Lite Users in Zoho One - Overview
Lite users provide a cost-effective way to provide limited app access to specific users in your organization without requiring full Zoho One licenses. This guide explains what Lite users are, which add-ons are available, and how to use them effectively.
Lite users are users who do not own a full Zoho One license. Their access depends on the Lite-user add-ons assigned to them (for example, Lite-Accountant for Zoho Books access, Lite-Collaboration for selected collaboration apps, or Mail-Only for email access).
Lite users are typically contract staff, partners, external consultants, or employees who only need limited app access.
Lite users are identified with a "Lite user" tag in the user info page and a star icon in the user listing. To only view Lite users in your organization, use the filter dropdown above the user list and select Lite Users. You can also filter by specific Lite-user add-ons (such as Lite-Accountant) using the License filter options.
Limitations on Lite User Licensing
The following users cannot be converted to Lite user licenses and must retain full Zoho One licenses due to technical and security requirements:
- Zoho One admin role restrictions: Lite users can't hold any Zoho One admin roles, which are org-level admin-level roles managed from the Zoho One Admin Panel. These roles include:
- Organization Admin
- Application Admin
- Device Manager
- Devices Management Admin with password reset
- Helpdesk Admin
- Security Admin
- Space Admin
Example: A user with Lite-Accountant can be Service Admin in Zoho Books (managing Books-specific settings and users), but cannot be an Application Admin in the Zoho One Admin Panel (which allows managing app assignments org-wide) - Other restrictions:
- Users associated with device management (MDM/MAM)
- Users associated with RADIUS authentication features
If you need to reduce licenses for users who are Organization Admins or who are with device or RADIUS associations, you must first remove those roles or associations before converting to a Lite user license. Contact support@zohoone.com for assistance with device and RADIUS management.
For role assignment steps and behavior, see: Assign Applications to Lite Users | Update & Review Lite User Licenses
Licenses supported in Zoho One
There are two types of licenses you can choose from:
- Zoho One license is the regular kind of license that grants access to all apps and all features in the bundle. This is selected by default when adding a user.
- Lite User license helps provide limited access based on assigned add-ons like Lite-Accountant, Mail-Only, or Lite-Collaboration. You can choose one or more add-ons based on the user's app requirements.
License optimization: The License Utilization report may suggest cost-saving opportunities for Lite users, such as removing unnecessary add-ons or consolidating overlapping add-ons to reduce costs and redundancy while maintaining access. These suggestions help you optimize licensing costs without disrupting user access. See Update & Review Lite User Licenses for details about license optimization suggestions.
Lite-user Add-ons & Supported Apps
What Are Lite-user Add-ons?
Lite-user add-ons are recurring, per-user add-ons that allow you to assign limited app access to specific users and make them Lite users. These add-ons are managed separately from full Zoho One licenses.
Available Lite-user Add-ons
Add-on name | Apps supported | Availability | Target user |
Lite-Accountant | Zoho Books | AEP & FUP | Professional accountants, finance staff (multiple seats allowed) |
Mail-Only | Zoho Mail | AEP & FUP | Users who need only email |
Lite-Collaboration | Zoho Mail, Zoho WorkDrive (Writer, Sheet, Show), Zoho Cliq, Zoho Connect, Zoho Meeting | FUP & AEP | Internal collaboration users |
Mail requires a hosted domain.
Behavior rules of Lite user licenses & Lite-user add-ons
- Lite-user add-ons appear only if at least one of the supported apps is already added to your Zoho One organization.
- A Lite user can have multiple add-ons assigned simultaneously.
- An app can belong to only one add-on at a time. If two add-ons support the same app, the most recently selected add-on takes precedence. The app will move to the new add-on, and may be automatically deselected from the previous add-on.
Example: If you select Lite-Collaboration and choose Zoho Mail, and later select the Mail-Only add-on, Mail will be retained under Mail-Only and not under Lite-Collaboration; it will be automatically deselected from Lite-Collaboration. Lite-Collaboration may be retained if it supports other apps the user needs. - If you attempt to use an app that's not supported by any of the user's add-ons, the system's response depends on the context:
- During a Lite user creation or activation, an immediate error is shown to block the app from being selected. No license change occurs.
- When assigning apps to existing Lite users: A conflict alert is shown with resolution options based on license availability:
- Zoho One licenses available: 'License Change' alert (convert user to Zoho One license)
- No Zoho One licenses available: 'License Limit Exceeds' alert.
See Assign Applications to Lite Users for full conflict resolution details.
Not all add-ons are available in every pricing model. Check your subscription's Manage Add-ons screen to see which add-ons are available for your organization. Contact support@zohoone.com if an add-on you need to purchase is not visible.
How to Purchase a Lite-user Add-on
Lite-user add-ons are recurring user license add-ons. To purchase or manage them, see Purchase Org-level Add-ons.
Pricing Model Definitions - https://www.zoho.com/one/pricing/faq.html
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