Licensing FAQ
Frequently asked questions about SimpleBLE licensing.
I would like to use SimpleBLE commercially, and don't have a commercial license. What should I do?
Please email us or leave us a message on our website and we can discuss the specifics of your situation. We have a free commercial license option for small projects and early-stage companies and very flexible commercial licensing options for larger projects.
I already have a commercial license. What happens with this latest license change?
Nothing changes. You can continue using SimpleBLE under the terms of your commercial license.
What does the Business Source License 1.1 allow and restrict?
The Business Source License allows non-production use, such as development and testing in isolated environments. However, any use that could be considered production (including internal tools, revenue-generating projects, or customer-facing deployments) requires purchasing a commercial license.
After four years of the initial release of a given version of SimpleBLE, the license automatically converts to the GNU General Public License version 3.
What do you consider "commercial use"?
Commercial use in the context of SimpleBLE refers to any usage of the library or its derivatives in a commercial setting where it contributes, either directly or indirectly, to financial gain. This includes, but is not limited to, incorporating SimpleBLE into commercial software products, using it in the development of services offered for a fee, or deploying it within internal tools or software in a for-profit organization where it adds business value.
Why do I need to pay for commercial use?
Commercial licensing enables us to sustainably maintain and enhance SimpleBLE, particularly given its growing adoption in critical sectors like medical and industrial applications. The revenue from commercial licenses allows us to provide robust support, maintain compatibility with evolving underlying APIs, and invest in improvements that benefit all users. This includes expanded language support, better testing infrastructure, and more comprehensive documentation. While SimpleBLE remains freely available for non-commercial use, the Business Source License ensures we can continue providing the level of reliability and support that commercial applications require.