JetBrains makes CLion free for non-commercial use, joining RustRover, Rider and WebStorm

JetBrains has made a major licensing change by making CLion, its cross-platform integrated development environment (IDE) for C and C++, free for non-commercial use. This update benefits students, hobbyists, open-source contributors, and those engaged in educational or non-commercial content creation. Anyone using CLion outside of commercial settings can now access its features at no cost.

For organizations or individuals using CLion for commercial work, JetBrains’ existing paid licensing model remains in effect. While this update removes barriers for many individual developers and learners, it does not alter commercial obligations for businesses relying on the IDE for revenue-generating work.

This move extends the new licensing model JetBrains introduced last year for RustRover, Rider, and WebStorm. CLion now joins these products in offering a free tier for non-commercial users. However, JetBrains clarifies that this licensing shift currently does not apply to other JetBrains IDEs, though the company will continue monitoring the impact and may adjust its approach in the future.