Yes, VirtualBox is free. The VirtualBox base package is open source under the GNU General Public License version 3, so you can use it at home or at work without paying. The catch is the separate VirtualBox Extension Pack: it's free only for personal and educational use, and businesses need a paid Oracle licence to use it commercially.
VirtualBox is the free tool most people reach for when they want to run Windows, Linux or another operating system inside a window on their computer. The licensing trips up a lot of small businesses because it comes in two parts with two different licences. Here's what VirtualBox's own licensing FAQ says, as of October 2026.
Two downloads, two licences
| Download | Licence | Free for business? |
|---|---|---|
| VirtualBox base package (platform packages) | GNU GPL version 3 | Yes |
| VirtualBox Extension Pack | Personal Use and Educational License (PUEL) | No, commercial use needs a paid licence |
The base package contains the full VirtualBox source code and the platform installers. Under the GPLv3 you can distribute and change it, as long as you share any modifications under GPLv3 too. For running virtual machines on your own computers, there's nothing to pay, whoever you are.
What personal and educational use means
The Extension Pack is where you need to be careful. The licensing FAQ defines personal use as an Extension Pack installed on a single host computer and used on that computer, or from a single connected client, for noncommercial purposes. Educational use means teachers or students in an academic institution using it as part of the curriculum.
The FAQ then adds the sentence that matters most: personal and educational use expressly exclude any use for commercial purposes or to operate or run a business, organisation, government organisation or educational institution. So a school's IT department running it isn't educational use under this licence, even though it's a school.
The free trial has gone
Older advice online says businesses can try the Extension Pack free for 30 days. That's out of date. The VirtualBox FAQ says the PUEL used to allow 30-day trial use for evaluation, but trial use has been discontinued under the current licence. If you're a business, there's no free evaluation period for the Extension Pack any more.
What a commercial licence gets you
Oracle sells an Extension Pack Enterprise License for business use. The FAQ says it includes the right to use the product for commercial purposes or to run a business, organisation, government organisation or educational institution, and it comes with Oracle support covering both the base package and the Extension Pack. Oracle sells these through its online store or local sales offices; the FAQ doesn't list a price.
Do you need the Extension Pack at all?
This is the question I'd ask first, because the simplest way to avoid the licence issue is not to install the Extension Pack. The base package on its own runs virtual machines, and VirtualBox's downloads page lists the platform packages and the Extension Pack as separate downloads for exactly that reason. Plenty of people testing a Linux distribution or an old version of Windows never touch the Extension Pack.
If you do install it at work, assume you need a commercial licence. The downloads page says the Extension Pack is available for personal and educational use under the PUEL, and also available under commercial or enterprise terms. There's no third, free business option.
| Your situation | What to install |
|---|---|
| Home user trying out Linux | Base package; Extension Pack free if you want it |
| Student using it for a course | Base package; Extension Pack free for educational use |
| Small business testing software | Base package only, or buy an Enterprise licence |
| Company distributing VirtualBox to customers | Contact Oracle about distribution rights for the Extension Pack |
That last row comes straight from the FAQ, which says distribution rights for the Extension Pack are handled by contacting Oracle's OEM sales team.
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Will VirtualBox stop being free?
The FAQ answers this directly. The licence on the base package is perpetual and can't be taken back unless you break it. Even if Oracle changed the licence, it would only affect future versions, and anyone already complying could keep using and sharing the existing code under GPLv3. The licensing information is stated as accurate for VirtualBox 7.1 and later; the downloads page lists VirtualBox 7.2.22 at the time I checked.
How to use VirtualBox for free, the safe way
- Download the VirtualBox platform package for your operating system from virtualbox.org.
- Install it and create your virtual machines. This part is free for everyone.
- Only download the Extension Pack if you need it, and only if your use is personal or educational under the PUEL definition.
- If you're using VirtualBox for a business, either stay with the base package or buy an Extension Pack Enterprise License from Oracle.
- Keep a note of which machines have the Extension Pack installed, in case anyone ever asks.
If you're comparing tools, my guide to VirtualBox vs VMware covers the differences, and VMware's licence changed recently, as I explain in whether VMware Workstation is free.
My verdict
VirtualBox is free, including for business, as long as you stick to the base package. The Extension Pack is the trap: free at home and in the classroom, paid for any commercial or organisational use, and with no free trial any more. If you run a business, check whether you need the Extension Pack at all before installing it. Many people don't.
Frequently asked questions
Is VirtualBox free for commercial use?
The VirtualBox base package is free for commercial use under the GPL version 3. The separate Extension Pack is only free for personal and educational use; businesses need an Extension Pack Enterprise License.
Is the VirtualBox Extension Pack free?
Only for personal and educational use under Oracle's PUEL licence. Any use to run a business, organisation, government body or educational institution needs a paid licence.
Is there a free trial of the VirtualBox Extension Pack for businesses?
No. The VirtualBox licensing FAQ says the old 30-day trial use has been discontinued under the current licence.
Can Oracle make VirtualBox paid?
Not retrospectively. The FAQ says the base package licence is perpetual, and any change would only affect future versions.
Does a school count as educational use?
Only for teachers or students using it as part of the curriculum. The FAQ excludes using it to operate or run an educational institution, which needs a commercial licence.
