License
Understanding NocoDB’s Sustainable Use License (SUL) and Fair-Code principles.
As of January 09, 2026 - NocoDB is transitioning from AGPL-3.0 to a Sustainable Use License (SUL), based on Fair-Code principles.
👉 View the full license terms here
This change is intended to:
- Keep NocoDB open and accessible
- Protect the work of maintainers and contributors
- Ensure long-term sustainability of the project
- Provide clear and predictable rules for commercial usage
Fair-Code Philosophy
Fair-Code is a licensing philosophy that balances:
- Open access to source code
- Freedom to use, modify, and self-host
- Fair compensation when the software itself is monetized
Fair-code does not aim to restrict usage. Its goal is to prevent large-scale commercial exploitation where the software is monetized without supporting the people building it.
Sustainable Use License (SUL)
The Sustainable Use License is one implementation of fair-code principles.
SUL allows
- Free use for individuals and organizations
- Full access to source code
- Self-hosting without restrictions
- Modification for internal or product use
SUL restricts
- Offering NocoDB itself as a paid or managed service
- Redistributing NocoDB as part of a commercial platform without a license
Why This Change
Sustainability
AGPL-3.0 permits commercial reuse at scale without ensuring ongoing support for maintainers. SUL enables continued investment in development, documentation, and support.
Community Protection
The license protects contributors by ensuring that commercial value derived directly from NocoDB supports the ecosystem.
Clear Commercial Boundaries
SUL clearly defines when commercial licensing is required, reducing ambiguity around SaaS and redistribution scenarios.
Usage Rights
Free Use (No Commercial License Required)
You may use NocoDB freely if you are:
- An individual developer
- A startup or enterprise using NocoDB internally
- Self-hosting NocoDB for internal tools or workflows
- Building an application or product that uses NocoDB internally
- Using NocoDB for education, research, or non-commercial purposes
Internal usage is permitted regardless of organization size.
Commercial License Required
A commercial license is required if you:
- Offer NocoDB as a hosted or managed service
- Provide direct NocoDB access to external customers
- Resell or redistribute NocoDB as part of a paid offering
- Embed NocoDB in a platform where customers interact with NocoDB itself
If your business model monetizes access to NocoDB, a commercial license is required. If you need assistance determining your licensing needs, please contact the NocoDB team. Details here
What Remains Unchanged
- Source code remains available
- Self-hosting remains supported
- Community contributions remain welcome
- APIs, integrations, and extensions remain open
This is not a move to closed source.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is NocoDB still open source?
NocoDB is source-available under fair-code principles. While SUL is not OSI-approved, it preserves transparency, extensibility, and community access.
Can I self-host NocoDB for my company?
Yes. Internal self-hosting does not require a commercial license.
Can I modify NocoDB’s source code?
Yes. You may modify NocoDB for internal use or as part of your product.
What licenses are considered fair-code compatible?
The following licenses meet fair-code requirements and are commonly referenced in the ecosystem:
- Sustainable Use License (SUL)
- Business Source License (BSL)
- Commons Clause (with an OSI-approved license)
- Confluent Community License
- Elastic License 2.0 (ELv2)
- Server Side Public License (SSPL)
Which projects follow fair-code-compatible licenses?
Several well-known infrastructure and developer-tool projects use licenses aligned with fair-code principles, including:
- Airbyte (Elastic License 2.0)
- CockroachDB (Business Source License)
- Elastic (Elastic License 2.0)
- HashiCorp (Business Source License)
- MongoDB (Server Side Public License)
- n8n (Sustainable Use License)
- Sentry (Business Source License)
These projects follow a similar approach: open access for builders, with licensing required when the software itself is monetized.
Why move away from AGPL-3.0?
AGPL-3.0 does not sufficiently address large-scale commercial redistribution. SUL provides clearer, more predictable rules while preserving openness and community access.
How do I obtain a commercial license?
Contact the NocoDB team through official channels to discuss commercial licensing options.
- Use in-product support chat for inquiries.
- Request details over Email (cs@nocodb.com).
- Book a meeting via Cal.
Summary
The Sustainable Use License ensures that NocoDB remains:
- Open and accessible for builders
- Fair to contributors and maintainers
- Sustainable for long-term development
For most users, nothing changes. For commercial redistribution, licensing ensures fairness and continued innovation.