Open Source Database Licensing & Pricing

Backplane Database Licensing & Pricing Information

Backplane, Inc. recognizes the huge benefit gained by open-source collaboration. Our software can be used freely, up to a point, in commercial settings. The following describes the Backplane database licensing terms.

Please be sure to read the copyright and licensing information before downloading the Backplane database.

       Copyright

       Free License (PDF)

       Commercial License (PDF)

Licensing Information

Free Use for Applications and Services that are 100% GPL
If your application is licensed under the GPL or compatible OSI license (learn more at opensource.org) approved by Backplane, Inc., you are free and welcome to ship the Backplane open source database with your application. By "application" we mean any type of software application, service, system, tool or utility. To do this, you do not need a separate signed agreement with Backplane, Inc., because the Backplane Free License is sufficient.

Free Use for Non-Commercial Corporate or Personal Purposes, even if they are not 100% GPL
You are free to use the Backplane open source database to power your application or service, whether or not your application is under a GPL approved license, so long as you do not sell that application or service or use it to conduct, directly or indirectly, any form of online commerce (selling/buying products or services over a website).

Commercial Use
If you power an application using the Backplane database that you market or sell, or use that application to conduct any form of online commerce (selling/buying products or services over a website) you need to purchase the Backplane Commercial License. For example, while running an email system using the Backplane database for your company would come under the Backplane Open Source License, using Backplane to run an email service that you charge other companies to access would come under the commercial license.

Should I Use the Free License or the Commercial License?
Example 1: your product or service is completely free, but you make money from advertising. This requries the Backplane Commercial License.

Example 2: your corporate website uses Backplane to market (not sell) your products. This falls under the Backplane Free License. However, if your site allows clients to purchase goods, services, or content then a commercial license would be required.

Example 3: you're running an email system using the Backplane database for your company -- this comes under the Backplane Free License. However, using Backplane to run an email service that you charge other companies to access would come under the Backplane Commercial License.

Example 4: you use Backplane to power an internally used backoffice system (like a billing system) -- this would come under the Backplane Free License.

Example 5: you run an online photo service charging users to subscribe or print their photos -- this falls under the Backplane Commercial License.

NOTE: In any of these examples, if the entire application or service is 100% GPL compatible, you may use the Backplane Free License.

Copying
You are allowed to copy Backplane binaries and source code (with all trademark and copyright information intact), but when you do so, the copies will fall under the Backplane Free License.

In Summary

To all commercial organizations, we recommend the commercial licence because it frees you from the far-reaching requirements of the Backplane Free Licence.
To all GPL/Open Source enthusiasts, we recommend using the Backplane Free licence.
To anyone in doubt, we recommend the commercial licence. It really can't be wrong.
For circumstances under which a commercial Backplane server license is required, you need a license per database server (single installed Backplane binary). There are no restrictions on the number of connections, number of CPUs, memory or disks to that one database server.

Pricing Information

Overview
Backplane is priced on a per server basis, regardless of the number of CPUs running on that server.

From 1 to 9 servers:        $300 per server

From 10 to 50 servers:    $250 per server

For over 50 servers:        $200 per server

Questions?
Please email us at info@backplane.com.