A method and apparatus for unit-based licensing for third party access of digital content are provided. Unit-based licensing for third party access of digital content may include receiving a request for access to content, the request for access indicating the customer account and a third party, identifying a cardinality of assigned units for the content, identifying a cardinality of available licensing units allocated to the customer account, determining, by a processor, whether the cardinality of the assigned units is within the cardinality of available licensing units, outputting a response indicating that the request is granted on a condition that the cardinality of the assigned units is within the cardinality of available licensing units, and outputting a response indicating that the request is denied on a condition that the cardinality of the assigned units exceeds the cardinality of available licensing units.