JetBrains has officially updated the licensing model for its database IDE DataGrip: starting October 1, 2025, anyone using it for non-commercial purposes—such as learning, hobby projects, open source work, or content creation—can use it for free. All features remain available under this non-commercial license.
For those using DataGrip in commercial contexts—i.e. creating software or services that yield monetary or business benefit—the existing paid licensing still applies.
JetBrains, known for IDEs such as IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, Rider, and more, has long balanced proprietary licensing with strategic free or discounted programs (for students, open source, etc.).
Over recent years, JetBrains has extended non-commercial licensing to several of its IDEs:
- WebStorm and Rider were made free for non-commercial use in late 2024.
- Other tools like RustRover and CLion have already adopted a similar model.
Before this announcement, DataGrip had only been available via commercial subscription (with a 30-day free trial) or via special programs (students, open source, etc.).
The change marks a continuation of JetBrains’ effort to make its professional tools more accessible to non-commercial developers and learners.
What “Non-Commercial Use” Covers
Under JetBrains’ definition:
- Allowed: learning & self-education; hobby projects; contribution to open source (without commercial benefit); content creation (even monetized tutorials or streaming)
- Not allowed: development where you or your organization benefit commercially or receive compensation tied to the product or service built.
If you begin a new project unlikely to ever generate revenue, you can safely use DataGrip under the non-commercial license. But if your intentions shift, you may need to switch to a commercial license.
What Features Are Covered
Under this free license, all features of the commercial version are included. That means the AI-powered completion, query console, Git integration, Excel-like data editor, and more are available.
There is no separate “light” free tier or reduced feature set—this non-commercial license gives you the full product.
Duration & Renewal
The non-commercial license is issued for one year. It will auto-renew provided you’ve used DataGrip at least once in the last six months of that subscription period. If renewal doesn’t occur automatically, you can reapply.
Impacts on Paid Users & Existing Subscriptions
- Existing commercial subscriptions remain unaffected.
- If you had purchased DataGrip before this change and qualify for non-commercial use, you may be eligible for a refund (subject to JetBrains’ policy).
- For organizations, the free non-commercial license does not apply. Only individuals qualify.
JetBrains says the goal is to lower barriers for learners, hobbyists, and open source developers—a community that often uses SQL and databases, yet may not have the budget for premium tools.
By giving full feature access to non-commercial users, JetBrains aims to encourage experimentation, skill development, and deeper engagement with their tooling. The success of similar moves (e.g., for WebStorm, Rider) likely informed the decision to extend this to DataGrip.
From a business standpoint, it may also help JetBrains capture more users early, possibly leading to conversions later if those users move into commercial development.
If you’re currently using DataGrip for free under trial or educational / open source programs, you can now switch to the non-commercial license:
- In DataGrip: go to Help → Register / Manage Licenses
- Deactivate your current license
- Choose Non-commercial use
- Log into or create your JetBrains account, accept the agreement
Then you can keep using DataGrip for your learning, side projects, tutorials, or open source work—completely free.
If you ever move into commercial development, just switch back to a paid license.
