Yes, PyCharm is free to use. Since PyCharm 2025.1, JetBrains has combined Community and Professional into one product whose core features, including Jupyter Notebook support, are free, with an optional Pro subscription for advanced features.
If you learned Python a few years ago, you'll remember choosing between the free PyCharm Community Edition and the paid Professional Edition. That choice has gone. You now install one PyCharm, try everything, and then decide whether you need to pay.
What changed with unified PyCharm
JetBrains' documentation explains that PyCharm used to be two separate products, the free Community Edition and the Professional Edition with extended capabilities. Starting with PyCharm 2025.1, they were combined into a single, unified product, so all users get the essential features without switching editions. From the 2025.3 release, JetBrains also offers a way for Community Edition users to migrate to the unified PyCharm.
Free PyCharm vs PyCharm Pro
| Free core features | Pro subscription | |
|---|---|---|
| Python editing and core IDE features | Yes | Yes |
| Jupyter Notebook support | Yes, including running, debugging and output rendering | Yes |
| Remote notebooks, dynamic tables, SQL cells | No | Yes |
| Trial of Pro features | 30-day free Pro trial on install | Not applicable |
| Fallback licence | Not applicable | Yearly subscriptions include a perpetual fallback licence |
The catch: the Pro trial ends on its own
When you install unified PyCharm, JetBrains says you automatically get a 30-day free Pro trial with full access to the advanced features. After the trial, you either get a Pro subscription or keep using the core features for free. That's generous, but it means the first month isn't what free PyCharm feels like long term. If you build a workflow around remote notebooks or SQL cells during the trial, you'll lose them when it ends.
My suggestion is to note which features you use in that first month that are Pro-only. If you can't name any, you don't need to pay.
Who can get PyCharm Pro free
- Students and academic staff: JetBrains says they can use all JetBrains tools free, after verifying a university or college email address or an ISIC card.
- Classrooms: universities, colleges, schools and non-commercial educational organisations can get free licences for classrooms and computer labs.
- Educators outside accredited institutions: instructors can join the Course Creators Program for free JetBrains IDEs.
- Recognised community experts: active Microsoft MVPs, Google Developer Experts, Java Champions, Docker Captains and others in the Developer Recognition Program can get a free All Products Pack.
How to start with PyCharm for free
- Download PyCharm from JetBrains. There's only one product to choose now.
- Install it and use the 30-day Pro trial to see which advanced features matter to you.
- When the trial ends, keep going on the free core features, or subscribe to Pro.
- If you're a student or teacher, apply for the free educational licence before your trial runs out.
- If you're still on the old Community Edition, use the migration path JetBrains offers from the 2025.3 release.
If you're comparing editors, my guide to free code editors covers lighter options, and here's whether Visual Studio Code is free if you're weighing the two.
Is free PyCharm good enough for business work?
For a lot of small business use, yes. If you're writing scripts to automate reports, cleaning spreadsheets with Python, or exploring data in Jupyter notebooks, the free core features cover it. JetBrains says the free Jupyter support includes running, debugging, output rendering and intelligent code assistance in notebooks, which is what most data work needs.
The Pro subscription makes more sense for professional developers and teams, especially if you work with remote notebooks, databases inside your notebooks or larger web projects. JetBrains also says every yearly subscription includes a perpetual fallback licence, so if you stop paying you keep a version you can still use, which takes some of the risk out of committing for a year.
PyCharm set-up checks for new users
- Make a note of any Pro-only features you lean on during the 30-day trial.
- Check whether you qualify for a free educational or community licence before paying.
- If you're on the old Community Edition, plan your move to unified PyCharm.
- Keep your notebooks local if you're on the free plan, since remote notebooks are a Pro feature.
- If you do subscribe, a yearly plan comes with a perpetual fallback licence.
Whichever way you go, the move to a single product makes life simpler: there's one download, one set of documentation and one place to upgrade within the same installation if you decide you need Pro later.
For a small business owner dipping into Python, that's the right order of decisions: install the one PyCharm, learn on the free core, and only consider Pro once you're doing work that needs it. Most people automating a few reports or tidying data never get there, and that's fine. The free version isn't a cut-down demo any more; it's a full working editor.
My advice
For most people learning Python, building small tools or doing data work in notebooks, free PyCharm is enough, and free Jupyter support is a real upgrade on the old Community Edition. Use the Pro trial honestly, then decide. If you're a student, don't pay at all: the educational licence covers every JetBrains tool.
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Frequently asked questions
What happens when the PyCharm Pro trial ends?
JetBrains says you can either get a Pro subscription to keep the advanced features or keep using PyCharm's core features for free.
Do PyCharm subscriptions include a fallback licence?
Yes. JetBrains says all yearly subscriptions include a perpetual fallback licence.
Can teachers get PyCharm free?
Yes. JetBrains offers free licences for classrooms at universities, colleges, schools and non-commercial educational organisations, and a Course Creators Program for instructors outside accredited institutions.
Is PyCharm free?
Yes. Since PyCharm 2025.1, PyCharm is a single product whose core features, including Jupyter Notebook support, are free. A Pro subscription adds advanced features.
Is PyCharm Community Edition still available?
JetBrains combined Community and Professional into one unified PyCharm from version 2025.1, and from 2025.3 it offers a way for Community users to migrate.
How long is the PyCharm Pro free trial?
JetBrains says you automatically get a 30-day free Pro trial when you install unified PyCharm.
Is PyCharm free for students?
Yes. JetBrains says students and academic staff can use all JetBrains tools free after verifying a university or college email address or an ISIC card.
Does free PyCharm support Jupyter notebooks?
Yes. JetBrains says free PyCharm includes Jupyter support, including running, debugging, output rendering and code assistance. Pro adds remote notebooks, dynamic tables and SQL cells.
