Do I need a license or subscription to calculate a steel beam?

Not with CalcSteel — you can open the 3D editor in your browser right now, model a beam, apply loads, run analysis, and see the results without creating any account. The limitations on the free tier kick in when you want to save more than 3 projects or run more than 25 analyses per month. For most students, occasional users and quick checks, the free tier is enough. You only need a paid subscription if you're doing structural steel design as a profession and want PDF reports without watermark, unlimited projects, and the ability to export a professional deliverable for clients.