Pricing · Serial Studio

Open source

GPLv3 source

Compile it yourself

Free

License: GPLv3
Binary: You build from source
Commercial use: Not permitted
Production use: Not permitted

Serial/UART, TCP/UDP, Bluetooth LE
15+ widgets: plots, gauges, GPS, FFT, compass, data grids
JavaScript and Lua frame parsers
Quick Plot and the visual Project Editor
CSV export and playback
TCP API and MCP server
Community support on GitHub

View source on GitHub

Requires an open-source Qt and a GPL-compliant project around it.

Recommended

Pro license

Official binary, full feature set

$9.99 /mo · or $349 lifetime

License: Commercial
Binary: Signed installers for every platform
Commercial use: Permitted
Production use: Permitted

Everything in the free build, plus:
MQTT, Modbus, CAN with DBC, Audio, Raw USB, HID, Process I/O
3D, XY, Waterfall and ImageView widgets, plus the scripted Painter
MDF4 read/write, session database and HTML/PDF reports
AI Assistant with bring-your-own-key or local LLM
Output controls, multi-device projects, operator deployments
Email support

Start 14-day free trial

All Pro features active. No card required.

Can't afford a license yet? Contribute to the project and earn one.

Pick the plan that fits

Every plan includes the full Pro feature set. The difference is how many seats and how you pay.

Monthly

$9.99/mo

For a single engineer. Or $79.99 / year (save $40).

All Pro features
5 device activations
Commercial & private use
All updates while active
Email support
Cancel any time

Get monthly

Lifetime

$349

One-time payment for a single engineer. Pays back after 35 months.

All Pro features, forever
All future Pro releases included
No subscription, no renewals
5 device activations
Commercial & private use
Email support

Buy lifetime

Small Business

$39/mo

For a team up to 20. Or $349 / year (save $119).

All Pro features, every seat
20 device activations across the team
Commercial & private use
Operator deployments
Centralized licensing, one invoice
Email support

Get team plan

Enterprise

$99/mo

For larger teams, OEMs and integrators. Or $799 / year (save $389).

All Pro features, fleet-wide
100 device activations
Commercial, OEM & integrator use
Operator deployments at scale
Priority email support
Custom invoicing & PO terms on request
Roadmap input on industrial features

Get enterprise

Free vs Pro feature comparison

Every difference between the two builds, for anyone who wants the exact list before deciding.

Capability	Free (GPL)	Pro
Data sources
Serial/UART (USB, RS-232, RS-485)	✓	✓
TCP / UDP networking	✓	✓
Bluetooth Low Energy	✓	✓
MQTT publish / subscribe	×	✓
Modbus RTU & TCP	×	✓
CAN Bus + DBC import	×	✓
Audio input (FFT, waterfall)	×	✓
Raw USB (libusb)	×	✓
HID devices (hidapi)	×	✓
Process I/O (child stdout, named pipes)	×	✓
Visualization & widgets
Line/multi plot, FFT, bar, gauge, compass	✓	✓
Accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS map	✓	✓
Data grid, LED panel, terminal	✓	✓
3D Plot, XY Plot, Waterfall (spectrogram)	×	✓
ImageView (live camera/image feed)	×	✓
Painter (user-scripted Canvas2D)	×	✓
Plot Sweep / Trigger mode (oscilloscope-style)	×	✓
Data flow & automation
Built-In frame decoders (code-free, compiled C++)	✓	✓
JavaScript / Lua frame parsers	✓	✓
Binary (Direct) parser mode	×	✓
Control Loop automation (setup / loop)	✓	✓
Per-dataset transforms (EMA, scaling, calibration)	✓	✓
CSV export & playback	✓	✓
MDF4 / MF4 export and playback	×	✓
Session database (SQLite Explorer)	×	✓
Session reports (HTML / PDF)	×	✓
File transfer (XMODEM / YMODEM / ZMODEM)	×	✓
Output widgets (buttons, sliders, knobs)	×	✓
Multi-device projects	×	✓
Integration & AI
TCP API (320+ commands)	✓	✓
gRPC server (typed protobuf streaming)	✓	✓
MCP server for AI hosts	✓	✓
AI Assistant (BYOK / local LLM)	×	✓
Modbus register-map importer	×	✓
CAN DBC importer (auto-generates projects)	×	✓
Project Lock (operator mode)	×	✓
Licensing
License	GPLv3	Commercial
Closed-source / commercial use	×	✓
Official precompiled binaries	×	✓
Email support	×	✓

See the full license agreement for the precise legal terms.

Before you decide

The questions visitors ask most often about licensing and the trial.

Can I use the free build commercially if I compile from source?

No. The free build is licensed under GPLv3, which permits non-commercial and open-source use only. Commercial use (including internal business tools, products you sell, or revenue-generating workflows) requires a Pro license, even when you compile from source with no Pro modules linked.

See the full license for the exact terms.

What happens after the 14-day trial?

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 is one-time per machine. Reinstalls, VMs and clock changes do not reset it.

Can I compile Pro from source if I have a license?

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.

What counts as a "device activation"?

One activation equals one running install of Serial Studio. The Monthly and Lifetime plans include 5 activations, Small Business includes 20, and Enterprise includes 100.

You can deactivate a machine from Help → Deactivate License and reactivate elsewhere. Activations are tied to a hardware fingerprint, not to a user account.

How long does the Lifetime plan last?

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

It pays back versus monthly after about 35 months, or versus annual after about 5 years.

Can I switch plans or get a refund?

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.

Can I earn a free Pro license?

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 like any other organization. If you are a student or researcher working on a personal, non-commercial project, the GPLv3 source build is free and sufficient.

14 days of Pro, no card required

Every Pro feature is on during the trial. If the standard widgets, scripting and CSV recording cover your work, compile the GPLv3 source after day 14 at no cost. If you need MQTT, Modbus, CAN, MDF4 or the AI Assistant, activate a Pro license.

Download and start trial Buy Pro Lifetime, $349