If you use Obsidian for work in a company with **two or more** employees, you must purchase a Commercial license. The details of licensing Obsidian can be found in our [terms of service](https://obsidian.md/terms). You and your team can use Obsidian for free for **14 days** to evaluate the app for commercial use before you purchase. For questions about bulk discounts for seat licenses, contact [[Help and support#Contact Obsidian support|Obsidian support]]. ## What is considered commercial use? Commercial use includes, but isn't limited to, work-related activities such as: - Meeting notes - Project notes for teams - Organizational wikis - Tasks lists > [!tip] A rule of thumb for determining commercial use is: if the contents of a note would be placed in a shredder box if they were on paper, then that note is considered commercial use. You don't need a Commercial license if you work in any of the following settings: - Schools and recognized educational institutions - Non-commercial research - Registered non-profit organizations - Freelancing or companies with a single person Government departments and agencies are classified as commercial use unless registered as a non-profit organization. ## Purchase a commercial license Obsidian offers two methods for purchasing a commercial license. Check the [pricing page](https://obsidian.md/pricing) for pricing details. **Purchasing using an Obsidian account** 1. Log in or create [your Obsidian account](https://obsidian.md/account/commercial). 2. Go to the **License** section. 3. Click **Buy license** and select the number of seats to purchase. 4. Complete the payment process. 5. Your license key will be displayed and can be activated using the steps below. If you need an invoice for this transaction, you can [[Introduction to licenses and payment#Generate an invoice|generate an invoice]]. **Purchasing using a purchase order** For purchases using a purchase order (PO), contact [[Help and support#Contact Obsidian support|Obsidian support]]. Your PO must include: - Legal Name of Your Company ("bill to" name) - Billing Address - VAT Number (optional) - Payment Terms (default is NET 30 days) - PO/Reference Number - Delivery Email for Licenses - Invoice Email for POs - **Preferred Payment Method**: Wire/ACH, Credit Card, or PayPal > [!info] Purchasing a commercial license does not include an [Obsidian Sync](https://obsidian.md/sync) or [Obsidian Publish](https://obsidian.md/publish) subscription. ### Activate a commercial license To activate a commercial license 1. Open the Obsidian app. 2. Go to **Settings → General → Commercial license**. 3. Click **Activate** and enter your license key. 4. You're done! The app is now licensed for commercial use. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I need a commercial license? **Do non-profit organizations require a commercial license?** No. Registered non-profit organizations may use Obsidian without a commercial license. **I'm a writer/blogger, do I need a commercial license?** If your writing is for-profit — for example you write for a blog that generates revenue via ads or sponsorships — and your business employs more than one person, then yes, you need a commercial license. **I'm a solo freelancer/consultant, but my work indirectly contributes to "revenue-generating, work-related activities in a company that has two or more people". Do I need a commercial license?** No. As long as you are the sole employee of your freelance/consulting business, you don't need a commercial license. **I'm a teacher/professor, or I work at a school, and I use Obsidian for my teaching/lectures. Do I need a commercial license?** No. Obsidian usage for education-related activities within schools and other recognized educational institutions doesn't require a commercial license. **I'm an academic researcher and I use Obsidian for my research work. Do I need a commercial license?** If your research involves producing a commercial product — for example if your research contributes to revenue-generating commercial activities — you need a commercial license for your usage. If your research doesn't contribute to a commercial product, or if your research has not yet led to commercial activities, you don't need a license. **I work for a government or an arm's length body or agency. Do I need a commercial license?** Yes. Government agencies and departments need a commercial license. Registered charitable and non-profit organizations are exempted. **I use Obsidian during work for things like writing down team processes and taking notes for team meetings. Do I need a commercial license?** If you are a single-person company, then you don't require a commercial license. If your company has more than one employee, then yes, you need a commercial license. **I use Obsidian to store all of my knowledge, both personal and professional, because it's difficult to separate them. Do I need a commercial license?** If your notes contain content directly related to work projects or processes for a company with more than one employee, then yes, you need a commercial license. **I'm still not sure if I need a commercial license. What should I do?** If you still have questions regarding the commercial license requirements, contact [[Help and support#Contact Obsidian support|Obsidian support]] and describe your situation in detail. ### Purchasing process **Can I try Obsidian for commercial use before paying?** Yes. You and your team may evaluate Obsidian for commercial use for **14** days. You don't need to pay before evaluating. **Are there bulk discounts?** Yes. If you are purchasing 21 or more seats, you may be eligible for bulk pricing. Please contact [[Help and support#Contact Obsidian support|Obsidian support]]. **Can I buy a license for myself, or do I have to ask my company to buy it for me?** Yes. You can buy a license for yourself by going to your [Account dashboard](https://obsidian.md/account/commercial). Most companies allow you to submit an expense report for the purchase. Some companies may have a different procurement process. Ask your IT department to contact [[Help and support#Contact Obsidian support|Obsidian support]] if they have questions or require specific paperwork. **What business name should I use if I'm purchasing the license myself?** Use your company's name for the license if you expect to be reimbursed by your company. Otherwise, use your legal name as the business name. **Can I purchase a commercial license for multiple employees?** Yes. You can purchase multiple commercial license seats through your [Account dashboard](https://obsidian.md/account/commercial). There is no need for each employee to have their own Obsidian account, you can use a single admin account to purchase all the seats. After purchasing the license, you will receive a license key which you can send to employees to activate their license — see instructions above to activate the license. ### Applying the license **Can I use the commercial license I purchased on both my work phone and work computer?** Yes. The commercial license is charged per seat count, not per device. This means you can use the same license key on all your individual work devices. **I work in a highly secure environment, in an air-gapped network. How do I apply my commercial license?** In such specialized environments, you don't need to apply the commercial license directly to your installation. However, you must monitor license usage and retain relevant records to ensure compliance with our [terms of service](https://obsidian.md/terms).