ThingsBoard License Change

Starting with version 4.4, ThingsBoard will switch to the BUSL license

Starting with version 4.4, ThingsBoard will switch to the BUSL license

On September 29, 2026, ThingsBoard announced the biggest licensing change in the platform’s history. Starting with version 4.4, there will no longer be a Community Edition or a Professional Edition; instead, there will be a single ThingsBoard under the Business Source License 1.1. If you’re currently running ThingsBoard CE in production, this won’t immediately change anything about your installation. However, the options available to you and the time you have to make a decision will change.1

With the license change, we’re getting asked the same questions every day. This post explains the change, details the new limits, and summarizes the answers we can derive from the official blog post and the license file.

The Change

How it used to be

ThingsBoard was available in two versions. The Community Edition was fully licensed under Apache 2.0, a license recognized by the Open Source Initiative. You could use it in production without a license key, with no device limit, and with your own branding. The Professional Edition was a commercial product with closed-source code and included features such as integrations, a scheduler, reporting, and advanced security features.2

What is BUSL?

The Business Source License 1.1 was developed by MariaDB in 2013 and is used by Terraform, Vault, and Couchbase, among others. The source code remains publicly available.
grafik thingsboard lizenzwechsel 1
Abbildung 1. Aus zwei Editionen wird ein ThingsBoard unter BUSL 1.1, das vier Jahre nach Release zu Apache 2.0 wird.
However, the manufacturer sets certain conditions for production use—in this case, a device limit, an instance limit, and visible branding. Each version automatically transitions to Apache 2.0 four years after its release. For ThingsBoard 4.4.0, that date is September 29, 2030.

What the change means in concrete terms

Starting with version 4.4, the feature set is no longer a licensing criterion. Integrations, schedulers, reporting, single sign-on, fine-grained permissions, and secrets management are available to everyone. You now only pay for three things: scaling beyond the free limits, custom branding, and commercial support. According to the vendor, the prices correspond to the previous PE prices.3 4

The Exemption Limits in Detail

The Free License distinguishes between two tiers. For commercial use, there is a limit of 100 devices on exactly one production instance, with visible ThingsBoard branding. For non-commercial use by educational institutions and nonprofit organizations, there is a limit of 1,000 devices across any number of production instances. Development, testing, staging, and CI are free in both cases—with no device limit and no license key required—as long as no live operations depend on them.5
grafik thingsboard lizenzwechsel 2
Abbildung 2. Bedingungen der Free License im kommerziellen Betrieb und Fälle mit Lizenzpflicht.

What a production instance is and why HA is not free

A production instance is a fully functional deployment that corresponds to a single server process. Separate transport, UI, or integration nodes do not count as separate instances. A small setup with externalized transport nodes therefore remains free. A cluster is a different matter. As soon as at least two services of the same type are running, each one counts, and commercial production use on a cluster requires a commercial license. This applies even if you have far fewer than 100 devices.6
grafik thingsboard lizenzwechsel 3
Abbildung 3. Gleiche Gerätezahl, unterschiedliche Lizenzpflicht. Der HA-Cluster macht den Unterschied.
An active-active setup or a Kubernetes Deployment is always subject to licensing requirements.7 However, there is an exception for existing CE installations under the Community Grant Program.

White Labeling

Replacing the logo or name constitutes white labeling and requires a commercial license, regardless of the number of devices. Designing dashboards, customizing colors and themes, and integrating your own content is permitted as long as the name, logo, and “Powered by ThingsBoard” remain visible and unchanged. For integrators, this means that a solution offered under their own product name with their own portal requires a license, even if only 30 devices are connected to it. Selling the solution under a BUSL does not in itself require a license, but replacing the branding does.8

License Keys and Data Flow

Every production deployment starting with version 4.4 requires a key from the ThingsBoard License Portal, even under the free license. The key is generated automatically and free of charge. Online keys validate against the license server approximately every hour and, by default, send an aggregated usage report every twelve hours containing entity counts, feature usage, and database size. Telemetry, names, and credentials are not included; the report can be disabled via a flag. After 48 hours without a connection, the administration interface locks; connected devices continue to send data. Offline keys for isolated environments are available with a special commercial offline license. Without a key, the software runs in development mode with a visible notice and a cumulative runtime limit of 30 days.9

What You Get When You Run ThingsBoard CE

ThingsBoard CE 4.3 will remain under the Apache 2.0 license indefinitely and will receive security updates through July 20, 2027. You can stay on version 4.3 for as long as you like. However, after that date, you will no longer receive security updates from the vendor.10

For the upgrade to 4.4 and later versions, the Community Grant Program is available to support the transition. It’s free, runs automatically through the License Portal, and protects your current inventory. Specifically, your number of devices will be frozen as of the effective date, plus a 10 percent buffer up to a maximum of 1,000 additional devices. Any white-labeling you’ve already used will remain in place without any additional charges. However, any growth beyond that will incur fees.

Here’s an example:

If you operate 5,000 devices, you’ll have 5,500 permanently free as part of the Community Grand Program, and if you have 7,000, you’ll only pay for 1,500. (As of October 2026)

Registration for the program is open until July 20, 2027.

Important to note: According to the manufacturer, the full range of PE features is not included in the grant and must be purchased separately via a Professional Pack.11 Furthermore, the terms of the Community Grant License apply once the switch is made. https://thingsboard.io/legal/community-grant-license-agreement/

For you, this means you’ll have to decide by summer 2027 whether to switch to the new model.

We’d be happy to help you make a decision.

Who We Are

it-novum, based in Fulda, is a ThingsBoard Platinum Partner and hosts the annual ThingsBoard User Meetup. We assist companies in operating ThingsBoard on their own infrastructure, from architecture and integration into existing data platforms to support.

FAQ

Not in accordance with the OSI, as long as the BUSL terms apply. Version 4.3 and all earlier versions will remain under the Apache 2.0 license permanently. Each new version will switch to the Apache 2.0.12 license four years after its release.

No. The change only affects the self-hosted platform. Cloud plans, pricing, and usage remain unchanged.13

No. The license applies only to the platform repository. The other products have their own license terms.14

If the organization is an educational or nonprofit entity and the use is not for commercial purposes, the non-commercial plan applies, allowing 1,000 devices across any number of instances. For commercial use, the limit is 100 devices per instance. Classification should be determined on a case-by-case basis.15

Existing devices, data, and services will continue to operate. Only new device connections will be rejected until capacity is increased through the License Portal. Nothing will be disconnected or deleted.16

When you submit your first pull request, you’ll sign a Contributor License Agreement once. You retain the copyright; ThingsBoard receives the right to use the contribution under the project license and to relicense it if necessary.17

The prices are listed on the ThingsBoard pricing page and, according to the manufacturer, correspond to the previous PE prices. There are subscription and perpetual options. If a subscription is canceled, the deployment reverts to the Free License, provided it fits within its limits; otherwise, it reverts to limited operation.18

In the LICENSE file in the ThingsBoard repository on GitHub. The blog post and this FAQ are explanatory notes; only the license file is legally binding. Have your legal department review it.19

Identify your inventory of devices, production instances, and cluster nodes by organization. Check whether the branding has been changed. Decide by July 20, 2027, whether the Community Grant is sufficient. We’ll help you take inventory and evaluate your options.

Sources

ThingsBoard Blog, September 29, 2026, https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/
ThingsBoard Community Grant Program, https://thingsboard.io/community-grant-program/
ThingsBoard LICENSE file, Business Source License 1.1 with the parameters Licensor, Licensed Work, Additional Use Grant, Change Date, and Change License, https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE
ThingsBoard License Portal Terms of Use, https://thingsboard.io/legal/terms-of-use/ and License Agreement, https://thingsboard.io/legal/license-agreement/
1 ThingsBoard Blog, Andrew Shvaika, “Re-licensing ThingsBoard Editions into One Source-Available Product,” September 29, 2026, section “What’s changing,” https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#whats-changing. LICENSE file, “Licensed Work” parameter (platform version 4.4.0 or later), https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE
2 ThingsBoard Blog, Andrew Shvaika, “Re-licensing ThingsBoard Editions into One Source-Available Product,” September 29, 2026, section “What’s changing,” https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#whats-changing. LICENSE file, “Licensed Work” parameter (platform version 4.4.0 or later), https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE
3 ThingsBoard Blog, Andrew Shvaika, “Re-licensing ThingsBoard Editions into One Source-Available Product,” September 29, 2026, section “What’s changing,” https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#whats-changing. LICENSE file, “Licensed Work” parameter (platform version 4.4.0 or later), https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE
4. LICENSE file, “Terms” section, paragraph 1 (rights to copy, modify, redistribute, and use for non-production purposes), as well as the “Additional Use Grant” parameter, conditions (i) and (ii), https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE. Blog, section “How the license works,” https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#how-the-license-works
5 LICENSE file, “Additional Use Grant” parameter, clauses (a) and (b), and the definition of “Commercial Purpose,” https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE. Blog, FAQs “What is free?” and “What is production use vs. non-production use?”, https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#faq
6 LICENSE file, “Additional Use Grant” parameter, subsection (b) (“on no more than one server”), https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE. The terms “production instance,” “cluster,” and “standby” are defined only in the blog, in the FAQs “Is there a limit on production instances or clusters in the Free License?” and “Is a standby or disaster-recovery deployment considered production?” https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#faq
7 LICENSE file, “Additional Use Grant” parameter, subsection (b) (“on no more than one server”), https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE. The terms “production instance,” “cluster,” and “standby” are defined only in the blog, in the FAQs “Is there a limit on production instances or clusters in the Free License?” and “Is a standby or disaster-recovery deployment considered production?” https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#faq
8 LICENSE file, “Additional Use Grant” parameter, condition (i) (name, logo, and “Powered by ThingsBoard” must be visible and unaltered) and “Terms,” paragraph 7 (no trademark rights), https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE. Blog, “Stage 4” section and FAQ “What exactly counts as white-labeling?”, https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#stage-4-turning-it-into-the-integrators-own-product-commercial-license
9 LICENSE file, “Additional Use Grant” parameter, condition (ii) (valid license key issued free of charge; no circumvention of the key verification), https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE. Data flow, offline keys, and 30-day development mode are not covered in the license, but are discussed in the blog and FAQs: “Do I need a license key?”, “What data does my ThingsBoard instance send to you?”, “Can I run ThingsBoard fully offline?”, https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#faq, , as well as in the License Portal Terms of Use, https://thingsboard.io/legal/terms-of-use/
10 Blog, section “If you run ThingsBoard Community Edition,” https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#if-you-run-thingsboard-community-edition; Community Grant Program, https://thingsboard.io/community-grant-program/. The Community Grant is not part of the LICENSE file, but rather a separate license from the manufacturer.
11 Blog, section “If you run ThingsBoard Community Edition,” https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#if-you-run-thingsboard-community-edition; Community Grant Program, https://thingsboard.io/community-grant-program/. The Community Grant is not part of the LICENSE file, but rather a separate license from the manufacturer.
12 LICENSE file, the “Change Date” parameter (four years from publication) and “Change License” (Apache License 2.0), as well as “Terms,” paragraph 2, https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE. Blog, FAQs “When does the code become fully open source?” and “Is ThingsBoard still open source?”, https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#faq
13 Blog, FAQ “I use ThingsBoard Cloud” and “Does the new license cover Trendz, Edge, Gateway, mobile apps, and TBMQ?”, https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#faq. LICENSE file, “Licensed Work” parameter (platform only), https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE
14 Blog, FAQ “I use ThingsBoard Cloud” and “Does the new license cover Trendz, Edge, Gateway, mobile apps, and TBMQ?”, https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#faq. LICENSE file, “Licensed Work” parameter (platform only), https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE
15 LICENSE file, definitions of “Commercial Purpose” (excluding educational institutions and nonprofit organizations, provided they are not for-profit) and “Organization,” https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE. Blog, FAQ “My organization is a nonprofit / municipality / school,” “Can I host ThingsBoard for my clients?,” “I’m an integrator,” https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#faq
16 Blog, FAQ: “What happens when I reach my device limit?”, “Only my own engineers use the dashboard”, “I contribute code to ThingsBoard”, https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#faq. LICENSE file, “Terms,” paragraph 6 (Loss of rights in the event of a license violation for all versions), https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE
17 Blog, FAQ: “What happens when I reach my device limit?”, “Only my own engineers use the dashboard”, “I contribute code to ThingsBoard”, https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#faq. LICENSE file, “Terms,” paragraph 6 (forfeiture of rights for all versions in the event of a license violation), https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE
18 LICENSE file, “Terms,” paragraph 3 (failure to comply requires either the purchase of a commercial license or cessation of use) and reference to https://license.thingsboard.io, https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE. Blog, FAQ “How much does it cost to go beyond the Free License?”, “Subscription or Perpetual”, “Where can I read the actual license?”, https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#faq
19 LICENSE file, “Terms,” paragraph 3 (failure to comply requires either the purchase of a commercial license or cessation of use) and reference to https://license.thingsboard.io, https://github.com/thingsboard/thingsboard/blob/master/LICENSE. Blog, FAQs: “How much does it cost to go beyond the Free License?”, “Subscription or Perpetual?”, “Where can I read the actual license?”, https://thingsboard.io/blog/one-thingsboard-source-available/#faq

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