With usage-based billing, you pay monthly for the number of GitHub Enterprise and GitHub Advanced Security licenses you use. You do not need to buy a predefined number of licenses in advance.
Usage-based billing for licenses provides flexibility and cost savings compared to more traditional licensing models, such as volume or subscription models.
Do I have usage-based billing?
You are already enrolled in usage-based billing if you created a trial of GitHub Enterprise Cloud on or after August 1, 2024.
If you currently pay for your GitHub Enterprise licenses by invoice with a volume, subscription, or prepaid agreement, you will continue to be billed in this way until your agreement expires. At renewal, you have the option to switch to the metered billing model.
Can I use GitHub Enterprise Server?
Although you can sync licenses with GitHub Enterprise Server, usage-based licensing is a cloud-first license model where users must first be added to an organization on GitHub Enterprise Cloud.
For a detailed comparison between usage-based and volume licensing models, see Combined GitHub Enterprise cloud and server use.
Can I use a Visual Studio bundle?
If you have a Visual Studio bundle with GitHub Enterprise Cloud, you can switch to usage-based billing by contacting your account manager or GitHub's Sales team ahead of contract renewal.
Usage-based billing will apply to non-bundled licenses, categorized as "GitHub Enterprise licenses" on your enterprise's Licensing page. These licenses include:
- Licenses for enterprise members who are not matched to a Visual Studio account.
- Any extra GitHub Enterprise licenses you consume beyond the number of licenses purchased in your volume agreement.
Bundled licenses (Visual Studio plus GitHub Enterprise) remain on a volume agreement.
Before switching to usage-based billing, to ensure you are not charged extra for Visual Studio users who should consume a bundled license:
- Ensure all Visual Studio users are correctly matched to their account on GitHub. See Setting up Visual Studio subscriptions with GitHub Enterprise.
- Add all Visual Studio users to your enterprise on GitHub Enterprise Cloud before adding them to GitHub Enterprise Server. Users who are only on GitHub Enterprise Server will consume a "GitHub Enterprise" license once you switch to usage-based billing.
How are metered licenses measured?
With metered billing, the cost of a license is calculated by measuring consumed licenses and billable licenses.
- Consumed licenses: The number of licenses currently in use.
- Billable licenses: The unique licenses billed in a billing cycle. If a user stops consuming a license within the month, the adjustment is reflected in your next month's bill.
If a user starts consuming a licensed seat in the middle of the billing cycle, you will pay pro rata for the user's license usage that month.
For example: The billing cycle begins on the first day of the month, and the account starts with 0 licenses.
- Day 1: The administrator adds 10 licensed users.
- Day 2: The administrator adds 20 licensed users.
- Day 3: The administrator removes 5 licensed users.
- Day 4: No change.
At the end of day 4, there will be:
- 25 consumed licenses
(10 + 20 - 5). This is the number of users actively consuming licenses. - 30 billable licenses
(10 + 20). This is the number of distinct users that consumed a license at some point during the month.
Pending invitations to join an organization that belongs to your enterprise on GitHub do not consume a license.
Which payment methods can I use?
You can use the following payment methods for usage-based billing for licenses:
- Invoiced and self-serve GitHub Enterprise customers can pay using a credit card or PayPal
- Invoiced customers can also pay using prepaid credits (only available to customers who have a volume subscription with or without metered add-ons)
- You can connect an Azure subscription to your enterprise account
- For purchase orders, you can contact your account manager in GitHub's Sales team