In short
Cisco Secure Client (formerly AnyConnect) has three licence types: Advantage (was AnyConnect Plus) and Premier (was Apex), per unique user with a minimum of 25 on 12 to 60-month terms, Advantage also perpetual, and VPN Only, perpetual per headend. Forever Systems, a Cisco Partner, can quote the right code and band, terms confirmed at quote.
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AnyConnect names and Secure Client names
Cisco renamed AnyConnect as Cisco Secure Client and renamed the licences with it. The part numbers kept their AnyConnect roots (PLS for Plus, APX for Apex, VPNO for VPN Only), which is why old and new names still appear side by side on quotes and renewal notices:
| AnyConnect licence | Secure Client licence | Licensed by | Part numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| AnyConnect Plus (and the older Essentials and Mobile licences) | Secure Client Advantage | Unique users, subscription or perpetual | Advantage codes |
| AnyConnect Apex (and the older Premium, Shared and Flex licences) | Secure Client Premier | Unique users, subscription | Premier codes |
| AnyConnect VPN Only | Secure Client VPN Only | Concurrent connections on one headend, perpetual | VPN Only codes |
Customers licensed for Secure Client 5 are also entitled to earlier AnyConnect releases. If you are still running AnyConnect 4.x, read AnyConnect end of life (opens in a new tab) for the upgrade picture.
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How Cisco Secure Client licensing works
Cisco's Secure Client ordering guide (opens in a new tab) sets out two licensing models.
Advantage and Premier are counted by unique users: everyone who may use any Secure Client service, whichever firewall or headend they connect to. The minimum is 25 users with no maximum, and one licence covers each user across all your headends. Premier includes everything in Advantage, so each user needs one licence or the other, and you can mix the two: Premier for staff who need posture checks, Advantage for everyone else. Subscriptions run 12 to 60 months, 36 by default, include software updates and support, and can be co-termed with other Cisco contracts. Advantage is also sold as a perpetual licence, which needs a separate Cisco software support contract (SWSS) for downloads and support.
VPN Only is a perpetual licence for one headend, sized by the maximum number of concurrent connections, with an SWSS contract for support.
Some Cisco services include Secure Client for use with them. Every Cisco Secure Access package includes the Secure Client download for use with Secure Access (Secure Access ordering guide (opens in a new tab)), and Cisco gives complimentary use of the client with Cisco Umbrella and Cisco Secure Endpoint. Remote access through your own firewalls or routers uses one of the licences below.
The table lists the top-level codes. Each licence type has its own page with every term band and user count.
Cisco Secure Client top-level part numbers
The codes a Secure Client quote starts from. Subscriptions run 12 to 60 months; the Advantage perpetual licence is bought once, and the Route column shows how Cisco lists it. VPN Only codes are on the VPN Only page.
| Part number | Description | Unit | Term | Route | Basket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L-AC-PLS-LIC= | Secure Client Advantage subscription, top-level code (formerly AnyConnect Plus) | Per unique user (minimum 25) | 12 to 60 months | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-LIC= | Secure Client Premier subscription, top-level code (formerly AnyConnect Apex) | Per unique user (minimum 25) | 12 to 60 months | Annual | |
| L-AC-PLS-P-G | Secure Client Advantage perpetual, top-level code (user count options added under it) | Per unique user (minimum 25) | Perpetual | Annual |
Part numbers from Cisco Secure Client Ordering Guide (updated 8 September 2026) (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-11-08. Add the licences you need to your basket and request a quote: we confirm the right part numbers, quantities and terms when we quote.
Is Cisco Secure Client licences the right fit for you?
We will check it against your systems and requirements and recommend the right option.
Which Secure Client code to start from
A Secure Client order starts from one of three top-level codes:
- L-AC-PLS-LIC= for an Advantage subscription, or L-AC-APX-LIC= for Premier. You give the total unique users for that tier and the term, and Cisco co-terms the licences to the dates you choose.
- Banding codes such as L-AC-PLS-3Y-S2 carry the term and user band in the code itself. Cisco notes that orders placed through a reseller may need the banding code for your term and user count. Each band runs from a lower to an upper user count, from 25 to 99 users up to 100,000 or more.
- L-AC-PLS-P-G for Advantage perpetual licences, with the user count chosen as options under it.
- L-AC-VPNO- codes for VPN Only, one per headend, sized by concurrent connections.
You do not need to work out the band yourself: tell us how many people connect and for how long you want the licence, and we confirm the band and code when we quote. Adding users later is a further order for the extra users.
Remote access with MFA and zero trust
Secure Client is often one part of a remote access project:
- Multi-factor authentication: Cisco Duo adds MFA to Secure Client VPN logins. See Cisco Duo part numbers and Duo for Cisco Secure Client (opens in a new tab).
- Zero trust access: Cisco Secure Access delivers VPN as a service and zero trust access from the cloud, with Secure Client included for use with it.
- Device posture: posture checks with Cisco ISE need Secure Client Premier and ISE Premier. See Cisco ISE part numbers.
For a plain-English guide to what Secure Client does and how its features compare, see Cisco Secure Client (opens in a new tab) and Cisco Secure Client licensing (opens in a new tab) on our Cisco security site. For other remote access products, see SASE, ZTNA and business VPN.
How we help
Forever Systems, a Cisco Partner, counts your unique users, recommends Advantage, Premier or VPN Only for each group and quotes the matching codes. We can set up the client profiles on your firewall or other headend, link your contract to your Cisco.com IDs so your team can download the software, and handle renewals and extra users later.
Add the codes you are interested in to the basket and send them with your enquiry; nothing is charged online. Contact us for a quote or a check of an existing AnyConnect renewal.
Secure Client licence types
How Forever Systems supplies your software licences
Forever Systems supplies business software subscriptions to UK organisations from one account, with one invoice and a team who know the products.
- Help choosing the right edition: we check what you need before you buy, so you are not paying for features you will never use
- Monthly or annual terms where the vendor offers them, and help timing renewals and commitments
- Licence changes handled for you: add or remove users, upgrade editions and true-up without starting a new contract
- Deployment and support from our engineers, not just a reseller account
- Consolidated billing and renewal reminders to help stop subscriptions lapsing unexpectedly
We can supply businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations of all sizes.
Frequently asked questions
What replaced AnyConnect Plus and Apex?
AnyConnect Plus became Cisco Secure Client Advantage and AnyConnect Apex became Cisco Secure Client Premier. AnyConnect VPN Only became Secure Client VPN Only. The part numbers still use the old abbreviations: L-AC-PLS for Advantage and L-AC-APX for Premier.
Is Secure Client included with Secure Access?
Yes, for use with Secure Access. Every Cisco Secure Access package includes the Secure Client download for use with that service. Using Secure Client with your own firewalls needs a Secure Client licence.
What is the minimum order?
25 unique users for Advantage and Premier, with no maximum. VPN Only licences start at 25 concurrent connections on one headend.
Do Secure Client licences include support?
Advantage and Premier subscriptions include software updates and Cisco support. Advantage perpetual and VPN Only licences need a Cisco software support contract (SWSS), which we quote with the licences.
Still have a question about Cisco Secure Client licences?
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