hardware. Don't pick them if structured text is a requirement.
Live mini-lab
Try it: press START, then STOP
A stop-dominant seal-in rung: START latches the motor output through its own contact, and STOP breaks the circuit.
Watch the output lamp: it stays on after START until you press STOP.
Free · no signup to try · runs in your browserOpens plcsimulationsoftware.com — same team
If you want to avoid hardware lock-in
An IDE that works with many hardware brands protects you from being trapped by one supplier's pricing or lead times. The realistic options:
- CODESYS: one IDE for every controller maker that licenses its runtime. Skills and most application code carry across those brands. Device descriptions, libraries and I/O configuration still differ by maker.
- OpenPLC: open source end to end. It runs on supported Windows, Linux and macOS editors (v4.3.2 ships installers for all three) and on low-cost targets. It is a good fit for learning, labs and non-critical projects. Industrial qualification is your responsibility.
- PLCopen XML: an exchange format that moves some IEC logic between tools. It is useful, but it is not a guarantee that a whole project transfers.
- Transferable skills: IEC 61131-3 concepts (tags, data types, function blocks, ST syntax, scan behaviour) carry across vendors even when the project files don't. Learning them once is the cheapest insurance against lock-in.
Which option fits your situation?
You are learning PLCs on your own budget. Start with CODESYS or OpenPLC for IEC ladder and ST, and add CCW Standard if you want Allen-Bradley-style Micro800 practice. If you'd rather not install anything, a browser simulator gets you writing and testing logic in minutes. PLC Simulation Software (our product) has a free tier that does not expire and needs no card. Its paid plans are subscriptions, though: Basic is $12/month or $99/year, and Pro is $29/month or $249/year, per its product facts. It is a learning simulator, not a controller IDE, and it does not export native vendor project files.
You build small machines and choose the hardware. A CODESYS-based controller avoids a per-seat engineering fee for every engineer. Ask the hardware supplier whether the runtime licence is included in the controller price, and which add-ons (motion, visualisation, fieldbus) cost extra.
You maintain a plant that already runs Siemens or Allen-Bradley. The controller decides the software. Ask your employer for access to the licensed tool, or price a perpetual TIA Portal licence (Siemens) or a Studio 5000 option through your Rockwell distributor. Free tools are for practice, not for editing the production project.
You run a training lab. Combine a free IEC IDE for everyone with a smaller number of vendor licences for the platform your local employers use. Compare educational licensing directly with Siemens and Rockwell.
Frequently asked questions
Is there PLC software that supports ladder and structured text with no license fee at all?
Yes. OpenPLC is open source, and the CODESYS Development System has no licence fee. Both support ladder and structured text. With CODESYS, the runtime on the target controller is licensed separately. Many PLC makers include it in the hardware price, and the bundled Windows demo runtime stops after two hours until you restart it.
Which PLC manufacturers don't charge per-seat licensing fees?
Rockwell (CCW Standard for Micro800), Schneider (Machine Expert – Basic for M221) and AutomationDirect (CLICK, Do-more Designer, Productivity Suite) offer free programming software for those product families. CODESYS charges controller makers per device, not engineers per seat. Beckhoff's core TwinCAT 3 engineering has no licence cost.
Can I buy TIA Portal once instead of paying every year?
Siemens' licensing overview lists unlimited licences as the standard case, alongside rental and trial licences. The yearly payment is the optional Software Update Service, which delivers new versions for a year and renews automatically unless you cancel. Confirm current terms and prices with Siemens or a partner.
Is Studio 5000 available as a perpetual license?
Rockwell's Studio 5000 page points buyers to subscription-based ordering options and a Studio 5000 ordering guide. Licence models and editions vary by agreement, so confirm with Rockwell or your distributor. CCW Standard is the free Rockwell option, but only for Micro800.
Does free PLC software run on a Mac?
Mostly no. Vendor IDEs are Windows applications. OpenPLC Editor ships macOS installers, and browser simulators run on any modern browser. See PLC programming on a Mac.
Sources
- CODESYS licensing overview and CODESYS Control Win SL demo terms
- OpenPLC Editor releases (v4.3.2) and OpenPLC project
- Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 licensing manual
- Rockwell Micro800 and CCW selection guide and Studio 5000 overview and ordering options
- Schneider Machine Expert Basic M221 FAQ
- AutomationDirect Do-more Designer, CLICK programming software and Productivity Suite
- Siemens TIA Portal licence overview (unlimited, rental, trial; floating vs single), TIA Portal V20 STEP 7 licensing and an example STEP 7 Software Update Service listing
Related reading
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Ownership disclosure: PLC Programming IO and PLC Simulation Software are operated by the same publisher.
