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Compare the activity, then the code

NAICS code for a software company

A software company can publish a product, develop software for a particular customer, or provide infrastructure and hosting. Compare 513210, 541511 and 518210 by the primary activity; labels such as SaaS or AI do not decide the code by themselves.

2022 U.S. NAICS Census records checked

The activity changes the answer

Which work does the business primarily do?

Compare the service or product itself. The business name alone does not settle the classification.

5132102022 U.S.

Software Publishers

Publishing computer software, including subscriptions or downloads, whether developing and publishing or publishing only.

Check the boundaryCustom software for specific users, hosting support without publishing, and software resale have separate cross-references.

Read the official definition
5415112022 U.S.

Custom Computer Programming Services

Writing, modifying, testing or supporting software to meet a particular customer’s needs.

Check the boundarySoftware publishing, infrastructure/hosting and integrated systems design are separate activities.

Read the official definition
5182102022 U.S.

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services

Computing infrastructure, data processing, application or web hosting, including IaaS and PaaS examples.

Check the boundaryThe definition excludes software publishing; custom programming without hosting, systems integration and on-site facilities management have separate cross-references.

Read the official definition

Take the candidates into the Finder

Open the official records side by side and download a source-backed shortlist.

Compare publishing, custom programming and hostingSearch a different activity

When to investigate another classification

These activity differences take the comparison beyond the starting candidates.

Integrated computer systems

541512 · Computer Systems Design Services

Planning and designing systems integrating hardware, software and communications is different from primarily writing custom software.

Census record

Managing clients’ facilities on site

541513 · Computer Facilities Management Services

On-site management and operation of a client’s computer systems or data-processing facilities is separately cross-referenced.

Census record

Retail software resale without publishing

449210 · Electronics and Appliance Retailers

Retailing new prepackaged or downloadable software without publishing appears in Electronics and Appliance Retailers.

Census record

Follow the decisive activity

Worked classification examples

Illustrative businesses for comparison, rather than individual filing advice.

A business publishes a standardized application and distributes it through subscriptions.

Subscription distribution is explicitly included in the software-publishing definition.

Compare 513210 · Software Publishers

A studio builds and tests software around a particular client’s requirements.

The custom-programming definition centers on a particular customer’s needs.

Compare 541511 · Custom Computer Programming Services

A provider operates application hosting for software publishers without publishing the software.

The publisher cross-reference directs hosting support to 518210, and the hosting definition excludes software publishing.

Compare 518210 · Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services

A business plans and designs integrated hardware, software and communication systems.

Systems integration design is a separate industry even when custom software is part of the service.

Compare 541512 · Computer Systems Design Services

A retailer resells downloadable software without publishing it.

The electronics/appliance retail definition explicitly includes software retailing without publishing.

Compare 449210 · Electronics and Appliance Retailers

Read the classification behind the comparison

Official definitions and hierarchy

The wording below is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 records. Activity explanations above are from BiznTools.

513210Software Publishers

2022 U.S. NAICS Census records checked

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in software publishing. Establishments in this industry carry out operations necessary for producing and distributing computer software, such as designing, providing documentation, assisting in installation, and providing support services to software purchasers. These establishments may design, develop, and publish, or publish only. These establishments may publish and distribute software through subscriptions and/or downloads.

Open 513210 in the Census reference
Hierarchy, activity phrases and cross-references

Official hierarchy

  1. 51Information
  2. 513Publishing Industries
  3. 5132Software Publishers
  4. 51321Software Publishers
  5. 513210Software Publishers

Selected official activity phrases

  • Applications development and publishing, except on a custom basis
  • Applications software, computer, packaged
  • Computer software publishers, packaged
  • Computer software publishing and reproduction
  • Games, computer software, publishing
  • Gaming site publishers
  • Mobile applications development and publishing, except on a custom basis
  • Operating systems software, computer, packaged

Official cross-references

  • Reselling packaged software without publishing--are classified in Sector 42, Wholesale Trade, or Sector 44-45, Retail Trade;
  • Providing hosting and infrastructure support to software publishers, generally on a contract or fee basis, including game server hosting providers--are classified in Industry 518210, Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services;
  • Designing custom software to meet the needs of specific users--are classified in U.S. Industry 541511, Custom Computer Programming Services;
  • Mass duplication of software without publishing--are classified in Industry 334610, Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media;
  • Operating Internet gaming sites without publishing--are classified in Industry 516210, Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers; and
  • Operating online gambling sites--are classified in Industry 713290, Other Gambling Industries.

541511Custom Computer Programming Services

2022 U.S. NAICS Census records checked

This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in writing, modifying, testing, and supporting software to meet the needs of a particular customer.

Open 541511 in the Census reference
Hierarchy, activity phrases and cross-references

Official hierarchy

  1. 54Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  2. 541Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  3. 5415Computer Systems Design and Related Services
  4. 54151Computer Systems Design and Related Services
  5. 541511Custom Computer Programming Services

Selected official activity phrases

  • Applications software programming services, custom computer
  • Computer program or software development, custom
  • Computer programming services, custom
  • Computer software analysis and design services, custom
  • Computer software programming services, custom
  • Computer software support services, custom
  • Industrial robot automation applications/software design and development services
  • Industrial robot programming services

Official cross-references

  • Software design, development, and publishing, or software publishing only--are classified in Industry 513210, Software Publishers;
  • Providing computing infrastructure, data processing services, Web hosting services (except software publishing), and related services, including streaming support services (except streaming distribution services)--are classified in Industry 518210, Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services; and
  • Planning and designing computer systems that integrate computer hardware, software, and communication technologies, even though such establishments may provide custom software as an integral part of their services--are classified in U.S. Industry 541512, Computer Systems Design Services.

518210Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services

2022 U.S. NAICS Census records checked

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing computing infrastructure, data processing services, Web hosting services (except software publishing), and related services, including streaming support services (except streaming distribution services). Data processing establishments provide complete processing and specialized reports from data supplied by clients or provide automated data processing and data entry services. Illustrative Examples: Application hosting Cloud storage services Computer data storage services Computing platform infrastructure provision Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) Optical scanning services Platform as a service (PaaS) Video and audio technical streaming support services Web hosting

Open 518210 in the Census reference
Hierarchy, activity phrases and cross-references

Official hierarchy

  1. 51Information
  2. 518Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services
  3. 5182Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services
  4. 51821Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services
  5. 518210Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services

Selected official activity phrases

  • Application hosting (excluding software publishing)
  • Automated data processing services
  • Cloud computing services (except software publishing and computer systems design)
  • Cloud storage services
  • Colocation services (i.e., rental of server and networking space in data centers)
  • Computer data storage services
  • Computer input preparation services
  • Computer time leasing

Official cross-references

  • Providing video and audio streaming distribution services--are classified in Industry 516210, Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers;
  • Providing audiovisual postproduction services, including film/tape transfers and digitization (except digitization as a technical streaming support service)--are classified in U.S. Industry 512191, Teleproduction and Other Postproduction Services;
  • Providing text processing and related document preparation activities--are classified in Industry 561410, Document Preparation Services;
  • Software design, development, and publishing, or software publishing only--are classified in Industry 513210, Software Publishers;
  • Developing custom software to meet the needs of a particular customer, without providing infrastructure or hosting services--are classified in U.S. Industry 541511, Custom Computer Programming Services;
  • Providing computer hardware, software, and communication technologies integration services, with or without product sales--are classified in U.S. Industry 541512, Computer Systems Design Services;
  • Selling computer hardware, packaged software, and communications equipment without providing systems integration services--are classified in Sector 42, Wholesale Trade, or Sector 44-45, Retail Trade;
  • Providing on-site management and operation of a client's data processing facilities--are classified in U.S. Industry 541513, Computer Facilities Management Services;
  • Providing wired broadband Internet access services using own operated telecommunications infrastructure, in combination with Web hosting--are classified in U.S. Industry 517111, Wired Telecommunications Carriers;
  • Providing Internet access via client-supplied telecommunications connections in combination with Web hosting--are classified in Industry 517810, All Other Telecommunications;
  • Operating Web search portals--are classified in Industry 519290, Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services;
  • Providing access to computers and office equipment, as well as other office support services--are classified in Industry 56143, Business Service Centers;
  • Processing financial transactions--are classified in Industry 522320, Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities; and
  • Providing payroll processing services--are classified in U.S. Industry 541214, Payroll Services.

Check the original source files

Definitions, titles, activity phrases and exclusions come from the same 2022 U.S. edition.