Free to compile. Pro to ship.

Yes. A build compiled from source with GPL modules only is GPLv3 software, and the GPLv3 permits commercial use, including internal business tools and revenue-generating workflows. It excludes the Pro features; businesses that need those, the official binaries, or email support buy a Pro license or evaluate with the 14-day trial.

See the full license for the exact terms.

The official binary disables Pro features and prompts for a license key. You can:

· Activate a Pro license to keep working with the full feature set, or
· Compile the GPLv3 source for the free build (Serial/UART, TCP/UDP, BLE and the standard widgets).

The trial runs once per release on each machine. Reinstalls, VMs and clock changes do not reset it; a new release starts a new 14-day trial.

Fourteen days suits a single engineer. If you are evaluating for a plant, lab or test floor where the decision moves at the speed of procurement, ask for an extended evaluation.

The official Pro binary is the supported way to use Pro. Buying a Pro license covers it end to end, including the Qt commercial components it links against. No second purchase needed.

Compiling Pro from source is possible for licensees, but it requires your own Qt commercial license on top of the Serial Studio Pro license, plus build instructions you would need to request directly. Practically, that path costs more than buying Pro outright, and it is not how most users should approach this. If you need a specific Pro behavior to change, email me or open a pull request. It is almost always faster and cheaper than self-compiling.

Note that a Qt commercial license alone does not grant any right to compile Pro features. The Pro modules are governed by the Serial Studio commercial license.

One activation equals one running install of Serial Studio. The Pro plans (Monthly, Yearly and Lifetime) include 3 activations, Small Business includes 10, and Test Stand includes 20.

You can deactivate a machine with the Deactivate button in the License Management dialog (About → Manage License) and reactivate elsewhere. Activations are tied to a hardware fingerprint, not to a user account.

Test Stand is a one-time, lifetime license built for industrial test benches, production equipment and other machines that stay in service for years. It is $1,900 for 20 device activations ($95 per device, perpetual), with commercial, OEM and integrator use included.

Every seat can be activated offline: export a device file from the air-gapped machine, generate a signed license file, and import it. No internet connection, no phone-home, no subscription to renew. Compared with the Small Business annual plan for the same 20 seats, it pays for itself in under three years, then costs nothing for the rest of the equipment's life.

Need a different device count or a purchase order? Email me for a quote.

It is the lifetime of Serial Studio. One payment, all future Pro updates, no renewals.

It pays back versus monthly after about 37 months, or versus annual after about 4 years.

Plans can be changed at any time from the Lemon Squeezy customer portal.

Refunds are available within 14 days of purchase if Pro does not work out for you. Email alex@serial-studio.com.

Yes, on a personal basis. Write a tutorial, donate development hardware, translate docs, share protocol samples or send a pull request. Verified contributions are exchanged for a Pro license valid for 3 to 12 months. See how it works.

Note that academic affiliation alone is not a discount path. Universities and research institutions buy commercial licenses when they need Pro features, official binaries, or support, like any other organization. If the core protocols and standard widgets cover your coursework or research, the GPLv3 source build is free and sufficient.