CKEditor 5 operates under a dual-license model , meaning you generally need a license key for commercial use or to access premium features. While open-source projects can use it under the
license without a paid key, most business applications require a commercial license to comply with legal terms and remove "Powered by CKEditor" watermarks. Types of License Keys
Depending on your project's stage, you may use different types of keys available through the CKEditor Ecosystem dashboard Trial License Key : Valid for , granting full access to all features for evaluation. Development License Key
: For non-production environments like localhost or testing servers. It doesn't consume "editor loads" but may show a development banner. Production License Key
: For active end-user environments. Depending on your plan, this may be based on usage (editor loads). : For open-source projects, you can use the string licenseKey
in the configuration to acknowledge the open-source license. How to Obtain and Use a Key : Sign up for a plan or a 14-day free trial Access Dashboard : Log in to the Customer Portal and navigate to the License Keys Configure the Editor ckeditor 5 license key
: Add the key directly to your editor's initialization code: javascript ClassicEditor
.create( document.querySelector( ),
licenseKey: '
: Required if your project is not open-source. Options include a Free commercial plan
(limited to 1,000 loads/month via CDN) or paid subscription plans for self-hosting and premium features. LTS Edition
: The Long Term Support edition is available only under commercial terms and provides up to three years of security updates. Open Source : If your project is GPL-compatible, you can use CKEditor 5 for free, but you must still set the licenseKey in newer versions (v44.0.0+) to avoid warnings. Are you setting this up for a personal open-source project company's production environment CKEditor Licensing
CKEditor 5 is a popular, open-source WYSIWYG text editor that offers a wide range of features for rich text editing. When it comes to using CKEditor 5 in a commercial project or for specific use cases that might require additional permissions or support, understanding the licensing is crucial. CKEditor 5 operates under a dual-license model ,
There isn't a traditional "license key" for CKEditor 5 when used under the GPLv2 license. This means you don't need to purchase or activate CKEditor 5 with a license key for most use cases. However, there are scenarios where developers or companies might seek alternative licensing terms:
Commercial Derivative Works: If you're creating a derivative work of CKEditor 5 and wish to distribute it under a different license (not GPLv2 compatible), you may need to negotiate a commercial license directly with CKSource, the company behind CKEditor.
Support and Services: While CKEditor 5 is free, some projects may require direct support from CKSource or custom development that goes beyond the standard features. In such cases, CKSource may offer paid support or custom licensing agreements.
import CKEditorInspector from '@ckeditor/ckeditor5-inspector'; import Comments from '@ckeditor/ckeditor5-comments';
ClassicEditor .create(document.querySelector('#editor'), plugins: [ Comments, ... ], licenseKey: 'YOUR_LICENSE_KEY_HERE' ) .then(editor => console.log('Editor ready', editor)) .catch(error => console.error(error));
No. The GPL license applies to the entire editor, including the core. Even basic features (like bold, italic, lists) fall under GPL unless you purchase a commercial license and use the license key.
Yes, but only for validation. CKEditor 5 checks the license key against CKEditor's servers occasionally. It does not send your user data or content—only the key and the domain. This verification can be disabled for offline environments via the verifyLicense: false config (though you must ensure compliance).
One of the biggest changes in recent versions of CKEditor 5 is the introduction of the "unlicensed usage" notification.
If you are using the commercial distribution (often installed via npm under the @ckeditor/ckeditor5-* packages) but you have not configured a license key, you will see a warning banner in the editor stating "This is a trial version" or "Unlicensed usage."
To remove this banner and legitimize your usage, you must insert the key provided to you when you purchased the license. Commercial Derivative Works: If you're creating a derivative
| Use case | License key required? | |----------|------------------------| | Personal/open-source project (GPL) | ❌ No | | Internal company app (proprietary) | ✅ Yes (commercial license) | | SaaS product selling to customers | ✅ Yes | | Using premium features (Track Changes, Comments, Export) | ✅ Yes | | Official support from CKEditor team | ✅ Yes |