What is the difference between Named User Plus and Processor licensing?

Named User Plus counts authorised users and devices at $950 each; Processor counts the hardware at $47,500 per processor. You license on one metric, and the cheaper one depends on users per processor.

What is the Named User Plus minimum?

Enterprise Edition requires 25 Named User Plus per processor. You license the higher of the actual users or 25 times the licensable processor count, so a two processor database floors at 50 NUP.

When is Processor cheaper than Named User Plus?

At $47,500 per processor and $950 per user, the break-even is 50 users per processor. Above 50 counted users per processor, Processor is cheaper; below it, NUP wins, floored at the 25 minimum.

When must I use the Processor metric?

When the user population cannot be counted, such as a public website, an internet-facing application, or an unbounded API, Oracle requires the Processor metric regardless of how few humans are involved.

Does Named User Plus count devices?

Yes. Named User Plus counts authorised non-human operated devices as well as people, so batch feeds, sensors, and service accounts add to the count.

Do I have to talk to a salesperson to read it?

No. Enter your details and the full white paper opens on this page. There is no follow up sales call unless you ask for one.

White Paper · Oracle Database

Named User Plus or Processor: The Metric Decision

Oracle sells the same database per named user and per processor, and the choice can move the bill by a factor of ten. The 25 per processor minimum, the 50 user break-even, and how to choose.

Format PDF + HTML

Read Time 16 Minutes

Last Updated July 14, 2026

What you will take away

The two metrics and the prices: Named User Plus at $950, Processor at $47,500
The 25 NUP per processor minimum, the floor you always pay
The 50 user per processor break-even, with a worked example
When a public or internet-facing system forces the Processor metric
The recurring audit findings and the sequence to choose the right metric

500+Enterprise Clients

$2B+Under Advisory

Buyer Side100% Independent

OraclePractice

Free Download

Get the full white paper

Opens on the next screen. Corporate addresses only.

Ready?

Stop overpaying. Start negotiating.

Independent. Buyer side. The advisory firm enterprise software vendors do not want you to hire.

Vendor Advisory

Cloud & Emerging

Programs

Advisory Services

Assessments

Research

Knowledge Hubs

Tool Hubs

Named User Plus or Processor: The Metric Decision

What you will take away

More from the Oracle practice

Stop overpaying. Start negotiating.

Monthly Licensing Intelligence