Seemed like this might be a good resource for making informed decisions. Companies can be deceptive whether they require the dreaded dongle. (Sometimes until after you've made the purchase). So I found this list to help those of us that wish to avoid them, can do so. This list may need to be updated though as I noticed WAVES is still on the list, Steinberg is not but this could be just because some versions still have them. I wasn't aware that Notion uses them too? Anyway, if you have info on whether or not they're used, no longer used, which versions use them or know of other companies on this list, add on to it. [ur] AbbeyRoad Almateq SRL Antares Audio Technologies Audio Ease Audio Research Brainworx Music & Media GmbH Celemony Cognitone Crane Song Ltd Creative Network Design Cube-Tec International GmbH Cycling '74 Digidesign Dolby Drawmer DTS, Inc. DUY Research East West Sounds, Inc. Eiosis Elysia GmbH Euphonix Inc. Eventide, Inc. Flux Focusrite Audio Engineering GRM Tools Intelligent Devices iZotope KIWA International Ltd Lawo AG Lexicon Line 6, Inc. M-Audio Mark Of The Unicorn, Inc. McDSP MDW Massenberg Minnetonka Mu Technologies Neyrinck Nomad Factory Notion Oxford Digital Limited Parsek srl Markbass PGMT Ltd. Plugorama - Muse Research Princeton Digital LLC PSP Audioware Quiet Art Ltd. Remote Control Productions RNDigital Serato Audio Research Ltd. Slanecon Digital Softube AB solidThinking Inc. Sonalksis Sonic Studio Sonik Architects Sonnox Ltd. Soundfield Soundminer SoundToys Source Elements SPL Germany SRS Labs, Inc. Synaptricity Synchro Arts Synful Synthogy Tac System, Inc. Tanager AudioWorks, Inc. TC Electronic TC-Helicon Vocal Technologies, Inc. The Sound Guy, Inc. Ultimate Sound Bank Unique Recording Software Unity Technologies ApS Universal Audio, Inc. Verance Virtual Katy Waves, Inc. Wholegrain Digital Systems Write Brothers, Inc. zplane.development

Couple of things, there may be more ... - Steinberg requires an eLicenser, which is basically the same as an iLok. Maybe this thread should be a generic 'dongle list' to avoid needless (imho) singling out of iLok vs the others (eLicenser, CodeMeter etc.) - Cycling74 doesn't require an iLok, last I knew it was optional - Digidesign doesn't exist anymore, having been acquired by Avid - Flux don't require an iLok, users can choose a 'Flux USB dongle' - Izotope do not require an iLok, they also offer online auth or offline C/R auth - PSP also do not require an iLok, it's optional - Universal Audio don't use iLok anymore Add to list: + Slate Digital (iLok)

Audioease: iLok or challenge response. Celemony: (Melodyne?) Doesn't require an ilok although it must be optional if it's on the list. MOTU: DP doesn't use an iLok but their commercial software instruments do.

Motu used to use the Mac itself as the Dongle. Why would you crack or copy Digital Performer when you had to buy a $3000+ Mac? So those were great days for Motu, they ignored Windows 2000, Windows Xp, Windows Vista, Windows 7 oh wait SHIT they had no choice but to now come to Windows as Apple is done with the Mac pro's. So now the Motu see's their Mac bullshit scheme come to and end they bring Digital performer 8 to Windows 7. Too little to late where were they since 2001 when XP came out? FACEPALMED!! No Windows user is dumb enough to buy it now. Next time don't be a jackass and support both Platforms. Again how did protecting Digital Performer from Windows and PC users get motu in the end? Oh that's right nearing Bankruptcy!!! now forced to bring Digital Performer to Windows 8 What a Joke, yet another company burned by Apple.

Nomad Factory do not require an iLok. They use a license file. "Do I need an iLok, Pace, Syncrosoft or hardware key to use Nomad Factory products? No, you can authorize up to 3 computers without any hardware keys or third party protection systems. Nomad Factory products use a proprietary and easy to use authorization system."

+1 for Nomad.

I'll add to the list of needing ilok Kush Audio Exponential Audio Relab