Is a license fee required for self-built TiDB databases used for commercial purposes?

Note:
This topic has been translated from a Chinese forum by GPT and might contain errors.

Original topic: 自建tidb数据库用于商业用途是否需要授权费

| username: vincentLi

As mentioned, if you purchase a cloud server to deploy TiDB for commercial use, do you need to purchase a PingCAP license?

| username: TiDBer_jYQINSnf | Original post link

No need, the community edition is sufficient. The protocol is Mongo, which is not very cloud-friendly. If you need some SQL auditing features, you will have to pay for the commercial edition.

| username: tidb菜鸟一只 | Original post link

The community edition is free for any use, but it lacks some advanced features and does not come with official support, so you have to solve any issues on your own. The commercial edition is paid, offers more comprehensive features, and includes official product support.

| username: zhaokede | Original post link

Non-core system applications can use the community version of TiDB.

| username: TiDBer_小阿飞 | Original post link

There is a detailed feature comparison, mainly focusing on:

  1. Security (such as audit functionality)
  2. Technical support
  3. Graphical platform components
    and other differences.
| username: Kamner | Original post link

The community edition can be used freely, but official technical support is not provided.

| username: 随便改个用户名 | Original post link

For enterprise use, the enterprise edition is better as it can provide official technical support in urgent situations. :face_in_clouds: So far, it feels pretty good to use. :face_with_peeking_eye:

| username: TIDB-Learner | Original post link

How is the enterprise version charged?

| username: DBAER | Original post link

The community edition should be fine, you can directly collaborate with the official team for this kind of thing.

| username: terry0219 | Original post link

Is there a difference between the enterprise version and the community version of the software?

| username: 有猫万事足 | Original post link

There are quite a few differences.

The comparison of features between the PingCAP database and the community edition has been posted above by @TiDBer_小阿飞.

| username: stephanie | Original post link

There are quite a few differences between the community edition and the enterprise edition mentioned by the classmate above. We are using the community edition.

| username: tidb狂热爱好者 | Original post link

You can use it in your commercial activities without paying.

| username: TiDBer_aKu9dgpb | Original post link

Not needed.

| username: TiDBer_QYr0vohO | Original post link

The community edition can be used freely.