Commercial Restricted License (CRL)

A dual-licensing model that enables open source development while protecting commercial interests.

Overview

The Commercial Restricted License (CRL) is a software license designed to bridge the gap between fully open and fully proprietary software. It allows unrestricted non-commercial use while requiring explicit permission and licensing for commercial applications.

Key Features

• ✅ Free for non-commercial use - Personal projects, academic research, and open source
• 💼 Commercial licensing available - Revenue-generating use requires separate license
• 🔒 Clear boundaries - Explicit definitions of commercial vs non-commercial use
• 📜 Standard format - Easy to understand and implement
• ⚖️ Legal clarity - Reduces ambiguity around usage rights

How It Works

Non-Commercial Use (Free)

The following uses are permitted without additional licensing:

• Personal use, learning, and experimentation
• Academic research and education
• Open source projects that are not monetized
• Internal evaluation within commercial organizations (limited to 30 days)
• Use by registered non-profit organizations

Commercial Use (License Required)

The following uses require a commercial license:

• Use in revenue-generating products or services
• Integration into commercial software
• Use by for-profit organizations in business operations
• Paid consulting, support, or services using the software
• Organizations with annual revenue exceeding $100,000 USD

Quick Start

For Software Authors

1. Copy the CRL.md file to your project
2. Rename CRL.md to LICENSE.md
3. Replace the placeholders:
   • [YEAR] with the copyright year
   • [YOUR NAME] with your name or organization
   • [YOUR COUNTRY] with your jurisdiction
4. Add this to your project's main README:

## License

This project is licensed under the Commercial Restricted License (CRL) v1.1.
See [LICENSE.md](LICENSE.md) for details.

For commercial use, please contact [[email protected]] for licensing options.

For Users

1. Non-commercial use: You can use the software freely under the terms in CRL.md
2. Commercial use: Contact the copyright holder to discuss commercial licensing
3. Unsure? Review the definitions in the license or contact the author

License Text

The complete license text is available in CRL.md.

Why CRL?

Problems with Existing Licenses

• MIT/Apache: Too permissive, allows unrestricted commercial use
• GPL: Too restrictive, requires derivative works to be open source
• Dual licensing: Often unclear or requires complex legal structures

CRL Advantages

• Clear commercial boundaries with specific revenue thresholds
• Simple implementation with standard license format
• Flexible licensing for different commercial scenarios
• Familiar structure based on established license patterns

Comparison with Other Licenses

License	Non-Commercial	Commercial	Copyleft	Complexity
MIT	✅ Free	✅ Free	❌ No	Low
GPL v3	✅ Free	✅ Free*	✅ Yes	High
CC BY-NC	✅ Free	❌ Restricted	❌ No	Medium
CRL	✅ Free	💼 License Required	❌ No	Low

*GPL allows commercial use but requires source disclosure

Implementation Examples

In Your README

## License

Licensed under the Commercial Restricted License (CRL) v1.1.

- ✅ **Free** for non-commercial use
- 💼 **Commercial license** required for business use

Contact: [email protected]

In Your Source Code

"""
Copyright (c) [YEAR] [YOUR NAME]

Licensed under the Commercial Restricted License (CRL) v1.1.
See LICENSE file for details.

For commercial licensing, contact: [email protected]
"""

Commercial Licensing

If you're a software author using CRL, consider these commercial licensing models:

Pricing Models

• Per-developer licensing
• Revenue-based percentage fees
• Enterprise unlimited licenses
• SaaS usage-based pricing

License Terms

• Perpetual vs subscription licensing
• Support and maintenance inclusions
• Customization and modifications rights
• Redistribution permissions

Legal Considerations

For Authors

• Ensure you own or have rights to license the software
• Consider trademark protection for your project name
• Maintain clear records of license agreements
• Consult legal counsel for complex licensing scenarios

For Users

• Review the commercial use definitions carefully
• When in doubt, contact the copyright holder
• Document your intended use case
• Consider future growth when evaluating commercial thresholds

FAQ

Q: Is CRL OSI-approved?
A: No, CRL restricts commercial use and therefore doesn't meet OSI's definition of open source.

Q: Can I modify CRL-licensed software?
A: Yes, for non-commercial use. Commercial use of modifications requires licensing.

Q: What if my non-profit becomes commercial?
A: You would need to obtain commercial licensing at that point.

Q: How is "commercial use" enforced?
A: Copyright holders can pursue legal action for unauthorized commercial use.

Q: Can I use CRL for my own projects?
A: Yes! CRL itself is MIT-licensed, so you can freely use it for your projects.

Contributing

We welcome contributions to improve the CRL license template:

1. Fork this repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Submit a pull request with your improvements

Support

• 📧 General questions: Open an issue in this repository
• 💼 Commercial licensing: Contact the specific software author
• 📚 Legal advice: Consult qualified legal counsel

Changelog

Version 1.1 (2025)

• Updated placeholder format from angle brackets (<>) to square brackets ([])
• Improved text formatting in "No Warranty" section for better readability
• Updated liability clause to reference "AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS"
• Enhanced consistency in legal terminology
• Removed the need to clearly mark any modifications made to the Software

Version 1.0 (2025)

• Initial release of Commercial Restricted License
• Clear commercial/non-commercial definitions
• Standard license format
• Revenue threshold guidelines

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Note: This license template is provided for informational purposes. Always consult legal counsel for specific licensing needs.

License

This CRL license template and documentation is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE.txt for details.