Ask Secure Desk a question. Answers come from this site's docs only. I will cite a page. I will not invent a product claim.
Starter license
Get started — free Starter on a relay you run
Free Starter covers 1 operator, 1 concurrent session, and 3 enrolled Windows devices on a self-hosted relay — not unlimited free SaaS. Same end-to-end encryption as every paid tier. An unlicensed install runs as Starter. Windows Client (portable or Access) on endpoints; Linux is the relay host; the Agent works in the browser console.
How activation works
- You get an activation code. Either from the form here, or by email after you buy a paid plan.
- Install the portal and relay. Download the release and run
install.shon a Linux host — that machine is the relay, not an endpoint. Then put the Windows portable Client or Access service on the machines you support. The Agent console is the browser only. Step-by-step guide. - Read your Node ID. Sign in to your new portal and open Settings → License.
- Activate. Enter the code plus that Node ID on the activation page and we issue your licence key. Paste it back into Settings → License.
Your licence key is tied to the deployment it runs on, so it can only be generated after you install — that is why step 1 sends a code rather than the key itself.
Need more than one operator?
Starter covers a single operator and three enrolled Windows devices on your self-hosted relay — Windows endpoints only. Compare paid plans for larger fleets, SSO, branding and code signing. Hub prices: Starter free · Team $249/yr · Business $499/yr.
What you are installing
One Linux host running Node.js and PostgreSQL — the relay and portal (ports 80/443). It serves the join page, the browser Agent console and the WebSocket relay. Windows endpoints dial out with the portable Client or Access service. Endpoints do not need inbound rules; the relay still does.
Need install help?
Tell us about your fleet
Secure Desk is self-hosted — you run the portal and relay. There is no hosted multi-tenant Desk cloud. Use this form if you want MSP/multi-deployment terms or help sizing Starter/Team/Business.