Is Java free? Java is free as OpenJDK, including Liberica JDK from BellSoft, under the GPLv2 with Classpath Exception, for any use including production. Oracle JDK is free only for the current LTS release under NFTC (JDK 25, updates through September 2028) and for personal or dev/test use under OTN. Production workloads on Oracle JDK 8 (8u211+), 11, 17 (17.0.13+), or 21 (from October 20, 2026) require a paid Oracle subscription priced per employee.
What Oracle Java licenses exist, and which versions fall under each
Java SE has shipped under four licenses since Sun open-sourced it in 2006; Oracle acquired Sun and its Java assets in January 2010. The license that applies to your deployment determines whether you owe Oracle a subscription, and for which applications.
Oracle Technology Network (OTN) License
The OTN license permits free use for personal use, development, testing, prototyping and demonstration only. Production use requires a paid Oracle Java SE Universal Subscription. OTN currently governs: JDK 8 from build 8u211 onwards; all builds of JDK 11; JDK 17 from build 17.0.13 onwards; and JDK 21 from the October 20, 2026 CPU onwards. Any organization running these builds in a production environment without a subscription is non-compliant.
No-Fee Terms and Conditions (NFTC) is free for the current LTS, but for a limited window
Oracle introduced the NFTC in September 2021 to allow free commercial use of new LTS releases for a limited window. The window closes one year after the next LTS ships. JDK 25 (released September 2025) is currently free under NFTC, all updates through the September 2028. Non-LTS releases (e.g. JDK 26 or 27) are free under NFTC for their entire planned six-month support life. When the window closes, the next update ships under OTN and requires a subscription.
GPLv2 with Classpath Exception are for OpenJDK builds, including Liberica JDK
The Java SE platform is open-source under the GNU General Public License version 2 with Classpath Exception (GPLv2+CPE). Any build produced from the OpenJDK source code, including BellSoft Liberica JDK, is free for any use, including production, without a subscription, for as long as the vendor maintains the build. TCK-verified OpenJDK distributions are compatible with Oracle JDK. This is the license under which Java remains free today.
Binary Code License (BCL) for historical builds, like JDK 6, 7, and 8u202 or earlier
Before April 2019, Oracle distributed Java SE under the Binary Code License, which permitted free commercial use. The BCL applies to JDK 6, JDK 7, and JDK 8 up to and including build 8u202. These builds remain technically license-compliant to run, but Oracle has released no security patches for them since January 2019. Between April 2019 and August 2026, Oracle Critical Patch Updates fixed more than 200 vulnerabilities in Java 8 specifically, and more than 280 across all Java SE versions (source: Oracle Critical Patch Update advisories). Running BCL-era builds in production is a security risk, not a cost-saving measure.
Quick reference. Oracle Java License types at a glance
|
License |
Free for production? |
Versions |
Key restriction |
|---|---|---|---|
|
BCL |
Yes (historical builds) |
JDK 6, 7, 8 ≤ 8u202 |
No further security patches from Oracle |
|
OTN |
No (dev/test only) |
JDK 8 ≥ 8u211, JDK 11, JDK 17 ≥ 17.0.13, JDK 21 (from Oct 2026) |
Use in production requires an Oracle Java SE Universal Subscription |
|
NFTC |
Yes, for a limited window (approx. 3 years) |
JDK 17 (≤ 17.0.12), JDK 21 (updates through September 2026), JDK 25 ( updates through Sep 2028), non-LTS for 6 months |
License expires; next update requires OTN subscription or version upgrade |
|
GPLv2+CPE or OpenJDK builds including Liberica JDK |
Yes, permanently |
All versions with an active OpenJDK distribution |
No Oracle support; commercial support available from distribution vendor |
Four Oracle Java licensing changes since 2019
|
Date |
What changed |
Versions affected |
|---|---|---|
|
April 2019 |
BCL was replaced by OTN. Security patches for production require a Java SE Subscription. |
JDK 7 (7u221+) JDK 8 (8u211+), JDK 11 |
|
September 2021 |
NFTC was introduced for new LTS releases. It allows free commercial use for a limited window, until one year after the next LTS. |
JDK 17, 21, 25 (LTS); non-LTS for their 6-month life |
|
January 2023 |
Employee metric replaces NUP/Processor. One Oracle JDK install = license all employees + contractors. |
All versions requiring a Java SE Subscription. |
|
October 2026 |
New lower SMB pricing for organizations under 3,000 employees; online purchase available via Oracle Store. |
SMB orgs under 3,000 employees |
NFTC window rule: free Oracle JDK updates are provided until one year after the next LTS release. Oracle JDK 25 (released in Sep 2025) starts the JDK 21 clock, meaning that free updates for JDK 21 ended in Sep 2026. Java 29 LTS (planned Sep 2027) starts the JDK 25 clock. So free updates for JDK 25 end in September 2028. See the Oracle Java SE Support Roadmap for the current schedule.
Important: The NFTC does not apply to previous LTS releases, and it does not apply if your organization received that JDK version under a paid Oracle Master Agreement.
Is Java free for commercial use? Version by version
Java 8: last free build was 8u202 (January 2019)
Oracle released the last free Java 8 update (build 8u202) in January 2019. That build remains technically license-compliant under the BCL and is still available to run in production. However, it has not received a security patch in over seven years. Between April 2019 and August 2026, Oracle Critical Patch Updates addressed more than 200 vulnerabilities in Java 8 and more than 280 across all Java SE versions (source: Oracle Critical Patch Update advisories).
All Oracle JDK 8 updates from 8u211 onwards are issued under the OTN license and require a Java SE subscription for production use. Organizations running 8u211 or later without a subscription are non-compliant.
What to do. Switching to Liberica JDK 8 is typically faster and lower-risk than a version upgrade. Remove Oracle JDK, install Liberica JDK 8, restart. No application code changes are required for the vast majority of workloads. BellSoft provides free security patches for Liberica JDK 8 until 2031. Public builds are free to download, and custom builds are available under a support agreement.
Java 11: every build requires a subscription for production
Oracle JDK 11 was never released under the NFTC. Every build of Oracle JDK 11 has required a subscription for production use since its initial release in September 2018. Liberica JDK 11 is a drop-in replacement available free of charge under an open-source license.
Java 17: NFTC expired September 2024. 17.0.12 was the last free update
The NFTC license for Oracle JDK 17 expired in September 2024. Build 17.0.12, released in July 2024, was the last free update. All subsequent Oracle JDK 17 releases (from 17.0.13) are issued under OTN and require a subscription for production use.
Builds 17.0.12 and earlier are technically NFTC-compliant, but Oracle provides no further free security patches for them. Running an unpatched JDK 17 in production carries the same security exposure as running an unpatched JDK 8.
Java 21: NFTC expired September 2026; OTN applies from October 20, 2026
As of October 2026, Oracle JDK 21 is no longer free for production use. The NFTC window for JDK 21 closed with the September 2026 CPU. NFTC-licensed updates run through 21.0.12.1 (August 18, 2026); from the October 20, 2026 CPU, updates ship under OTN. A subscription is required for production use. See your three options below.
Java 25: free under NFTC through the September 2028 update
Oracle JDK 25 (released September 2025) is currently free for production use under the NFTC license. Free updates continue until one year after Java 29 LTS, which Oracle currently plans to release in September 2027. After that, OTN applies.
Planning note: upgrading to JDK 25 buys time, but a further upgrade to JDK 29 will be required before September 2028 to remain on the free LTS at all times. OpenJDK distributions have no equivalent treadmill.
Non-LTS releases (e.g. JDK 26 or 27)
Non-LTS releases, such as JDK 26 and JDK 27, are available free of charge under the NFTC for their entire planned six-month support life. Oracle provides no further updates after that window closes. JDK 26 (released March 2026) is free through September 2026; JDK 27 is free through March 2027.
Quick reference. all current Oracle JDK versions
|
Version |
License status |
Free patches? |
Recommended action |
|---|---|---|---|
|
JDK 6 & 7 (≤ 7u80) |
BCL, compliant but EOL. No patches in years. |
No |
Switch to Liberica JDK for your target version. |
|
JDK 8 (≤ 8u202) |
BCL, compliant. 200+ Java 8 CVEs fixed since January 2019. Significant security risk. |
No (ended Jan 2019) |
Switch to Liberica JDK 8 (patches until 2031). No code changes needed. |
|
JDK 8 (≥ 8u211) |
⚠ OTN, subscription required for production. |
Subscription only |
Subscribe to Oracle or switch to Liberica JDK 8. |
|
JDK 11 |
⚠ OTN. subscription required for all builds. |
Subscription only |
Subscribe to Oracle or switch to Liberica JDK 11. |
|
JDK 17 (≤ 17.0.12) |
NFTC-compliant but no further free patches. Not recommended for production. |
No (ended Sep 2024) |
Upgrade to JDK 25 or switch to Liberica JDK 17. |
|
JDK 17 (≥ 17.0.13) |
⚠ OTN, subscription required for production. |
Subscription only |
Subscribe, upgrade to JDK 25, or switch to Liberica JDK 17. |
|
JDK 21 |
⚠ NFTC expired September 2026. OTN from October 20, 2026. |
No (ended Sep 2026) |
Switch to Liberica JDK 21 (free, drop-in) or upgrade to JDK 25. Act now. |
|
JDK 25 ✅ |
NFTC, free through September 2028 update. |
Yes (until Sep 2028) |
Consider Liberica JDK 25 to avoid the next deadline. |
|
JDK 26 (non-LTS) |
NFTC, six-month window closed ~September 2026. |
No (ended ~Sep 2026) |
Upgrade to JDK 27 (free) or switch to Liberica JDK 26. |
|
JDK 27 (non-LTS) |
NFTC, free through approximately March 2027. |
Yes (until ~Mar 2027) |
Plan to upgrade before the window closes. |
Verify current terms at oracle.com/java/technologies/javase/jdk-faqs.html. Oracle may revise license terms at any time.
Oracle Java SE Universal Subscription: how the employee metric works and what it costs
The Employee metric, introduced in January 2023, is the default pricing model for new Oracle Java SE subscriptions. It is the primary source of sticker shock for most organizations.
The "all-in" rule
Under the Employee metric, an organization must license all employees regardless of how many of them use Oracle Java. Oracle defines "employees" broadly:
"…all of Your full-time, part-time, temporary employees, and all of the full-time employees, part-time employees and temporary employees of Your agents, contractors, outsourcers, and consultants that support Your internal business operations."
— Oracle Java SE Universal Subscription license terms
A single unlicensed Oracle JDK installation in a production environment is sufficient to bring the entire organization within the scope of the Universal Subscription. An organization with 10,000 employees but only 50 servers running Java pays the same metric as one with Java on every desktop.
What an Oracle Java subscription costs in 2026: SMB pricing under 3,000 employees; $10.50 to $5.25 per employee per month above
On October 8, 2026, Oracle announced lower flat-rate pricing for eligible organizations under 3,000 employees, with the option to purchase online via the Oracle Store. For organizations of 3,000 and above, the per-employee-per-month enterprise pricing is unchanged.
Under 3,000 employees — flat annual price (from October 8, 2026)
|
Organization size |
Annual subscription |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
Up to 10 employees |
$100 / year |
Available online via Oracle Store |
|
11–100 employees |
$1,000 / year |
Available online via Oracle Store |
|
101–500 employees |
$10,000 / year |
Available online via Oracle Store |
|
501–2,999 employees |
$10,000 + $147.20/year per employee above 500 |
E.g., 1,000 employees: $10,000 + 500 × $147.20 = $83,600/year |
3,000 employees and above — per employee per month (enterprise pricing)
|
Employee Band |
Monthly rate / employee |
Annual cost / employee |
|---|---|---|
|
3,000 – 9,999 |
$10.50 |
$126.00 |
|
10,000 – 19,999 |
$8.25 |
$99.00 |
|
20,000 – 29,999 |
$6.75 |
$81.00 |
|
30,000 – 39,999 |
$5.70 |
$68.40 |
|
40,000 – 49,999 |
$5.25 |
$63.00 |
|
50,000+ |
Contact Oracle |
Custom quote |
Source: Oracle Java SE Subscription FAQ and Oracle blog, October 8, 2026. Prices verified October 12, 2026. Oracle may revise rates at any time.
Legacy NUP and Processor metrics. Oracle no longer offers the Named User Plus (NUP) and Processor metrics to new customers. Existing subscribers may be able to renew under legacy terms. Oracle does not publish a price list for the legacy model. When preparing for a negotiation, calculate costs under both the legacy and current Employee metrics.
When the Employee metric was introduced in January 2023, Gartner reported most clients found it two to five times more expensive than the legacy model; House of Brick Technologies calculated that a medium-sized company could see a cost increase of up to 1,400%.
Calculate your Oracle Java cost
|
Servers |
Employees |
Oracle Java SE subscription / year |
Liberica JDK Enterprise / year* |
Estimated saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
100 |
3,000 |
$378,000 |
~$24,500 |
~$353,500 |
|
500 |
5,000 |
$630,000 |
~$70,000 |
~$560,000 |
|
1,000 |
10,000 |
$990,000 |
~$90,000 |
~$900,000 |
|
2,000 |
45,000 |
$2,835,000 |
~$165,000 |
~$2,670,000 |
*Liberica JDK Enterprise support is priced per server. See bell-sw.com/support/ for published pricing.
Oracle JDK 21 is no longer free: what changed in October 2026 and your three options
What changed. Oracle confirmed on 14 August 2026: JDK 21 updates through September 2026 were issued under the NFTC, free for all uses including production. The October 20, 2026 Critical Patch Update (CPU) and all subsequent JDK 21 updates ship under the OTN license, which requires a subscription for production use. Oracle has committed to commercial support for JDK 21 under subscription through at least September 2031.
Your three options if you are running Oracle JDK 21 in production
Option A: Stay on an NFTC-licensed build (21.0.12.1 or earlier). No cost, but you immediately stop receiving security patches. This is only viable as a short-term bridge while you execute one of the options below. Do not run this build in production past the next planned maintenance window.
Option B: Upgrade to Oracle JDK 25. JDK 25 is free under NFTC through the September 2028 update. This removes the immediate cost, but requires application testing and buys only two years before the next decision point.
Option C: Switch to Liberica JDK 21 (recommended). BellSoft Liberica JDK 21 is TCK-verified, free of charge under an open-source license, and a drop-in replacement for Oracle JDK 21. Same runtime behavior, same security patch cadence, no application code changes required in the vast majority of cases. After migration, you are off Oracle's license renewal calendar entirely: no NFTC expiry windows, no next-LTS upgrade pressure, no future billing events tied to Oracle's roadmap.
Download Liberica JDK 21 — free, TCK-verified
Do you need an Oracle Java license? A 3-step check
The following framework helps organizations scope their Oracle Java SE subscription requirement, build the documentation needed for any negotiation, and evaluate their options.
Step 1: Inventory your Oracle Java SE deployments
Work with your software asset management (SAM) function and operations leaders to create a comprehensive inventory. Document:
- Which versions of Oracle JDK are deployed and where.
- Which applications use Oracle JDK — and whether those deployments are production, development or test.
- Whether server virtualization is in use. Oracle typically requires licensing every physical core in a virtualization estate, regardless of the virtual core count.
- Whether any third-party applications bundle Oracle JDK. Check with those vendors about their Java licensing position.
Maintain this inventory on an ongoing basis — not as a one-time exercise. Regular updates are required whenever software is deployed or decommissioned.
Step 2: Assess which deployments require a subscription
If anyone in your organization has downloaded Oracle Java SE updates since April 2019, you probably need a subscription and may have a compliance risk. The scenarios that require a subscription for production use:
- Any Oracle JDK 8 build from 8u211 onwards.
- Any Oracle JDK 11 build.
- Any Oracle JDK 17 build from 17.0.13 onwards.
- Any Oracle JDK 21 update released after September 2026.
- Any Oracle JDK version used with production tooling in a developer workflow.
Scenarios that do not require a subscription: workloads running exclusively on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) or Oracle Private Cloud Appliance (PCA); Oracle JDK used exclusively for development, testing and demonstration; applications with a bundled Oracle redistribution license (applies only to those applications); Oracle JDK 8 ≤ 8u202; Oracle JDK 17 ≤ 17.0.12; Oracle JDK 25 under the current NFTC.
Note on bundled licenses: Oracle includes a restricted-use license with all licensed Oracle Fusion Middleware and stand-alone Oracle middleware products. This applies exclusively to those Oracle applications. It does not extend to other Java workloads in the same environment.
Step 3: Decide. Evaluate options by cost, risk and engineering effort
With your inventory and exposure quantified (see the cost comparison), your organization can choose from the options below. Options can be combined, for example, switching most workloads to Liberica JDK while purchasing a subscription for any applications that cannot be migrated in the near term.
Option 1: Stay on a free (BCL or NFTC) build
No subscription fees, but significant and immediate security risk. Consider only as a short-term measure. Free (BCL or NFTC) builds end at: 8u202 for JDK 8; 17.0.12 for JDK 17; 21.0.12.1 (August 18, 2026) for JDK 21. Organizations running unpatched releases risk failing security audits and cyber insurance compliance requirements. This is not a permanent solution.
Option 2: Upgrade to Oracle JDK 25
Upgrading all Java applications to JDK 25 eliminates the subscription requirement until September 2028. The engineering effort depends on the number of applications and their current versions. An upgrade from JDK 8 to JDK 25 requires code modifications and comprehensive testing; not all application vendors may yet support JDK 25. This is viable for organizations prepared to invest in the upgrade work and adopt a continuous JDK upgrade cadence.
Option 3: Switch to an OpenJDK distribution. Recommended for most organizations
If your application runs on Oracle JDK, it will run on Liberica JDK. Both are built from the same open-source codebase and pass the same Technology Compatibility Kit (TCK) tests. In the vast majority of cases, the migration is: remove Oracle JDK, install Liberica JDK of the same version, restart. No application code changes, no version upgrade required.
You get the same security patch coverage, and in some cases more. BellSoft provides patches for Liberica JDK 8 through 2031, longer than Oracle’s own free window. Support is priced per server, not per employee, with direct access to Java engineers rather than a general support queue.
Once you have made that switch, there are no more NFTC expiry deadlines, no employee headcount metric, and no forced decisions every time Oracle revises its commercial terms, which it has done three times since 2019.
Checklist: 8 steps to act on now
- Run a scan to identify all Oracle JDK installations by version and host.
- Tag each deployment as production, dev, or test.
- Flag all Oracle JDK 21 production deployments. Immediate action required (October 20, 2026 deadline).
- Flag all Oracle JDK 8 (≥ 8u211) and JDK 11 deployments. This is a compliance gap.
- Calculate your annual Oracle subscription cost using price bands.
- Request a Liberica JDK cost comparison using a contact form.
- Test Liberica JDK on non-critical workloads first, then roll out.
- Document your inventory and keep it current. Oracle may request it.
Get a free licensing assessment
Moving off Oracle JDK: what changes and what doesn't
What stays the same. Oracle JDK and OpenJDK distributions are built from the same open-source codebase and must pass the same Technology Compatibility Kit (TCK) compatibility tests. For the vast majority of applications, including those using standard Java APIs, Spring, Jakarta EE, Tomcat, Kafka, and most commercial middleware, an OpenJDK distribution like Liberica JDK is a drop-in replacement that requires no changes to application source code. Security patch cadence is the same; runtime behavior is the same; your monitoring, your JVM flags, your tooling all carry over.
With Oracle JDK, every LTS cycle ends with a forced decision: subscribe, upgrade, or scramble. OpenJDK distributions do not carry NFTC expiry windows or per-employee billing events. Once you are on Liberica JDK, the next Oracle license change is someone else's problem.
What to check. JavaFX is open-source as OpenJFX, but not all OpenJDK vendors support it. Liberica JDK Full does. Flight Recorder was open-sourced under JEP 328 (JDK 11) and is present in all OpenJDK distributions from JDK 11, including Liberica JDK; it was also back-ported to OpenJDK 8u builds in 2020. Mission Control is an OpenJDK project; BellSoft distributes Liberica Mission Control as a free companion tool. The one genuine gap is the Java Plug-In for legacy browser applets, deprecated since Java 9, removed in Java 11, and absent from Oracle's own modern JDK too. For JNLP/Web Start scenarios, BellSoft offers a Liberica JDK build with OpenWebStart included. For most organizations switching from Oracle JDK 11 or later, none of these represent a blocker.
Some application vendors specify that their products must run on Oracle JDK; those support agreements may require renegotiation. Check your ISV support matrix before migrating those applications.
Liberica JDK
BellSoft Liberica JDK is a TCK-verified OpenJDK distribution available free of charge for commercial use under an open-source license. Liberica JDK supports versions 6, 7, 8, 11, 17, 21 and 25 across a wide range of operating systems and hardware architectures, including Alpine Linux, musl, RISC-V, and ARM.
Enterprise subscribers receive custom builds, extended LTS support, Liberica JDK Performance Edition, Native Image Kit, pre-built container images (Liberica JDK Lite), and direct access to Java engineers. Commercial support is priced per server, not per employee.
For a full comparison of available OpenJDK distributions, see: bell-sw.com/blog/oracle-java-alternatives-comparison-of-openjdk-distributions/
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Java free?
Java is free as OpenJDK, including distributions such as BellSoft Liberica JDK, under the GPLv2 with Classpath Exception, for any use including production. Oracle JDK is free only for: (a) the current LTS release under NFTC (JDK 25, updates through September 2028), and (b) personal use, development, testing and demonstration under OTN. Production use on Oracle JDK 8 (8u211+), 11, 17 (17.0.13+), or 21 (from October 20, 2026) requires a paid subscription.
Is Java 21 still free for commercial use?
No, since the October 2026 CPU, Oracle JDK 21 is no longer free for production use. NFTC-licensed updates ran through 21.0.12.1 (August 18, 2026); all subsequent updates ship under OTN and require a subscription. Your options: stay on 21.0.12.1 or earlier (no cost, but no security patches. Short-term bridge only); upgrade to Oracle JDK 25 (free under NFTC through September 2028); take up an Oracle Java SE subscription and remain on JDK 21; or switch to Liberica JDK 21, a TCK-verified, drop-in replacement that is free, receives the same security patches, and removes you from Oracle’s licensing cycle entirely.
Is Java 25 free for commercial use?
Yes, under the NFTC license. Oracle provides free updates for JDK 25 until one year after Java 29 LTS, which Oracle currently plans to release in September 2027. After that date, OTN applies and a subscription is required for production use.
Is a subscription required if I am on JDK 8u202 or an earlier release?
No. Build 8u202 and earlier were licensed under the BCL, which permitted free commercial use. These builds remain technically license-compliant. However, between April 2019 and August 2026, Oracle Critical Patch Updates addressed more than 200 vulnerabilities in Java 8 (source: Oracle CPU advisories). Running them in production represents a significant security risk.
How much does an Oracle Java license cost per employee?
The current Oracle Java SE Universal Subscription is priced on an Employee metric that covers your entire workforce plus contractors. Since October 8, 2026, eligible organizations under 3,000 employees pay flat annual prices: $100 (up to 10 employees), $1,000 (up to 100), $10,000 (up to 500), and $10,000 plus $147.20 per additional employee up to 2,999. From 3,000 employees the rate is $10.50 per employee per month, falling to $5.25 at 40,000–49,999. Examples: a 1,000-employee organization pays about $83,600 a year; a 10,000-employee organization about $990,000 a year. Source: Oracle Java SE Subscription FAQ. For comparison, Liberica JDK Enterprise support is priced per server. See size-by-size comparison.
Can existing subscribers renew under the legacy NUP or Processor metric?
Oracle no longer offers the legacy metrics to new customers, but existing subscribers may be able to renew under legacy terms. Oracle does not publish a price list for the legacy model. When preparing for a negotiation, calculate costs under both the legacy and current Employee metrics to inform your position.
Can I avoid a subscription by switching to an OpenJDK distribution?
Yes, provided that all Oracle JDK deployments are removed from your environment and replaced with an OpenJDK distribution. If any single application continues to use unlicensed Oracle JDK, a subscription is required. Individual applications can use different JDK distributions. It is not necessary to standardize the entire estate on one product.
Does Oracle own Java?
Oracle owns the Java trademarks, leads the Java SE specification through the Java Community Process (JCP), and leads the OpenJDK project. The OpenJDK source code is open under the GPLv2 with Classpath Exception, so anyone can build and distribute it. BellSoft (Liberica JDK), Red Hat, Amazon, Microsoft, Azul and Eclipse Adoptium all do. Oracle does not own those distributions, and using them requires no Oracle license or subscription.
What is the difference between Oracle JDK and an OpenJDK distribution like Liberica JDK?
Oracle JDK and OpenJDK distributions such as BellSoft Liberica JDK are built from the same open-source codebase and pass the same Technology Compatibility Kit (TCK) compatibility tests, meaning they run the same workloads in the same way. Oracle JDK requires a commercial subscription for sustained production updates. Liberica JDK is available free of charge under an open-source license, with optional commercial support subscriptions priced per server rather than per employee. BellSoft provides security patches for Liberica JDK longer than Oracle's own free window.
References and Useful Links
- Oracle JDK License General FAQs
- Oracle No-Fee Terms and Conditions (NFTC) License
- Oracle Technology Network (OTN) License Agreement for Java SE
- Oracle Java SE Support Roadmap
- Oracle Java SE Subscription FAQ
- Oracle: New lower SMB pricing for Java SE Universal Subscription
- BellSoft Liberica JDK support roadmap
- Oracle blog: JDK 21 approaches end-of-permissive license
- BellSoft: Comparison of OpenJDK distributions
- Liberica JDK downloads
- Liberica JDK Enterprise support pricing
- Savings calculator: Oracle Java vs Liberica JDK
Disclaimer: BellSoft is a Java runtime vendor. Nothing in this article constitutes legal or compliance advice. Consult a qualified Oracle licensing specialist or legal counsel for advice specific to your situation.
