Do you need to pay for Oracle Java?

About: Licenseware specializes in license analysis automation and development to get licensing insights, from any data source, in minutes. Find out more about delivering better services on our website ?

Now, let’s be clear – Java has never been completely free. Some licensing was free before 2019, but most companies should have purchased a license long ago. Oracle wasn’t really enforcing it, so some companies got away without buying one.

The parent pack is the Oracle Java SE subscription cost page: published bands, Employee definition, and stay versus OpenJDK.

If you’re a company using Java for commercial purposes, it’s time to review your licensing requirements and figure out if you need to purchase a license from Oracle. And if you do need one, you need to consider the options available: (1) either buy a license or (2) switch to a non-licensable Java JDK like OpenJDK or Azul. For starters, you have to determine if your usage is personal or commercial, as that makes a big difference in terms of how you can use Oracle products.

Take a look at the different Java licensing agreements, like the Oracle Binary Code License Agreement, the Oracle Technology Network License Agreement, and the Oracle No-fee Terms and Conditions (NFTC). From 16 April 2019, Oracle JDK 8 updates starting with 8u211 are under the OTN License Agreement for Java SE, not a blanket ban on commercial use. Oracle’s JDK license FAQ says OTN still allows personal use, development, testing, prototyping, demonstration, some approved-product use, and identified OCI use at no cost. Other production use needs a commercial license such as the Java SE Universal Subscription.

While free sounds pretty appealing for some, purchasing a Java subscription from Oracle comes with some added perks. Features like the Java Management Service, Advanced Management Console, GraalVM Enterprise, and 24×7 support are all included. Plus, Oracle developers are the ones who develop the source code for the majority of Java platforms in the world.

The cost of an Oracle Java license varies depending on the product and usage. Those User and Processor SKUs are the legacy Java SE Desktop Subscription and Java SE Subscription. Oracle’s FAQ says the Java SE Universal Subscription replaced both as of January 23, 2023. The current published card is the employee metric, from $15.00 down to $5.25 per employee per month, then contact Oracle above 50,000 employees. The exact cost will depend on factors such as the number of processors, virtualization policies, and cloud licensing policies.

Oracle’s FAQ says Java SE Universal Subscription is sold per Employee and that “The underlying application architecture and deployment model does not affect pricing.” Under that metric, VMware host counts do not set the price. Partitioning-policy host math belongs to older Processor paper, not the current default card. The specifics of how to license Oracle Java SE on VMware will vary depending on the version.

To ensure compliance with Oracle’s Java licensing rules, reviewing your Java deployments and considering all Oracle licensing rules and policies is essential. This includes reviewing commercial features usage, checking if existing Oracle products include a Java license, and evaluating any third-party software that includes a Java license. It’s also recommended to create an Oracle licensing strategy for VMware/virtualization and consider procurement or migration options. If Oracle contacts you to discuss your Java deployments, it’s best to decline the contact and perform an independent review of your Java SE licensing to be prepared.

Also read

If you want the fuller guide on this topic, start with Navigating Oracle Java Licensing: Are You Making Costly Mistakes?.