While Magma is a non-commercial system, we are required to recover all costs arising from its distribution and support. These costs include the porting to numerous different processors and platforms, the preparation of user documentation, the prompt fixing of bugs, and the provision of a high standard of user support. Consequently the distribution is organised on a subscription basis, whereby a site takes out a subscription to run Magma on one or more designated processors for a set period, usually three years. The subscribing site is provided with all new releases, bug fixes, and general support while the subscription is current. At the end of the subscription period a site either renews their subscription or continues to run the last version installed whilst their subscription was active.
The subscription cost depends upon the number of machines and the processor type. Discounts are available for multiple machines. Discounted rates are also available for educational institutions located in newly industrialised countries. Rates for commercial and government organisations are higher.
Extensive documentation (including PDF and HTML copies of the Magma Handbook) is included with the distribution. We also issue approximately fifteen patch releases each year. In this way users who commit to undertaking large projects with Magma have the assurance that any problems they encounter will usually be rapidly resolved.
To order the system, or for more information, please complete the online quote request form; once the subscription cost for your institution has been established, payment can be made via the online order form.
Magma (including patch releases and additional libraries and databases) can be downloaded from the downloads page once an order has been received.
A student version of Magma is available. The only difference between it and the full version is that the memory usage is restricted to 150MB. The student version is now only available through educational institutions. See (ii) — (iv) below.
We regret to announce that the supply of a restricted version of Magma for a small price to students enrolled at a college or university has been discontinued for the time being. The costs associated with distributing and supporting the student versions have become far greater than the income received from student licences and we are not in a position to cross-subsidise these costs.
| (i) | The Magma free online calculator is available here and students and others are welcome to use it. | |
| (ii) | An educational institution that has current Magma Distribution/Support for 4 or more platforms can distribute the student version to its own students at no further cost. | |
| (iii) | Note that in the case of US educational institutions, the Distribution/Support costs are paid for centrally by the Simons Foundation so there is no cost to the institution. Students are urged to contact their Institution and see if this access can be arranged. | |
| (iv) | In cases (ii) and (iii) we require the institution to handle all distribution to individual students. It is up to the institution concerned to decide if they are prepared to undertake the actual distribution. |
Some individuals or institutions may be eligible for a reduced price on a Magma licence. We encourage you to contact us for details if you think that you are eligible.
Users from newly industrialised and developing countries may apply for Magma licences at a reduced rate, by special agreement.
Home computer versions for personal use by staff at organisations holding a Magma institutional licence are available. If your research group or department holds a Magma workstation or PC licence, we will licence a PC (Linux/Windows) or Macintosh (OS X) version of Magma for use on your home computer. The number of home licences must not exceed the number of institutional licences.
For educational institutions wishing to use Magma for teaching in student laboratories, a highly attractive rate is available.
If an organisation holds a licence for Magma and wishes to use Magma in their teaching programme, students taking relevant courses may each be eligible for a home version. In such cases distribution and support of the home version of Magma is handled by the teaching institution.
US non-profit non-government educational or scientific research institutions are likely to be eligible to acquire Magma at no further cost to them under the terms of the Simons Foundation Agreement.
The prices on this page were last updated in January 2024.