In CKEditor 5, the licenseKey is a required configuration property used to activate the editor and unlock various features based on your subscription. Starting from version 44.0.0, providing this key is mandatory even for open-source installations. License Key Types
Open-Source (GPL): For self-hosted projects using the GPL 2+ terms, you must set licenseKey: 'GPL'. This version includes a "Powered by CKEditor" logo.
Trial: A 14-day key that grants access to all premium features for evaluation purposes.
Development: Used for local work, CI, and testing; it allows access to subscription features but is functionally limited for non-production environments.
Production: A commercial key that removes operational limitations and allows for white-labeling by hiding the CKEditor logo. Helpful Features Unlocked by a Commercial License
While the base editor is powerful, a commercial license key provides access to advanced CKEditor 5 Premium Features:
Real-time Collaboration: Enables multiple users to edit the same document simultaneously with presence indicators. ckeditor 5 license key
Track Changes & Comments: High-level editorial workflows for suggesting and discussing content modifications.
Document Converters: Seamlessly import from Microsoft Word or export content to Word and PDF formats.
AI Assistant: Integration of AI capabilities to help with content generation and editing.
Advanced Productivity Tools: Includes features like Table of Contents, Format Painter, Slash Commands, and Pagination.
Enhanced Security: Includes Approved Hosts Whitelisting to prevent unauthorized use of your production key. com/ckeditor-5/builder/">CKEditor 5 Builder? License key and activation | CKEditor 5 Documentation
Visit the CKEditor Pricing Page
Go to ckeditor.com/pricing.
Choose between Developer (single app), Team, or Enterprise plans. In CKEditor 5, the licenseKey is a required
Select Your Plan
Plans vary by number of commercial apps, premium features, and support level.
Complete Purchase
After payment, you’ll get access to the CKEditor Ecosystem Customer Dashboard.
Retrieve Your License Key
For trials, CKEditor offers a 30-day free trial of premium features without a key—but with a visible watermark.
The license key is a unique string that unlocks commercial features and validates your usage rights. When you initialize the editor with a valid key, CKEditor’s internal licensing system verifies it and enables premium functionality.
Without a key, premium features will either: Visit the CKEditor Pricing Page Go to ckeditor
A CKEditor 5 license key is a unique, encrypted string of characters that activates your specific version of CKEditor 5. It serves two primary purposes:
Legal Validation: It proves you have purchased a commercial license for the software, allowing you to use CKEditor 5 in a non-open-source environment (e.g., proprietary SaaS apps, internal business tools).
Feature Unlock: It enables access to Premium Features (like Revision History, Export to PDF/Word, or Collaboration Server) that are not available in the free GPL version.
Visit the official CKEditor 5 Pricing page. You have two main paths:
// webpack or vite
licenseKey: process.env.VUE_APP_CKEDITOR_LICENSE_KEY
Store your key in .env files and never commit it to GitHub.