Software you can depend on.
The software your operation runs on is built by someone else. Escrow makes it recoverable: a neutral party holds what's needed to rebuild and run it, released if the vendor can no longer support it.
When the software you can't replace disappears.
You didn't build this software and you couldn't quickly rebuild it. That's fine, until the day the vendor is acquired and sunsets it, stops supporting your version, or simply isn't there anymore.
When that happens, the operation that depends on it stops. Recovering on your own is exactly what you can't do mid-crisis. Escrow is the fallback, arranged and verified while there's still time to fix it.
From dependency to recovery.
One dependency you can't replace, made recoverable before you need it. If the vendor can't support it, a release fires and the deposit becomes yours to run.
The conditions and materials are set in advance. See software escrow agreements →
What recovery actually looks like.
A release isn't a transfer of files. It's your team standing the software up and keeping it running without the vendor. So the deposit holds what a new team needs to rebuild it and to run it.
Hardware or firmware in the mix, beyond source code? See technology escrow →
Tested, not just stored.
If you've never tested the deposit, you don't have escrow. You have a sealed box you're hoping is full. You choose how far to verify while a problem is still fixable.
Match the level to your risk. EscrowTech does not compile or run every deposit by default; the top of the ladder is never standard or automatic. See verification options →
Two vaults. One in a granite mountain.
Deposits are held in two physical, US-based vaults, one inside a granite mountain, monitored around the clock. The provider has to satisfy the people who approve the deal, and EscrowTech is the one their legal teams already recognize.
Licensee escrow, answered.
The questions licensees ask before they put a dependency in escrow.
What is software escrow for licensees?
Software escrow for licensees is a way to keep running software you depend on but did not build. A neutral third party holds the source code and the materials needed to rebuild and run it, and releases them to you only if the vendor can no longer support it.
What happens if my software vendor goes out of business?
If a release condition like bankruptcy or ceasing operations is met, EscrowTech releases the deposit to you under the terms in the agreement. You get the materials to rebuild and run the software yourself, so an operation you cannot replace overnight keeps going.
What does escrow let me actually recover?
Not just a copy of the source code. A complete deposit holds what a new team needs to rebuild the software and to run it: build scripts, dependencies, environment and configuration, credentials, and documentation.
Would the deposit actually work when I need it?
Only if it has been verified. EscrowTech does not compile or run every deposit by default; verification is a menu of options matched to your risk, never automatic. You choose how far to test, from confirming the contents to a full build and run.
What are typical release conditions?
Common triggers are the vendor filing for bankruptcy, ceasing to do business, or failing to support or maintain the software as the agreement defines. Conditions are written to fire in the situations you are actually worried about, not so narrowly they never trigger.
Does escrow cover SaaS and hosted software too?
Yes. When the software runs as a hosted service, source code alone will not keep you live, so a SaaS deposit adds the environment and operational materials needed to stand the service back up. The release conditions work the same way.
Who holds the materials and stays neutral?
EscrowTech holds the deposit as a neutral third party and administers the escrow agreement between the vendor and you. It does not take sides or decide the underlying dispute; it drafts and administers the escrow arrangement, not the commercial contract.
How do I set up escrow as a licensee, and what does it cost?
You can ask your vendor to place their software in escrow, or name EscrowTech in your contract. Most agreements are drafted and signed in about two weeks, starting at $1,595 a year and custom-priced to your structure and how far you verify.
Make it safe to depend on.
Tell us what your software runs on. We'll structure the escrow and the verification around it.
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A member of our team will be in touch shortly.