The Grafana Labs AGPLv3 relicensing was Grafana Labs’ change of licence for its core open-source projects. Grafana, Grafana Loki and Grafana Tempo moved from the Apache License 2.0 to the GNU Affero General Public License version 3 (AGPLv3). The Licensing page states: “On April 20, 2021, Grafana Labs announced that going forward, our core open source projects will be moving from the Apache License v2.0 to AGPLv3”.[1] The first versions affected were Grafana 8.0, Loki 2.3 and Tempo 1.0.[1] Earlier versions stay under the Apache licence they were released with. The Q&A names staying “with older Apache versions” as one choice for users who cannot use AGPL.[3] Catalog proof: Grafana, Loki and Tempo moved from Apache 2.0 to AGPLv3.
The announcement placed the change among moves by other open-source companies, “such as Elastic, Redis Labs, MongoDB, Timescale, Cockroach Labs”, to licences that are mostly not approved by the Open Source Initiative. Grafana Labs chose AGPLv3, which “is an OSI-approved license”, and explained that it did not choose the SSPL for that reason.[2][3] Grafana Labs also replaced its contributor licence agreement with one based on the Apache Software Foundation’s CLA.[2] Related relicensings are covered in Elastic licensing and MongoDB licensing.
Editions
| Project | Licence (repository, retrieved 2026-10-02) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grafana | AGPL-3.0-only by default[5][8] | Apache-2.0 for listed directories, for example packages/grafana-data, packages/grafana-ui, packages/grafana-runtime and packaging[5] |
| Grafana Loki | AGPL-3.0-only by default[6] | Apache-2.0 for listed folders including clients/, pkg/logproto and production/[6] |
| Grafana Tempo | AGPL-3.0-only by default[7] | Apache-2.0 for operations/ and pkg/tempopb[7] |
| Grafana Mimir | GNU AGPL version 3[9] | |
| Grafana Pyroscope | GNU AGPL version 3[10] | |
| Grafana k6 | GNU AGPL version 3[11] | |
| Grafana Alloy (collector) | Apache License 2.0[12] | An agent; agents stay Apache-licensed[1] |
Grafana Labs’ FAQ summarises the split: “Plugins, agents, and certain libraries will remain Apache-licensed.”[1] Catalog proof: Plugins, agents and certain libraries remain Apache 2.0.
Metrics
The open-source licences have no licence metric and no fee. Obligations follow from what the licensee does with the code, not from counts of users or servers.[2] Grafana Labs’ commercial metrics are covered in Grafana Enterprise licensing and Grafana Cloud pricing and usage.
Counting / floors
When AGPL obligations arise (2021-04-21). Grafana Labs’ announcement states that the change “does not prevent our users from using, modifying, or providing our open source software to others”. It adds that under AGPL “users have to share source code if they are modifying it and making it available to others (either as a distribution or over a network)”. “For distributors, AGPL has the same source code sharing requirements as GPL.”[2] The network clause is the difference from the GPL. Offering a modified Grafana to users over a network brings the source-sharing duty, even without distributing copies. The general obligations are covered in GNU GPL, LGPL and AGPL obligations. Catalog proof: AGPL source sharing is triggered by modification plus distribution or network use.
Unmodified use and distribution. The Q&A states: “Unmodified distributions are not affected. AGPL does not prevent customers from shipping Grafana as long as they follow the terms of the license.”[3] Grafana Labs expected that “The vast majority of users will be in compliance with the AGPL licensing from day one.”[3] Catalog proof: Unmodified distributions are not affected by the AGPL change.
Non-AGPL options
Grafana Labs names three routes for organizations whose policy rejects AGPL.[1][3]
- Stay on older Apache-licensed versions, released before the change.[3]
- Use the free Grafana Enterprise binary. Users who do not intend to modify the code can use the Enterprise download, “a free-to-use, proprietary-licensed, compiled binary that matches the features of the AGPL version”. It can be upgraded to the commercial Enterprise features by buying a licence key.[1] Catalog proof: The free Grafana Enterprise binary is the non-AGPL option.
- Buy a commercial licence. Customers who want to modify the AGPL version and distribute it or offer it as a network service, without making their modifications available, “can contact us to secure a commercial license”.[1] Catalog proof: A commercial licence is needed to offer modified Grafana without AGPL obligations.
Grafana Labs also stated that, because of the commercial relationship for Amazon Managed Service for Grafana, “AWS and their AMG customers are not impacted by this change”.[3]
The Grafana Labs License Agreement
The free Enterprise binary is not open source. The Grafana Labs License Agreement (posted 2021-08-05) covers it, and the agreement is made with Raintank, Inc. dba Grafana Labs. It grants “AT NO CHARGE” a licence to the free features of Grafana Enterprise, Grafana Enterprise Metrics and Grafana Enterprise Logs.[4] The licence is limited to “Your internal business operations”, including use by contractors and Affiliates for the licensee’s benefit.[4] Its restrictions include:
- No reverse engineering, no building of competing products, and no distribution, sublicensing or other transfer of the object code to third parties.[4]
- No Prohibited SaaS Offering, meaning a hosted service “where obtaining access to the Grafana Labs Software or the features and functions of the Grafana Labs Software is a primary reason or substantial motivation” for its users.[4] Catalog proof: Grafana Labs License forbids Prohibited SaaS Offerings.
- No circumvention of “the limitations on use … imposed or preserved by any License Key”.[4] Catalog proof: License Key limits may not be circumvented.
The agreement terminates automatically on breach, and the commercial binary must then stop being used. Termination “will not affect Your right to use Grafana Labs Software … made available under the AGPLv3 License”.[4] The licensee must keep records showing compliance. Grafana Labs may audit on reasonable notice, and any non-compliance must be addressed within 30 days.[4] Catalog proof: Termination of the Grafana Labs License leaves AGPL rights intact; Grafana Labs may audit use of its licensed software.
Virtualization & partitioning
Not applicable. Neither AGPLv3 nor the Grafana Labs License Agreement counts processors, hosts or virtual machines. The SaaS restriction concerns how the software is offered, not where it runs.[4]
Cloud / BYOL
Running AGPL Grafana in one’s own cloud account for internal use does not by itself make the software available to others. Exposing a modified build to outside users as a network service brings the AGPL source-sharing obligation.[2] Hosting the free Enterprise binary as a service whose main attraction is Grafana is a Prohibited SaaS Offering under the Grafana Labs License Agreement.[4] Customers of Grafana Labs’ paid products should note that the MSA defines Open Source Software separately from the proprietary “Software” it licenses.[13]
Programs
See AGPLv3 open-source licensing, Free Grafana Enterprise binary (Grafana Labs License) and Commercial license for AGPL projects.
Out of scope
- Third-party and community plugins, which carry their authors’ licences.
- Legal interpretation of AGPLv3 for specific deployments. Grafana Labs said it “won’t be in a position to provide legal advice” on compliance.[3]