Source code escrow, built to recover.
A neutral third party holds your source code and the materials needed to rebuild the software, and releases them to the beneficiary only under the conditions written into the escrow agreement.
How source code escrow works.
One linear path, built around the recovery: set up once, then mostly invisible until the day you need it.
What's in the deposit.
Source code escrow fails not from a missing deposit but an incomplete one. A usable deposit holds what a new team would need to rebuild and run the software, not just a copy of the code.
- Source code
- Build scripts & toolchain
- Dependencies
- Environment & config
- Credentials & keys
- Documentation
Running SaaS, where source code alone won't keep you live? See SaaS escrow →
Tested, not just stored.
Escrow you've never tested is a promise, not a guarantee. You choose how far to verify that the deposit would actually recover, while a problem is still fixable.
Match the level to your risk. Verification is not automatic on every deposit; the top of the ladder is never standard or included by default. See verification options →
Choose your structure.
Source code escrow comes in a few shapes. Pick the one that matches how your deal is actually put together, not a form that almost fits.
One customer, one agreement
The most direct structure: one customer protected under one escrow agreement.
Many customers, one deposit
Cover many of your customers under a single managed deposit, without re-depositing for each.
Several vendors, held together
When your software leans on more than one vendor, protect the whole stack in one structure.
Looking for the commercial overview? See software escrow → · Want the numbers first? See pricing →
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.
Source code escrow, answered.
The questions vendors, licensees, and their counsel ask most often.
What is source code escrow?
Source code escrow is an arrangement where a neutral third party holds a vendor's source code and the materials needed to rebuild the software, and releases them to the beneficiary only if a condition written into the escrow agreement is met. It lets a customer safely depend on software they do not control.
How does source code escrow work?
The vendor deposits the source code and rebuild materials with EscrowTech, who holds them neutrally while the vendor keeps supporting the software. If an agreed release condition is met, the materials are released to the beneficiary, who can then run and maintain the software.
What is included in a source code escrow deposit?
A usable deposit holds what a new team would need to rebuild and run the software: source code, build scripts and toolchain, dependencies, environment and configuration, credentials and keys, and documentation. Source code on its own is rarely enough to recover from.
What are the release conditions in a source code escrow?
The triggers that release the deposit, such as the vendor ceasing business, filing for bankruptcy, or failing to support the software. They are written into the escrow agreement to fire in the situations the beneficiary is actually worried about.
What is the difference between source code escrow and software escrow?
They describe the same protection. Software escrow is the broad term; source code escrow names the asset at the center of it, the source code and the materials needed to rebuild the software. EscrowTech also escrows non-code assets under technology escrow.
Who drafts the source code escrow agreement?
EscrowTech's in-house counsel drafts the escrow agreement and stays neutral between the parties. It drafts the escrow arrangement, not the underlying commercial contract between the vendor and the beneficiary, and it does not decide the parties' dispute.
Is the deposited source code verified?
Verification is a menu of options matched to your risk, from confirming what is in the deposit to a full build and run. It is not automatic on every deposit, and full build verification is never standard or included by default. You choose the depth.
How long does source code escrow take to set up?
Most source code escrow arrangements are drafted, reviewed, and signed in about two weeks. Escrow being the slow part of a deal is usually a provider problem, not an escrow problem.
Priced to your risk, no surprises.
You shouldn't have to guess what this costs. Source code escrow starts at $1,595 a year, custom-priced to your structure and how far you verify, so you know what you're committing to before you begin. See pricing →
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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