I've only had an iLok for years, and never needed an e-licenser up until this week when I decided to try the full Cubase demo. Cubase Essentials impressed enough with its midi tools that I felt that I simply had to try the full version to see what additional things it brought to the table before I settled on a route to take once I am done using Sonar (whenever that happens).
 
So, it cost me $40 (Cdn), and it allowed me to try the full version and I'm glad I did as I think Cubase Pro 9.5 is a pretty good program for what I do (mainly a LOT of midi work), and right now I'm seriously leaning towards buying it, since it won't often be at this price.
 
I'd have preferred not to buy the e-licenser, and I am a bit surprised that Steinberg would force folks to have at least one foot their ecosystem before letting them even demo the full Cubase; you'd think they would want the demo to have as wide a potential user base as possible. But it's not a huge deal. If I decide to NOT get Cubase, I'll probably sell the e-licenser (or maybe keep it and start looking at the Vienna libraries, which I've never really used or considered)...

vladasyn
...the licenser. ...If you dont have it, you likely beginner because I dont see how you could survive without it for long.

I don't know, I've used many softwares the past 20 years and only needed eLicenser for Cubase when I got it a year ago.  Never heard of iLok.  And as a professional Web developer from 1999-2015, I've used some serious software; never needed a licenser.  So not having one has nothing to do with being a beginner.

pwalpwal
a quick google suggests otherwise

Don't always buy into that. A lot of people put things like that up because they modified installers to get you to install their own software which often times includes viruses, malware, or cryptolockers.

 
eLicenser at this point has indeed not been cracked.

And then there are those that are NOT beginners and never had and never will have an e license dongle.
 
 

Exactly JYoung60....
 
 
 

Also worth mentioning that I believe Elements doesn't require the eLicenser to run the demo.