A buyer side guide to Oracle GoldenGate licensing in 2026. How the per processor metric and core factor work, which edition you need, and when the OCI metered service beats a perpetual license.
Oracle GoldenGate is licensed per processor on the servers where it captures or delivers data, and the edition you need depends on the source and target databases. The processor count, the core factor, and the edition together set a bill that often surprises data teams.
This guide is for data and procurement leaders sizing an Oracle GoldenGate purchase or renewal. Read it with the Oracle Database licensing guide and the Oracle Knowledge Hub.
GoldenGate is a per processor product. You license it on every server that runs a GoldenGate process, which usually means both ends of the replication.
Oracle publishes the model and editions on the Oracle GoldenGate product page. The per processor metric mirrors the Oracle Database approach, including the core factor.
The processor count is derived from physical cores multiplied by the Oracle core factor for the chip. It is the same calculation buyers use for the database.
The edition depends on what you are connecting. Oracle to Oracle is the cheapest. Mixed source and target databases need a broader edition.
Every server with a GoldenGate process needs a license. A topology with many capture and delivery nodes multiplies the processor count fast.
GoldenGate processor licensing, illustrative example
| Server role | Cores | Core factor | Licensable processors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source capture | 16 | 0.5 | 8 |
| Target delivery | 16 | 0.5 | 8 |
| Hub or pump | 8 | 0.5 | 4 |
| Total | 40 | - | 20 processors |
On OCI, GoldenGate is a metered cloud service charged by the hour and by capacity. That model can suit short migrations better than a perpetual license.
No. Many buyers license it for a one time migration. For that case, the OCI metered service or a short term arrangement usually beats a perpetual purchase.
GoldenGate cost is a topology problem before it is a pricing problem. Map every server that runs a process, then decide whether perpetual or metered cloud fits the real use.
GoldenGate is licensed per processor on every server that runs a GoldenGate process, typically both the source and target. The processor count comes from physical cores multiplied by the Oracle core factor, the same method used for the Oracle Database.
Yes. Any server where GoldenGate captures, pumps, or delivers data needs a license. A simple source to target replication therefore requires licensing at both ends, and additional hub or pump nodes add to the total processor count.
GoldenGate for Oracle, used when both the source and target are Oracle databases, is the lowest cost edition. Heterogeneous environments with non Oracle databases require a broader edition, and big data or cloud targets need their own variants.
The Oracle core factor multiplies physical cores to produce the licensable processor count. On many x86 chips the factor is 0.5, so sixteen cores become eight processors. The factor varies by chip, so it must be confirmed per server.
It depends on the use. The OCI metered service is charged by capacity and time, which suits short migrations. Permanent, high volume replication often favors a perpetual license, so the choice turns on duration and scale rather than a single rate.
Yes. Many buyers use GoldenGate purely to migrate data once. For that case the OCI metered service or a short term arrangement usually costs far less than a perpetual per processor license you stop using after cutover.
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