A method and a system for the combined licensing of one or more software programs (3) protected by a software protection (5), is provided. Each software protection (5) can be deactivated by a key (6). An additional software program (4) functions as a license manager (4), which has access to the key (6) or a key (6) for each software program protection. This license manager (4) can be licensed by a manager or master key (6). When the license manager (4) is licensed by the manager or master key (6), the license manager (4) deactivates the software protection (5) of a software program or software protection (5) for each of the software programs by means of the corresponding key (6).