# Internal, platform and Experience Cloud license mix

*Platform Data Architect Study Guide · Salesforce Data Management · Last updated October 26, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-data-architect/salesforce-data-management/internal-platform-and-experience-cloud-license-mix*

How to split a user population across Salesforce, Salesforce Platform, Lightning Platform, Knowledge Only, Integration and Experience Cloud licenses by the standard and custom objects each group needs, and what each choice does to roles, sharing, storage and API capacity.

- Certification: Salesforce Platform Data Architect
- Exam section: Salesforce Data Management
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-data-architect

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a customer scenario, recommend appropriate combination of Salesforce license types to effectively leverage standard and custom objects to meet business needs.

## What the exam expects

- Split internal users between Salesforce and Salesforce Platform licenses by whether they need standard CRM objects or only custom apps plus accounts, contacts and reports.
- Size Lightning Platform Starter, Plus, One App and App Subscription licenses against custom objects, API calls and account write access.
- Pick the specialist license: Knowledge Only User, Salesforce Integration, Identity Only.
- Choose Customer Community, Customer Community Plus, Partner Community or External Apps, member-based or login-based, and their record access (sharing sets, or roles with account role optimization).
- Predict the storage and API effect of a license mix.

Key terms: **user license** (the baseline a user can reach); **permission set license** (adds functionality beyond it); **login-based license** (a pool of daily unique logins); **high-volume user** (an external user with no role); **account role optimization** (ARO, delays account roles until a second user exists).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Licenses per user | Exactly one user license; add more with permission set licenses | [User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.users_understanding_license_types.htm&type=5) |
| License change | Removes assigned permission sets and permission set licenses | [User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.users_understanding_license_types.htm&type=5) |
| Platform exclusions | No leads, opportunities, campaigns or forecasts | [Standard User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.users_license_types_available.htm&type=5) |
| Starter vs Plus objects | 10 vs 110 custom objects per license | [Lightning Platform features](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.users_license_types_communities_lightning_platform_details.htm&type=5) |
| One App dashboards | Viewable only if the running user has the same license | [Standard User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.users_license_types_available.htm&type=5) |
| Partner Community custom objects | 10 via PRM SKU, 100 via External Apps SKU | [Experience Cloud User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_license_types_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Portal role default | 50,000 roles across all sites | [Experience Cloud User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_license_types_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Platform Login capacity | No added data storage or API calls; org-level entitlements | [Lightning Platform features](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.users_license_types_communities_lightning_platform_details.htm&type=5) |
| ARO default | On for orgs created from Spring '22 | [Experience Cloud User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_license_types_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why can a license change remove access users still need?
- When does an architect pick Customer Community Plus over Customer Community?
- Why can't a Lightning Platform - One App user see a dashboard built by a sales manager?
- Which license suits a middleware user that never logs in?

## Sources

- [Standard User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.users_license_types_available.htm&type=5)
- [Features Available with Lightning Platform Starter, Lightning Platform Plus, and Salesforce Platform Login Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.users_license_types_communities_lightning_platform_details.htm&type=5)
- [Experience Cloud User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_license_types_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.users_understanding_license_types.htm&type=5)
- [When to Use an Internal or External License](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_internal_external_license_types.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Give Integration Users API Only Access](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.integration_user.htm&type=5)
- [Create a Sharing Set for Experience Cloud Site Users](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.networks_setting_light_users.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Use Share Groups to Share Records Owned by High-Volume Experience Cloud Site Users](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.networks_sharing_light_users.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Data and Storage Resources](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.admin_monitorresources.htm&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 19 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Platform Data Architect pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams