The best licenses to buy first in Supermarket Simulator are the cheap early ones up to store level 12, then the first fruit and vegetable license at level 12, then the fresh meat and ready-meals license at level 16. That last one earns about $106 per box sold, more than three times most early licenses. Below is every Supermarket Simulator license with its store level, cost and products, plus the order we recommend and the licenses worth delaying. It applies to the current PC build, patch 1.7.3 (October 27, 2026).
Table of Contents
Quick answer
- Levels 3-9: buy every license as soon as you can ($200-$550 each). They’re cheap, and more products bring in more sales.
- Level 12: buy fruit and vegetables first ($750, 8 products, about $46 profit per box). You need a produce stall and a scale.
- Level 16: buy the fresh meat and ready-meals license ($1,950) the day you unlock it. Veal chop ($190 per box), moussaka ($162) and steak ($130) make it the best base-game license.
- Delay: the level 13 frozen license and both level 30 licenses. They make about $24-34 per box and need extra freezers or shelf space.
- Late game: at level 42, the deli license (ham pastry, lasagna, galette) comes first. From level 56 up, buy for variety and XP, not quick payback.
“Our order” is GamingRoute’s recommendation, based on community profit data. License levels, costs and products come from the game’s fan wikis and a 2026 Steam guide, with official mechanics from Nokta Games’ patch notes. Checked October 28, 2026 UTC.
How licenses work in Supermarket Simulator
Licenses unlock new products in the Market app on your store computer. Each one needs a minimum store level plus a one-off payment. Nokta Games introduced them in December 2023: “You’ll need to level up and pay for the license you want to be able to sell more items” (DevLog #2). You start with six base products (cereal, sliced bread, flour, oil, pasta and powdered sugar). A license gives you no stock, so you still order boxes as usual.
Four mechanics shape the buying order:
- Customers only want what you’re licensed for. An early patch “removed customers asking for items from locked licenses” (patch 0.1.0.4). New licenses add demand, not just shelf filler.
- Store level drives customer numbers. Steam forum players report that customer numbers grow with store level, while more products mean bigger baskets.
- Three licenses unlock the tablet. The Tablet Update says you “need to unlock at least 3 product licenses” before you can buy the tablet (official notes). The tablet lets you order straight from a shelf label.
- You can switch licenses off. Since patch 1.4.0 (June 4, 2026), licenses you’ve bought can be toggled off. Their products then disappear from the Market and Pricing screens, and you keep your purchase.
Ordering from a shelf with the tablet, which unlocks after your first three licenses (shown on an older build). Image: Nokta Games
Supermarket Simulator best licenses to buy first, in order
We ranked licenses by average profit per box (default market price minus the online unit cost), the furniture they need, and how many boxes it takes to earn back the license fee. Profit figures come from the default prices in Steam user Erèbes’ profit tracker data (game version 1.2.7). Real prices move every day, so treat them as a comparison, not exact income.
- Level 3, dairy and staples ($200): earns its fee back in about 7 boxes. Black tea is the standout at about $61 per box, and it sits on a normal shelf. Four of the six products need a fridge, so buy one fridge with it.
- Level 6, pantry ($400): six shelf products (peanut butter, flour, olive oil, spaghetti, basmati rice, salt). It needs no new furniture type.
- Level 9, drinks ($550): three sodas, two juices and Labol 6-pack milk, about $41 per box. Sodas come 24 to a box, so they move fast. Five of the six go in a fridge.
- Level 9, sweets ($550): cakes, candy, cereal, a chocolate bar and Frügen yoghurt, about $30 per box. Five of the six are shelf items, so pick this one first if you can’t afford fridges yet.
- Level 12, fruit and vegetables ($750): apple ($74 per box), tomato ($72), lemon ($63), garlic, kiwi, mango, carrot and mushroom. At about $46 per box, it’s the best license before level 16.
- Level 12, cheese, honey and tuna ($750): mozzarella, parmesan, honey, tuna, 4-pack eggs and Pablo sugar, about $37 per box.
- Level 12, cleaning ($750): the average is only $32 per box, but Cleandish dishwasher tablets alone earn about $87 per box.
- Level 16, fresh meat and ready meals ($1,950): our top pick. All seven products go in fridges and average $106 per box, so the fee is back in about 18 boxes. If you only have a few fridges, start with veal chop, moussaka and steak.
- Level 20, sauces and frozen ($2,800): Cheddar pizza ($100 per box) and crab sticks ($98) are strong. Half the range needs freezers.
- Then fill the gaps: level 13 frozen basics ($1,100), level 16 staples 2 ($1,950, about $30 per box) and level 25 fruit and vegetables 2 ($3,000, about $30 per box), mainly for variety.
After that: at level 42, buy the deli license first (about $67 per box), then sodas and coffee ($44) and cleaning ($32). At level 56, the frozen license (about $53 per box, Bigtony pizza $118) beats alcohol ($48) and dairy ($36). From level 63 on, every license costs $12,000-$30,000 and takes hundreds of boxes to pay back. Buy them for the extra demand and XP, not for quick profit. Fruit and vegetables 3 at level 63 is worth it for papaya alone (about $162 per box).
All Supermarket Simulator licenses: level, cost and products
Levels and costs below are from Erèbes’ Complete Product/Profit Guide on Steam. He built it in the game in 2026 and last updated it on April 19. The two fan wikis (The Supermarket Simulator Wiki, last edited May 2025, and the Supermarket Simulator Wiki, built in 2024 before fruit and vegetables arrived) list the same product groups (the 2024 one has no fruit and vegetables and puts the crab-stick license at level 25). However, they show higher prices from level 42 up, for example $65,000 instead of $30,000 at level 90. None of the patch notes since 1.2.7 mention changes to license prices or products, but check the license screen before you save up for a late one. Numbering differs between sources, so the table goes by level.
| Store level | Cost | Products | Display | Avg. profit/box |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | Free | Cereal (Chokipik), sliced bread, flour (Kraftung), oil, pasta (Panzati), powdered sugar (Susu) | Shelf | $32 |
| 3 | $200 | Bottled water (Aotte), Comté cheese, dark roast coffee, 8-pack eggs, milk (Bourlait), black tea | Fridge + shelf | $30 |
| 6 | $400 | Peanut butter, flour (Farine), olive oil, spaghetti, basmati rice, salt | Shelf | $26 |
| 9 | $550 | Orange juice, apple juice, sodas (Cola, Zap, Turko), 6-pack milk | Fridge | $41 |
| 9 | $550 | Cakes (Bon Papa, Pépites), candy, cereal (Crispy Chibi), chocolate bar, yoghurt (Frügen) | Shelf | $30 |
| 12 | $750 | Bleach, cleaner, dishwasher tablets, hand soap, shampoo, toilet paper | Shelf | $32 |
| 12 | $750 | Mozzarella, parmesan (Don Bernardo), honey, tuna, 4-pack eggs, powdered sugar (Pablo) | Fridge + shelf | $37 |
| 12 | $750 | Apple, tomato, carrot, garlic, kiwi, lemon, mango, mushroom | Produce stall | $46 |
| 13 | $1,100 | Butter, cereal (Honey Bees), chicken, French fries, mixed pizza, potato bag | Freezer + mix | $30 |
| 16 | $1,950 | Mimolette cheese, light roast coffee, bottled water (Montcuq), 12-pack eggs, pasta elbows, brown sugar, green tea | Shelf + fridge | $30 |
| 16 | $1,950 | Moussaka, salmon, scallop gratin, steak, sushi large and small, veal chop | Fridge | $106 |
| 20 | $2,800 | Crab sticks, hot sauce, chocolate ice cream, ketchup, mayonnaise, Cheddar pizza | Freezer + shelf | $52 |
| 25 | $3,000 | Melon, onion, pear, pineapple, potato, squash, zucchini, watermelon, artichoke | Produce stall | $30 |
| 30 | $3,500 | Fess blonde ale (bottle, 6-pack, keg), Teochew lager, chips (Covidos), houmous, vodka (Eay) | Shelf + fridge | $34 |
| 30 | $3,500 | Chips (Chipos), flour (Sublett’s), mashed potatoes, pepper, rice (Elo), sandwich bread, powdered sugar (Boully) | Shelf | $24 |
| 42 | $5,000 | Bleach, two cleaners, dishwasher tablets, durian dish soap, toilet paper (Bidet) | Shelf | $32 |
| 42 | $5,000 | Ham and cheese galette, ground beef, ham pastry, ham, lasagna, prosciutto, chicken legs | Fridge | $67 |
| 42 | $5,000 | Medium roast coffee, four sodas (JusTsistu, Koujeima, Pulp, Ropico), light brown sugar | Fridge + shelf | $44 |
| 56 | $9,500 | Green beans, two ice creams, Bigtony pizza, potato pops, veggie mix | Freezer | $53 |
| 56 | $9,500 | BK blonde ale, Teochew lager 6-pack and keg, vodka (Magnat), whiskey (Grand Marnier), wine (Chebon) | Shelf + fridge | $48 |
| 56 | $9,500 | Parmesan (Eros), Gruyère, clotted cream, penne, rice (Uncle Tony’s), cane sugar, yoghurt (Madone) | Fridge + shelf | $36 |
| 63 | $12,000 | Avocado, banana, grapefruit, pumpkin, papaya, clementine | Produce stall | $44 |
| 70 | $16,000 | Cleaner (Wesh), dishwasher tablets, lemon dish soap, fabric softener | Shelf | $58 |
| 70 | $16,000 | Six books (ABC, Colors, Donnine and others) | Shelf | $47 |
| 70 | $16,000 | Cleaner (Le Triangle), two cat foods, dog food | Shelf | $63 |
| 81 | $22,000 | Cakes (Gerbe, Marbré), chips, chocolate spread, soda can 6-packs, bottled water (Fort-Lacs) | Shelf + fridge | $62 |
| 81 | $22,000 | Fabric softener, paper towels, toilet paper (Petus), toothpaste | Shelf | $57 |
| 81 | $22,000 | Six more books (Krok, Wombat and others) | Shelf | $55 |
| 81 | $22,000 | Cakes (Prairie, St Michmich), chocolate bar, chocolate powder, sugar, yoghurt (Yowp) | Shelf + fridge | $53 |
| 90 | $30,000 | BK blonde ale 6-pack, Degl keg, two whiskeys, two wines | Shelf | $64 |
Which Supermarket Simulator licenses to skip or delay
- Level 13 frozen basics ($1,100): it pays back slowest of the early licenses (about 37 boxes) and needs freezers for three items. One Steam player notes freezers “cost a ‘lot’ in electricity per day.” Buy it after the level 16 meat license.
- Level 30 licenses ($3,500 each): alcohol and snacks average about $34 per box, and the pantry license about $24, the weakest in the game. Only Fess 6-pack beer (about $61 per box) stands out.
- Level 25 fruit and vegetables 2 ($3,000): watermelon earns about $20 per box, and the average is about $30. Skip it until your produce stalls have free bins.
Licenses you’ve reached stay available, so delaying costs nothing. If one clutters your menus, switch it off (patch 1.4.0).
Are the fruit and vegetable licenses worth it?
Yes, the first one is. Fruit and vegetables came in the Veggies & Fruits Update (February 11, 2025). Nokta Games’ note says: “Don’t forget to buy your scale too!” Produce is sold by weight, so customers can’t pay for it without a scale. A Steam forum reply adds that the produce stall is “the green bins at the bottom of the furniture list”. The fan wiki’s furniture page (July 2025) lists both at $150.
Produce stalls and a scale: fruit and vegetables sell by weight, so customers can't pay without the scale. Image: Nokta Games
The level 12 produce license averages about $46 per box. That’s the best of any license below level 16, and every item has roughly the same markup over its cost. The level 63 license is pricey at $12,000, but papaya (about $162 per box) is one of the most profitable products in the game.
DLC licenses
The paid DLCs released on March 6, 2026 add their own licenses. According to Erèbes’ guide, each costs $2,000. The three Bakery licenses unlock at store level 1. Clothing, Electronics and Hardware each add three licenses at level 6, Everyday Essentials adds six, and the Ice Cream stand has one. Essentials averages about $61-108 per box per license, the highest of the DLCs. Vending Machine adds no license. It works with 27 vending-compatible products, according to the guide.
Make each new license pay off faster
Buying stock in person at the local markets is the quickest way to shorten a payback. Erèbes’ guide puts market prices at “about 50% cheaper” than ordering online. The Local Market Update introduced the markets as “discounted deals”. For a new license, that roughly doubles the profit per box on items with a big gap. Apples, for example, go from about $74 to $105 per box.
Collecting stock from a local market roughly halves the buying price, according to a 2026 Steam guide. Image: Nokta Games
Then price the new products correctly. Our Supermarket Simulator pricing guide covers the markup that community tests found safest, and how Bulk Pricing (patch 1.6.0) sets a whole license’s prices at once. For other shop and business sims, see the best tycoon games on mobile, our Idle Supermarket Tycoon guide and the Mad Games Tycoon 2 sliders guide.
FAQ
What is the best license in Supermarket Simulator?
Among base-game licenses, by profit per box, it’s the level 16 fresh meat and ready-meals license ($1,950): veal chop, moussaka, steak, salmon, sushi and scallop gratin. It averages about $106 per box in community data, and the fee comes back in roughly 18 boxes.
What license should I buy first in Supermarket Simulator?
The level 3 license ($200) is the only one available at first, so buy it as soon as you reach level 3. Get a fridge with it, then buy each license through level 12, fruit and vegetables first at level 12.
How many licenses are there in Supermarket Simulator?
There are 29 base-game licenses on top of the six starting products, per the current fan wiki and the 2026 Steam guide. The DLCs add more: three each for Bakery, Clothing, Electronics and Hardware, six for Everyday Essentials and one for Ice Cream.
Do licenses bring more customers?
Not directly. Players report that customer numbers follow your store level. Licenses add products, so customers buy more per visit, and you level up faster. Customers only ask for products from licenses you own.
Can you turn off a license in Supermarket Simulator?
Yes. Since patch 1.4.0 (June 4, 2026), you can toggle bought licenses on and off from the license panel on the store computer. Their products then disappear from the Market and Pricing screens.
Sources: Nokta Games’ official Steam notes (DevLog #2, patch 0.1.0.4, Tablet Update, Veggies & Fruits Update, Local Market Update, DLC release and patch 1.2.1, patch 1.4.0, patch 1.7.3); Erèbes’ Complete Product/Profit Guide on Steam (April 19, 2026) and his profit tracker data on GitHub (game version 1.2.7 defaults); The Supermarket Simulator Wiki and Supermarket Simulator Wiki on Fandom (Licenses and Furniture pages); Steam community threads “Licenses”, “Best profit” and “Fruits and vegetables”. Store levels, costs and profit figures checked October 28, 2026 UTC. Market prices change daily in the game.
Live: Follow today’s gaming news as it happens
Featured image: AI-generated illustration
