Liferay DXP Free Tier: What It Is, How to Get It, and When to Upgrade

Liferay has historically offered two ways to get started: the open-source Community Edition and the enterprise-ready DXP. While this gave teams flexibility, it also introduced friction: moving from CE to DXP required a migration, often right when projects were gaining traction.

With the 2026.Q1 release, that model changes. Liferay now provides a single, unified platform with one download. Access is managed through an Activation Key, which means you can start with Liferay DXP for free and upgrade to an enterprise subscription later – without migrating or rebuilding.

Here’s everything you need to know about Liferay DXP Free Tier.

1. What is Liferay DXP Free Tier?

Liferay DXP Free Tier is the same core product as the Enterprise Subscription, built on a unified platform and delivered through a single experience. It provides access to the initial release of each quarterly update, giving teams a consistent stream of new capabilities without requiring a paid subscription.

While the core platform is the same, certain advanced features and enterprise benefits are unlocked only with an Enterprise Subscription. Moving between the two does not require a migration. You simply apply a new Activation Key.

The Free Tier is a strong fit for organizations that want to explore the platform before investing, run projects without enterprise-level security or support requirements, or start building and validating solutions before scaling.

2. Is Liferay Still Open Source?

Absolutely. The 2026 unified platform does not change what Liferay is at its core. Liferay’s source code continues to be published under the LGPL license, and the community remains central to how the platform evolves. Open source is not just a licensing model for Liferay but how the platform has grown for more than 20 years, and that’s not going to change.

3. I Am Currently Using Liferay Portal CE. Do I Need to Migrate?

Not in the traditional sense. Moving to the 2026 platform is a version upgrade, much like the CE upgrades you have done before. Liferay Portal CE has always been free and required no activation. Under the new model, DXP requires an Activation Key, either the Free Tier key or an Enterprise Subscription key. Once you are on the unified platform, there is no further migration needed to access Enterprise capabilities. You simply update your Activation Key when the time comes.

4. How Do I Get Liferay DXP for Free?

Getting started takes just a few steps.

1. Go to liferay.com/downloads-community
2. Download the current quarterly release
3. Visit the Liferay DXP Free Tier page on the Marketplace at marketplace.liferay.com/p/liferay-dxp-free-tier
4. Log in or create an account
5. Click "Get Activation Key" and complete the form

Your key is generated instantly. From there, you are ready to build!

5. What Should I Know About Free Tier Activation Keys?

Here are a few details to know before you get started: 

• Keys are valid for 12 months and can be renewed at any time.
• Each key is tied to a specific domain, or localhost, for local development
• You can generate multiple keys across different projects
• Clustering is also supported. No additional keys are required if your nodes share the same database. Clusters of up to three nodes are supported in the Free Tier.

6. What Is the Difference Between Liferay DXP Free Tier and an Enterprise Subscription?

The core platform is identical. What changes is what you have access to.

Enterprise Subscriptions are offered on an annual or multi-year basis and licensed per server instance rather than per user. That means costs scale with the number of environments you deploy, not with the size of your team.

7. Can I Use the Liferay DXP Free Tier for Client Projects?

The Free Tier is designed for learning, development, and smaller-scale use, and is governed by a specific EULA. The Free Tier is a strong entry point for small businesses that need an affordable path to an enterprise-grade digital experience platform, and it is the ideal sandbox for developers who want to explore and test before committing to a paid subscription.

For production scenarios, Liferay highly recommends obtaining an Enterprise Subscription. Enterprise Subscriptions give you dedicated support, security patches, and the assurance that your mission-critical applications will be available to your users when they need them.

If you are a partner or are planning client-facing deployments, take time to review the EULA carefully, as terms may vary depending on your specific use case.

8. What Happens When I Am Ready to Scale from Free Tier to Enterprise?

This is where the new model makes a real difference. There is no migration, no reinstall, and no replatforming involved. You obtain an Enterprise Subscription, apply your Subscriber Activation Key, and your environment stays exactly as it is—while your capabilities expand.

Learn more at liferay.com/downloads-community

9. Why the Liferay DXP Free Tier Changes Everything

This is not just a product update. It is a meaningful shift in how organizations of any size can get started with — and grow on — a platform built for serious digital transformation.

You start on the same platform you will scale on, so there are no architectural surprises later. You avoid costly migrations because moving to Enterprise is a key swap, not a replatform. You get access to four quarterly releases a year, so updates are regular and predictable. And as your business needs evolve, the platform evolves with you.

Liferay DXP is built for organizations that need flexible, customizable digital solutions: customer portals, intranets, partner ecosystems, and integrated digital experiences across every audience you serve. With the Free Tier, those same capabilities are accessible from day one, without a purchase order required.

The openness that has always defined Liferay is still here. So is the power of a platform trusted by more than a thousand organizations around the world. With the 2026 unified release, both are available through a single experience, free to get started.

Have Questions?

Visit the Free Tier page at liferay.com/downloads-community, join the conversation at discuss.liferay.com in the Liferay DXP Free Tier category, or reach out to the Liferay team directly.

Related reading:

• What is a Digital Experience Platform?
• Liferay DXP Features and Benefits
• Security and Compliance