Kentico CMS for ASP.NET

Licensing FAQ

Can I buy a server license and host Kentico CMS for others?

1 Server License for Unlimited Sites (or for 10 Sites) allows you to run any number of web sites (or 10 sites) on a single physical server for a single organization and entities controlled by this organization by at least 50% so you cannot use a server license for multiple clients.

Can I rebrand the solution?

Yes, you can rebrand Kentico CMS with your name, logo and graphics.

Could you generate a trial license key for my own testing domain? Can you extend my trial key?

If you need any specific trial key for testing on your own domain, please send us email to support@kentico.com and we will be happy to help you. The trial period can be extended by up to 30 days, if you need more time to evaluate the product.

Do I need a license for development/testing/staging machine?

Once you purchase any Kentico CMS license, we will generate any number of license keys for your development/testing/staging domains for you at no extra fee.

Does the perpetual license expire after the first year?

No, actually, you can keep using the perpetual license as long as you wish. If you do not renew the maintenance after the first year, you will only loose the maintenance benefits (technical support and new major versions (7.0, 8.0, etc.).

How do I receive the license after the purchase? Can I generate my own license keys for testing/staging/development environment?

When your payment is processed, you will receive a confirmation e-mail either directly from us in case of wire transfer or from our payment processor Share-It if you choose on-line payment method. The serial numbers are delivered as soon as we receive the confirmation on succesfully finished transaction. This usually takes less than one business day in case of credit card payments, 5 business days in case of wire transfer.


In order to use your serial numbers for generating license keys, you need to register and sign in to Kentico Client Area at http://client.kentico.com/.

If you purchased 1 Website License serial number, you can generate a single license key for your website domain name. If you need any additional license keys for development/testing/staging machines or for additional domain names that point to the same web site, please send a request to support@kentico.com.

If you purchased 1 Server License, you can use your serial number to generate any number of license keys for your websites running on the server. You can also use this serial number to generate license keys for your development/testing/staging environment.

How many SQL Server licenses do I need for my multicore processor?

SQL Server license considers the number of physical sockets/CPUs, regardless of the number of cores on the processor. You can find more information here.

My site uses several domains. Do I have to pay for all of them?

If you run a single website that uses one main domain and several domain aliases that point to the same website (same content), you need only 1 Website License. However, if you use several domains that point to different websites (different content), you need to have an appropriate number of website licenses.

What are the differences between website and server licenses?

1 Website License
1 Website License allows you to run one live website. The website can have one main domain and any number of additional domain aliases that point to the same content as the main domain.

Different language versions of the same website that are created using the built-in multi-lingual support are all considered as the same website.

If you run websites with different content on sub-domains of the main domain, such as extranet.mydomain.com, these web sites are considered as a separate website and require additional license.

If you run multiple sites with different design in a single Kentico CMS website, each of these sites still needs 1 website license.

The license is limited to 1 physical server.


1 Server License for 10 Sites
1 Server License for 10 Sites allows you to run 10 websites on a single physical server for a single organization and entities controlled by this organization by at least 50%. The server doesn't have to be your property - it can be a shared, virtual, rented dedicated server or a cloud instance.

1 Server License for Unlimited Sites
1 Server License for Unlimited Sites allows you to run any number of websites on a single physical server for a single organization and entities controlled by this organization by at least 50%. The server doesn't have to be your property - it can be a shared, virtual, rented dedicated server or a cloud instance.

What is the advantage of having the source code license?

Kentico CMS is highly flexible by design and it's not necessary to modify the source code for most websites. However, if you want to be able to modify or enhance the CMS engine core, you may need the source code license. It also allows you to make changes or add features in the CMS engine that we do no plan to implement.

What are the differences between the licenses?

You can compare the editions here.

What are the requirements for using Kentico CMS Free Edition?

With Kentico CMS Free Edition, you can build even commercial websites without paying any license fee, but you have to place the Powered by Kentico CMS logo in the footer of every page on your website. The Free Edition, however, has some limitations – please click here for more details.

Can I use Kentico CMS Free Edition for commercial projects?

Yes, you can use the Free Edition for any number of commercial or personal websites. It’s completely free.

Does the Free Edition expire?

No, the Free Edition never expires (unlike the 30-day trial version).