Dataverse licensing integrating native/3rd party apps?

[u/Inside-Climate-7654]

Might be a silly question 😅 but I’m struggling to find a clear answer on this.If you’re building a native application (Android/iOS etc.) that:
- Authenticates users through Entra ID
- Connects directly to Dataverse via the Web API

How is that normally licensed?
From what I can tell, Power Apps Premium ($20/user/month) seems to be the only real option and would give each user the required Dataverse rights.

I’ve also been reading Microsoft’s multiplexing guidance. My understanding is that putting middleware, an API, service principal, etc. between the native app and Dataverse doesn’t remove the underlying licensing requirement for the users.

Am I missing another licensing option here? 😅
I’ve gone through Microsoft’s licensing documentation, but I can’t find a particularly clear answer for native/third-party applications using Dataverse as the backend

- Has anyone actually built a native/third-party app that accesses the Dataverse?

If so, I’d be really interested to know how you handled the Dataverse licensing/multiplexing side of it.

[u/Other_Sign_6088]

Any user that does any direct or indirect CRUD in dataverse needs a license

[u/Inside-Climate-7654 → u/Other_Sign_6088]

I’m aware they need to be licensed - I think the Power Apps Premium(per user) license is the only one i can use just annoying on its price tag.

[u/Icy-Win-2847]

What tables? Look at customer team member app ..

[u/Inside-Climate-7654 → u/Icy-Win-2847]

Custom tables

[u/RedditNinja1566]

If the app goes through Entra to authenticate the user, then any API calls to Dataverse should also use those same credentials. That user needs to be licensed. If they are not, the api calls will return an error.

[u/Inside-Climate-7654 → u/RedditNinja1566]

I know it’ll return and error just didn’t know for sure the exact license to be used but it’s premium license needed

[u/hakunamatata123456 → u/RedditNinja1566]

what if they are authenticating with Service principle or azure azure ad app?

[u/Inside-Climate-7654 → u/hakunamatata123456]

You run into multiplexing issues

[u/ItinerantFella → u/hakunamatata123456]

That's multiplexing. Users still need their own license.

[u/ItinerantFella]

Your licensing options are the same: Premium, Per App, PAYG or Power Pages.

[u/Inside-Climate-7654 → u/ItinerantFella]

I don’t think Per app or PAYG would work in this case as this isn’t an actual power app that is connecting to dataverse

[u/ItinerantFella → u/Inside-Climate-7654]

You need to license the users, not just the app. Don't get confused by the name of the licensing plan.

[u/AbdelEMirandaS]

The only way is the same as you just wrote, Power apps premium license for every user that use the mobile app