Yes. The GNU project's own FAQ says the GPL allows anyone to sell copies of a GPL program, and there is no limit on the price. What you cannot do is hide the code or add terms. Buyers must receive the source, or a written offer for it, under the same license.
This is a licensing explainer, not legal advice. Ask counsel before you ship.
Definition: what "sell" means under the GPL
Selling a copy is a form of distribution. The GPL treats the right to sell as part of free software, so charging for a binary, for an installer, or for a download is allowed. The GNU FAQ also confirms you may charge a fee for downloading the program from your own distribution site.
"Free" in this context is about freedom to run, study, share and change the code. It is not a statement about price.
What you owe when you charge
Money changes nothing about your duties. If you distribute a binary built from GPL code, you owe:
- The license text, so the buyer knows their rights.
- The complete corresponding source for the binary you shipped, or a written offer to provide it.
- No extra restrictions on what the buyer may do with the GPL parts, including resharing.
The FAQ spells out the one price related rule. If you commercially distribute binaries without the source, you must provide a written offer to supply the source later. Anyone who requests it is entitled to receive it, and people who get your binary second hand can use the offer too.
Where it gets tricky for products
Selling a standalone GPL tool is simple. Selling a larger product that links GPL code into one program is not. The FAQ says modules included in the same executable file are combined in one program, and that code designed to run linked together in a shared address space almost surely counts as one program. In that case the whole combined work needs to meet GPL terms when you distribute it.
| Situation | Can you charge? | Source duty |
|---|---|---|
| Selling an unmodified GPL tool | Yes | Source or written offer |
| Selling a modified GPL tool | Yes | Source of your modified version |
| Selling an app that links GPL code in one executable | Yes, but the combined work falls under GPL terms | Source for the whole combined program |
| Hosting a GPL tool as a service without giving copies out | Usually no copy is distributed | Different rules apply; see the AGPL posts |
If you ship a closed source mobile or desktop binary with a GPL library inside, the price is not the problem. The missing source is.
Steps before you sell
- List every component in the build, including transitive ones.
- Mark any with GPL family licenses and note whether you modify them.
- Decide per component: replace, isolate as a separate program, or comply fully.
- Prepare the license texts and the source package for the exact release you ship.
- Put the source offer where buyers will see it, such as the About screen and the download page.
Try it yourself
Open the dependency inventory demo below. Click through the component list and look at how licenses sit beside each package, because GPL findings are easiest to spot at the inventory level.
Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen.
Safeguard's SBOM and dependency scanning produce the component list this review starts from, and policies and gates can stop a pull request that adds a license you have not reviewed. You can run a free scan at gold.safeguard.sh/scan.
Quick check
Can I charge a fee for downloads of GPL software?
Yes. The GNU FAQ says you can charge any fee you wish for distributing a copy, as long as you meet the source and license duties.
Does a paid license make GPL code proprietary?
No. A price does not change the license. The recipient keeps the GPL rights to the GPL covered parts.
What if I just host the software and never give out copies?
The GNU FAQ says the GPL permits modified use without distribution, so a hosted GPL program does not trigger source release by itself. The AGPL is different.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
