Open-weights model licences: what you can ship in a game
"Open weights" doesn't mean "free for commercial use". SDXL, FLUX.1 [schnell], TRELLIS and TripoSR carry permissive licences. Stability's Community License is free for commercial use only under US$1M annual revenue. FLUX.1 [dev] is a non-commercial licence for the model. Hunyuan3D 2.1 excludes the EU, UK and South Korea. Here's each licence's catch, quoted and linked.
Pick a model- 2Read its licence
- 3Check caps and territory
- 4Keep a copy, disclose
- 5Ship
Cost and licences of the AI tools in this guide
- Hunyuan3D 2.1 (Tencent)Restricted (see notes)Free open weights (your own GPU costs) pricing
- HunyuanWorld 1.0 (Tencent)Restricted (see notes)Free open weights (your own GPU costs) pricing
- Stable AudioCommercial on paid plans onlyFree; personal, non-commercial pricing
The licences at a glance
| Model | Asset | Licence | Outputs | Revenue, user or territory limit | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunyuan3D 2.1 (Tencent) Conditions apply | 3D models | Tencent Hunyuan 3D 2.1 Community License licence | "Tencent claims no rights in Outputs"; use only inside the Territory | Licence request needed if MAU was over 1 million on the 2.1 release date (13 June 2025). Excludes the EU, UK and South Korea | Output can't be used to improve other AI models; machine-generated content in public must be identified (AUP) |
| HunyuanWorld 1.0 (Tencent) Conditions apply | 3D worlds | Tencent HunyuanWorld-1.0 Community License licence | "Tencent claims no rights in Outputs"; use only inside the Territory | Licence request needed if MAU was over 1 million on the release date (27 July 2025). Excludes the EU, UK and South Korea | Output can't be used to improve other AI models |
| SDXL 1.0 (Stability AI) Permissive | Images | CreativeML Open RAIL++-M (26 July 2023) licence | "Licensor claims no rights in the Output"; no non-commercial clause | Not stated by vendor (none in the licence) | Use-based restrictions in Attachment A |
| Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large (Stability AI) Conditions apply | Images | Stability AI Community License licence | You own outputs "to the extent permitted by applicable law" | Free commercial use under US$1,000,000 annual revenue; register with Stability for commercial use. Not stated by vendor (none in the licence) | Above the cap the licence terminates and you must request one from Stability |
| Stable Fast 3D (Stability AI) Conditions apply | 3D models | Stability AI Community License (per the model card) licence | As for SD 3.5 | US$1,000,000 annual revenue. Not stated by vendor (none in the licence) | Register for commercial use |
| FLUX.1 [dev] (Black Forest Labs) Conditions apply | Images | FLUX.1 [dev] Non-Commercial License v1.1.1 licence | Clause 2(d): "You may use Output for any purpose (including for commercial purposes)". But the model itself is licensed for non-commercial purposes only | Not stated by vendor | Content filters or review (2(e)); AI disclosure "to the extent required under applicable law"; commercial licences sold by BFL |
| FLUX.2 [dev] and FLUX.2 [klein] 9B (Black Forest Labs) Not verified | Images | "flux-non-commercial-license" (model card) licence | Not stated by vendor (the licence text is behind a Hugging Face login; we haven't verified it) | Not stated by vendor | Read the licence on the model card before use |
| FLUX.1 [schnell] (Black Forest Labs) Permissive | Images | Apache 2.0 (model card) licence | Permissive licence | None in Apache 2.0 | Keep the licence and notices |
| FLUX.2 [klein] 4B (Black Forest Labs) Permissive | Images | Apache 2.0 (model card) licence | Permissive licence | None in Apache 2.0 | Keep the licence and notices |
| Qwen-Image (Qwen) Permissive | Images | Apache 2.0 (model card) licence | Permissive licence | None in Apache 2.0 | Keep the licence and notices |
| TRELLIS (Microsoft) Conditions apply | 3D models | MIT for the models and most of the code licence | MIT doesn't restrict it; output terms otherwise not stated by vendor | None in MIT | Some submodules (diffoctreerast, a modified FlexiCubes) have their own licences |
| TRELLIS.2 (Microsoft) Conditions apply | 3D models | MIT; nvdiffrast and nvdiffrec "operate under separate license terms" licence | Whether the dependency licences affect generated meshes: Not stated by vendor | None in MIT | nvdiffrast's licence limits use to "non-commercially" (research or evaluation only) |
| TripoSR (VAST / Stability AI) Permissive | 3D models | MIT licence | Permissive licence | None in MIT | Keep the licence notice |
| TripoSG (VAST) Permissive | 3D models | MIT licence | Permissive licence | None in MIT | Keep the licence notice |
| Stable Audio Open 1.0 (Stability AI) Not verified | Audio | "stable-audio-community" (model card) licence | Not stated by vendor (the licence text is behind a Hugging Face login; we haven't verified it) | Not stated by vendor | Hosted Stable Audio has different terms: its free plan is non-commercial |
Each row links to the licence or model card it quotes. Read the full licence for the exact version you use.
Everyone: steps 1–4
Find the exact licence for the version you'll use
- Open the model card on Hugging Face or the GitHub repo for the exact model and version you'll run (for example FLUX.1 [schnell], not just "FLUX").
- Read the licence field and open the licence file it links to.
- Save a copy of that licence text with the model version and the date you downloaded it.
You should see: A named licence (for example Apache 2.0 or the Stability AI Community License) and a saved copy next to your project files.
Watch out: Models in one family can carry different licences: FLUX.1 [schnell] and FLUX.2 [klein] 4B show Apache 2.0, while FLUX.1 [dev] is a non-commercial licence. Some licence texts (FLUX.2 [dev], Stable Audio Open) sit behind a Hugging Face login.
From the official docs: Hugging Face: FLUX.1 [schnell] model card ↗
Check what it says about outputs, not just the model
- Search the licence for "Output" and read every clause that mentions it.
- Check separately whether using the model itself is limited (for example to non-commercial purposes).
- If the two seem to pull in different directions for a paid game, get a commercial licence or ask a lawyer.
You should see: A clear note of whether outputs can be used commercially and whether the model itself can be used in revenue-generating work.
Watch out: FLUX.1 [dev] clause 2(d) lets you use Output "for any purpose (including for commercial purposes)", but the same licence limits use of the model to non-commercial purposes and excludes revenue-generating activity.
From the official docs: FLUX.1 [dev] Non-Commercial License ↗
Check revenue, user and territory limits
- Look for a revenue cap: the Stability AI Community License allows free commercial use only under US$1,000,000 annual revenue, and you must register with Stability.
- Look for a user cap: Tencent's Hunyuan licences need a separate licence if your products had over 1 million monthly active users on the release date.
- Look for a territory limit: Tencent's Hunyuan licences don't apply in the EU, UK or South Korea.
You should see: Either "no cap, no territory limit" or a specific limit you can check against where and how you'll sell.
Watch out: Above Stability's US$1M cap the licence terminates and you must request one from Stability. Steam and itch.io sell into the EU and UK, so a territory limit matters for a game sold worldwide.
From the official docs: Stability AI Community License ↗
List the conditions you must follow or pass on
- Note any use restrictions (for example SDXL's Attachment A).
- Note content-filter and AI-disclosure duties (FLUX.1 [dev] clause 2(e)) and no-training clauses (Tencent: Output can't be used to improve other AI models).
- Fill in Steam's AI-content disclosure for anything that ships in the game.
You should see: A short list of duties attached to the model, ready to hand to whoever ships the game.
Watch out: Tencent's Acceptable Use Policy also bans placing machine-generated content in public without "expressly and conspicuously identifying" it as machine generated.
From the official docs: Tencent Hunyuan 3D 2.1 Community License ↗
Then pick your path
Images and textures
SDXL 1.0: CreativeML Open RAIL++-M
- Read Attachment A (use-based restrictions) of the SDXL 1.0 licence.
- Note that "Licensor claims no rights in the Output You generate".
You should see: No revenue cap and no territory limit in the licence; a list of banned uses you must follow.
Watch out: Fine-tunes and merges on model hubs may carry their own licences; check the one you actually download.
From the official docs: SDXL 1.0 licence ↗
Stable Diffusion 3.5: Stability AI Community License
- Check your (and your affiliates') annual revenue against US$1,000,000.
- Register with Stability for commercial use.
- Note: "You own any outputs generated from the Models or Derivative Works to the extent permitted by applicable law."
You should see: Free commercial use if you're under the cap and registered.
Watch out: If you grow past US$1M, the licence terminates and you need one from Stability.
From the official docs: Stability AI Community License ↗
FLUX: check which FLUX model you have
- FLUX.1 [schnell] and FLUX.2 [klein] 4B: Apache 2.0 on their model cards.
- FLUX.1 [dev]: Non-Commercial License v1.1.1; read clauses 2(d) and 2(e).
- FLUX.2 [dev] and FLUX.2 [klein] 9B: "flux-non-commercial-license" on the model card; the text needs a Hugging Face login, so its output terms are Not stated by vendor here.
You should see: The exact licence for your FLUX model, not the family name.
Watch out: Black Forest Labs sells commercial licences for its non-commercial models.
From the official docs: FLUX.1 [dev] Non-Commercial License ↗
Apache 2.0 options: fewest strings
- FLUX.1 [schnell], FLUX.2 [klein] 4B and Qwen-Image show Apache 2.0 on their model cards.
- Keep the licence and any notices with your project.
You should see: A permissive licence with no revenue cap or territory limit.
Watch out: Apache 2.0 covers the model; hosted versions of the same model have their own service terms.
From the official docs: Hugging Face: Qwen-Image model card ↗
3D models
Hunyuan3D 2.1 and HunyuanWorld 1.0: territory and MAU
- Read the Territory definition: the world excluding the EU, UK and South Korea.
- Check the 1 million MAU clause against the release date (13 June 2025 for Hunyuan3D 2.1; 27 July 2025 for HunyuanWorld 1.0).
- Note that "Tencent claims no rights in Outputs You generate" and that Output can't be used to improve other AI models.
You should see: Whether you can use the model and its output where you'll sell.
Watch out: Use of the works or "Output or results" outside the Territory "is unlicensed and unauthorized". How that applies to a game sold worldwide is Not stated by vendor: region-lock, pick another model, or ask Tencent or a lawyer.
From the official docs: Tencent Hunyuan 3D 2.1 Community License ↗
TRELLIS and TRELLIS.2: MIT, with dependency licences
- TRELLIS: the models and most of the code are MIT; some submodules (diffoctreerast, a modified FlexiCubes) have their own licences.
- TRELLIS.2: MIT, but nvdiffrast and nvdiffrec "operate under separate license terms".
You should see: An MIT licence plus a list of dependency licences to read.
Watch out: nvdiffrast's licence allows use "non-commercially" only (research or evaluation). Whether that affects meshes made with TRELLIS.2 is Not stated by vendor.
From the official docs: TRELLIS.2 repo ↗
TripoSR and TripoSG: MIT
- Check the LICENSE file in each repo: both are MIT.
- Keep the licence notice with your project.
You should see: A permissive licence with no cap or territory limit.
Watch out: Tripo's hosted app is a different product with plan-based terms (its free plan is non-commercial).
From the official docs: TripoSG repo ↗
Stable Fast 3D: Stability AI Community License
- Its model card names the Stability AI Community License.
- Apply the same US$1M revenue rule and registration as SD 3.5.
You should see: Free commercial use under the cap, once registered.
Watch out: Above the cap you need a licence from Stability.
From the official docs: Hugging Face: Stable Fast 3D ↗
Audio
Stable Audio Open 1.0: read the licence on the model card
- Open the model card and the "stable-audio-community" licence it names (Hugging Face login needed).
- Save a copy and check it for revenue caps and output terms.
You should see: The licence text saved with your project.
Watch out: We couldn't read the licence text without a login, so its terms are Not stated by vendor here.
From the official docs: Hugging Face: Stable Audio Open 1.0 ↗
Hosted Stable Audio has different terms
- If you use Stable Audio on the web instead of the open model, its plan terms apply, not the open-weights licence.
- Its free plan is for personal, non-commercial use; paid plans list a commercial licence.
You should see: Which terms apply: the open-weights licence (local) or the service plan (hosted).
Watch out: The same is true of other hosted versions of open models, such as Tencent's Hunyuan3D cloud API.
From the official docs: Our Stable Audio listing ↗
Questions
Is Hunyuan3D free for commercial use?
Inside its Territory (the world excluding the EU, UK and South Korea), and if you weren't over 1 million monthly active users on the release date, the Tencent Hunyuan 3D 2.1 Community License grants use with conditions. Use of the works or Output outside the Territory is "unlicensed and unauthorized". source
Can I use FLUX.1 [dev] images in a paid game?
Clause 2(d) says Output may be used "for any purpose (including for commercial purposes)", but the licence limits the model's own use to non-commercial purposes and excludes revenue-generating activity. Black Forest Labs sells commercial licences. Read both clauses. source
What is Stability AI's US$1M rule?
The Stability AI Community License allows free commercial use if your annual revenue is under US$1,000,000, and you must register. Above that the licence terminates and you need to request one from Stability. source
Which open models have the fewest strings attached?
Those whose licence is Apache 2.0 or MIT: FLUX.1 [schnell], FLUX.2 [klein] 4B, Qwen-Image, TripoSR and TripoSG, plus SDXL under OpenRAIL++-M with use restrictions. TRELLIS is MIT, with dependency licences to check. source
Do open-weights licences require me to disclose AI use?
Some do. FLUX.1 [dev] requires disclosure to the extent applicable law requires it, and Tencent's Acceptable Use Policy requires identifying machine-generated content placed in public. Steam asks about AI content separately. source
Is this legal advice?
No. It summarises each licence's text on the check date. Read the licence yourself, and ask a lawyer if your situation is unclear.
This is a summary of each licence's text on the check date, not legal advice. Licences change and new versions get new terms, so read the linked licence for the exact version you use. Written from the official documentation linked on each step and checked . No vendor reviews or pays for these guides.