End user

In product development, an end user (sometimes end-user) is a person who ultimately uses or is intended to ultimately use a product. The end user stands in contrast to users who support or maintain the product, such as sysops, system administrators, database administrators, or technicians. End users typically do not possess the technical understanding or skill of the product designers, a fact that it is easy for designers to forget or overlook, leading to features with which the customer is dissatisfied. In information technology, end users are not customers in the usual sense—they are typically employees of the customer.

Certain American defense-related products and information require export approval from the United States Government under the ITAR and EAR. In order to obtain a license to export, the exporter must specify both the end user and end use using an end-user certificate.

In End-User License Agreements (EULAs), the end user is distinguished from the value-added reseller that installs the software or the organization that purchases and manages the software.