---
title: Docker Desktop license agreement
description: >-
  Learn how the Docker Subscription Service Agreement licenses Docker Desktop
  and when commercial use requires a paid subscription.
keywords: docker desktop license, subscription service agreement, commercial
  use, licensing terms, free for small business, paid subscription,
  open source components
weight: 30
aliases:
  - /subscription/desktop-license/
  - /subscription/products/desktop-license/
  - /subscription/plans/desktop-license/
---

Docker Desktop is licensed under the
[Docker Subscription Service Agreement](https://www.docker.com/legal/docker-subscription-service-agreement).
When you download and install Docker Desktop, you're asked to agree to these
terms.

The Docker Subscription Service Agreement states:

- Docker Desktop is free for:
  - Small businesses (fewer than 250 employees AND less than $10 million in
    annual revenue)
  - Personal use
  - Education
  - Non-commercial open source projects
- Docker Desktop requires a paid subscription for:
  - Professional use in larger organizations
  - Government entities
  - Commercial use beyond the free tier limits
- Paid subscriptions that include Docker Desktop:
  - Docker Pro, Team, and Business subscriptions

## Understand licensing terms

For detailed information about how these terms may affect your organization,
see:

- [Subscription updates blog post](https://www.docker.com/blog/updating-product-subscriptions/)
- [Docker subscription FAQs](https://www.docker.com/pricing/faq) to learn how
  this may affect companies using Docker Desktop.

> [!NOTE]
>
> The licensing and distribution terms for Docker and Moby open-source
> projects, such as Docker Engine, aren't changing.

Docker Desktop is built using open-source software. For information about the
licensing of open-source components in Docker Desktop, select the whale menu >
**About Docker Desktop** > **Acknowledgements**.

## Open source components

Docker Desktop distributes some components that are licensed under the
GNU General Public License.
[Download the source code for these components here](https://download.docker.com/opensource/License.tar.gz).