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License & Pricing

docs-src/src/content/docs/guides/license.mdx

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Shepherd.js uses a dual-licensing model to support both open source and commercial use.

Free Use - AGPL-3.0

Shepherd.js is free for open source and non-commercial use under the AGPL-3.0 license.

Who Can Use Shepherd.js for Free?

✅ Open Source Projects

  • Your project is open source under an AGPL-compatible license
  • Your complete source code is publicly available

✅ Personal & Non-Commercial Use

  • Personal projects, portfolios, and hobby websites
  • Educational purposes (students, teachers, coursework)
  • Academic research projects

✅ Evaluation & Testing

  • Evaluating Shepherd.js for up to 30 days
  • Development, testing, and staging environments during evaluation
  • Proof-of-concept and demo projects

AGPL-3.0 Requirements

When using Shepherd.js under AGPL-3.0, you must:

  • Make your complete source code available if you distribute or provide your software over a network
  • License your code under AGPL-3.0 or a compatible license
  • Comply with all AGPL-3.0 terms

Read the full AGPL-3.0 license text

Commercial License

You must purchase a commercial license if:

❌ Commercial Products & Services

  • You're building a commercial product, application, SaaS, or website that generates revenue
  • Your company generates revenue (even if the specific project using Shepherd.js does not)
  • You're using Shepherd.js in any customer-facing commercial application

❌ Closed-Source Use

  • You cannot or don't want to open-source your code under AGPL-3.0
  • You want to keep your source code proprietary
  • You want to avoid AGPL's source code disclosure requirements

❌ White-Label, Resale, or OEM Use

  • You're embedding Shepherd.js in a product you sell or distribute
  • You're offering Shepherd.js as part of a commercial service or hosting
  • You're using Shepherd.js in a product sold to other businesses

❌ Internal Business Tools

  • You're using Shepherd.js for internal tools, dashboards, or admin panels in a revenue-generating company
  • Even if the tool is not customer-facing, commercial licenses are required for for-profit companies

Benefits of Commercial License

  • ✅ No AGPL obligations - Keep your code proprietary
  • ✅ Legal protection and indemnification
  • ✅ Priority support and updates
  • ✅ Lifetime license with no recurring fees

View Pricing & Purchase →

Still Not Sure?

If you're unsure whether you need a commercial license:

When in doubt: If your organization generates revenue, you likely need a commercial license.

Contact us: [email protected]

Framework Wrappers

React Shepherd

The react-shepherd wrapper is licensed under MIT, but it depends on shepherd.js which is AGPL-3.0.

If you need a commercial license for Shepherd.js, you also need one when using the React wrapper.

Other Wrappers

All wrappers depend on the core Shepherd.js library and inherit its licensing requirements.