Teradata distributes free editions of its database, plus tools, drivers and portlets, from its Downloads site (downloads.teradata.com) under click-through agreements. The best-known free edition is Teradata Vantage Express, a virtual machine image of the database for evaluation.[1] Teradata’s Download Licenses page lists the agreements used on the site and explains how their duration, capacity and purpose are set.[4] For licence managers these agreements matter for two reasons. Free copies are easy to deploy beyond their permitted purpose. And several licences end automatically when a related commercial licence ends. See Teradata licensing for the commercial model.
Editions
Vantage Express. Vantage Express 20.00 is “a free, fully-operational version of Vantage” (Database Engine 20 only), delivered as a virtual machine image with 80 GB of storage. It “is an evaluation copy, intended for trial use, and isn’t officially supported by Teradata Services.”[1] The image contains one parsing engine and two AMPs, supports an 80 GB database, and needs one core and 6 GB of RAM. Viewpoint is a separate download.[2] The download page requires a login and offers releases from 16.10 up to 20.00.28.81 (2026-01-16), for VMware, VirtualBox and UTM. It also points to a free hosted environment at clearscape.teradata.com.[3] Catalog: Vantage Express is an unsupported evaluation copy.
Developer tiers. The VantageCore Developer tier, Standard or Preconfigured, is a fully functional database “for evaluation purposes such as proof of concept, development and testing, data validation, and as a sandbox”. It has community support only and cannot be updated.[7] See Teradata on-premises, VantageCore and support.
Trials. An earlier Vantage Trial gave 10,000 free TCore-Hours to use within 30 days.[8]
Agreements on the Downloads site. The Download Licenses page lists these agreements:[4]
| Agreement | Term | Capacity | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generic Download Agreement | Ends with the customer’s Teradata Relational Database licence | None | Facilitating the customer’s Teradata-authorized database licence |
| Teradata Express Agreement | Stated in header; failsafe 90 days | Stated in header; failsafe 40 GB | Internal evaluation, interoperability testing, training, demonstrating the customer’s own applications |
| Evaluation Agreement, Express Model (and Prerelease) | As Express | As Express | As Express; Teradata notes these rights suit partners and “may not be appropriate” for other purposes |
| Evaluation Agreement, Prospect Model (and Prerelease) | Failsafe 90 days | Failsafe 40 GB | Testing and evaluating to decide whether to buy a licence |
| Viewpoint PDK Type Agreement | Ends with the Viewpoint licence | None | Facilitating the customer’s Viewpoint licence |
| Viewpoint Portlet Agreement | Ends with the Viewpoint licence | None | Modifying and running portlet source code on Viewpoint servers |
| TMM Evaluation and Download Agreements | Per agreement | Per agreement | Teradata Mapping Manager |
All agreements except the Viewpoint Portlet Agreement are object code only. The Express Agreement is the version used for downloads that include SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, with the SUSE licence attached.[4]
Metrics
Downloads are not metered by user or core. The only quantitative limit is user data capacity. The header of an Express or evaluation agreement states it, for example “NO MORE THAN 1 TB OF USER DATA”, and a failsafe 40 GB applies if no figure is entered.[4]
Counting / floors
Failsafe defaults. If the person setting up an Express or evaluation download does not enter a duration, “the agreement includes a failsafe 90 day expiration”. If no capacity limit is entered, “a failsafe 40 GB capacity limit” applies.[4] Catalog: Express and evaluation agreements default to 90 days and 40 GB.
Disabling device. The Express Agreement warns that the Software “may contain a disabling device” that prevents use on data sets above a certain size. The licensee agrees not to exceed that size and not to disable or circumvent the device.[5] Catalog: Express data-size limits may be enforced by a disabling device.
Term. The Express Agreement starts at the first download, copy, installation or use. It ends at the earlier of the end of “any applicable underlying agreement between you and Teradata (such as a partnership or customer agreement)” or termination under its own terms.[5] Either party may terminate with or without cause on written notice. On termination the licensee must stop use, remove and destroy all copies and, on request, certify this in writing.[5] The Generic Download Agreement expires on the same date as the customer’s Teradata-authorized database licence.[4] Tools downloaded under it therefore lose their licence when the database licence ends. Catalog: Teradata Express licence: internal evaluation, testing and training only; Generic Download Agreement ends with the database licence.
Virtualization & partitioning
The Express Agreement allows installation and use “on your computer” for the listed purposes. It sets no virtualization rules beyond the capacity limit and the disabling device.[5] Vantage Express runs on desktop hypervisors such as VMware Workstation Player, VirtualBox or UTM.[3]
Cloud / BYOL
The download agreements grant no right to offer the software to third parties as a service. The Presto Suite licence states that internal use “does not include providing hosting, service bureau, or application service provider services for third parties”.[6] The Express Agreement forbids selling, renting, transferring, sublicensing or distributing the Software without Teradata’s consent.[5] Catalog: Presto drivers: internal use excludes hosting and service bureau.
Programs
Presto Suite. Teradata distributed a Presto Suite. Its Teradata JDBC and ODBC drivers for Presto are proprietary and licensed under a non-exclusive, non-transferable, paid-up licence for internal use. The Presto server and tools were distributed under the Apache License 2.0.[6] The licence names Teradata U.S., Inc. for deliveries in the US and Teradata Ireland Ltd. for deliveries elsewhere.[6]
Third-party software. The Express and Presto agreements state that third-party and open-source components are not “Software”. They are licensed under their own terms.[5][6] The Presto licence adds that Teradata provides source code for certain third-party software where the applicable licences require it.[6]
Audits and compliance
The download agreements carry their own compliance clauses:
- Inspection. “Teradata reserves the right to inspect your use of the Software for purposes of verifying your compliance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.”[5] The Presto licence has the same right for its proprietary components.[6] Catalog: Teradata may inspect use of downloaded software.
- Benchmarks. The licensee may not disclose results of testing or evaluations, including benchmarks, without Teradata’s prior written consent.[5][6] Catalog: Benchmark results may not be disclosed without consent.
- Liability and disputes. Teradata’s total liability is capped at USD 1,000, except for personal injury and certain property damage. Disputes go to arbitration under American Arbitration Association rules, and New York law applies.[5]
- No support. The agreements do not require Teradata to provide enhancements, support or maintenance.[5] Vantage Express is not officially supported by Teradata Services.[1]
As commentary: a licence manager can treat Express and evaluation copies found on production servers or holding more data than the stated capacity as unlicensed use. A copy also becomes unlicensed when the related customer or partner agreement has ended. See license compliance.
Out of scope
- The current text shown in the download flow for each Vantage Express release, which needs a login.
- Teradata Studio, Tools and Utilities and driver licence texts other than those cited.
- The free ClearScape Analytics Experience and the teradata.com trial, whose terms of service were not reviewed.