- Who can use Visual Studio Community for free
- What you get in the free Community edition
- Visual Studio vs Visual Studio Code
- How to install Visual Studio Community
- The free extras that come with Dev Essentials
- Using Community for open source and training
- When to pay for Visual Studio
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
Yes, Visual Studio is free in its Community edition, but only for certain users. Microsoft says any individual developer can use Visual Studio Community to build free or paid apps, and non-enterprise organisations can use it for up to five users. Enterprise organisations can only use it for open source, academic research and classroom learning. Bigger teams need Visual Studio Professional or Enterprise.
People mix up Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code all the time. They're different products. Visual Studio is Microsoft's full IDE for .NET and C++ work on Windows. Visual Studio Code is a lighter code editor that runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. Both have free options, but the licence rules are different.
Who can use Visual Studio Community for free
| Who you are | Free to use Community? | What Microsoft's page says |
|---|---|---|
| Individual developer | Yes | Build your own free or paid apps |
| Classroom, academic research or open source | Yes, unlimited users | Allowed in any organisation |
| Non-enterprise organisation | Yes, up to five users | Beyond five, use a paid edition |
| Enterprise organisation | Only for open source, research and classroom use | No other use permitted |
Microsoft defines an enterprise organisation on the same page as one with more than 250 PCs or annual revenue above the threshold set out in its licence terms. If your business is near either line, read the Visual Studio Community licence terms before you install it on more machines.
What you get in the free Community edition
Microsoft calls Community a fully featured, extensible, free IDE. Its page lists:
- Designers, editors, debuggers and profilers in one tool.
- Support for C#, Visual Basic, F#, C++, HTML, JavaScript, TypeScript, Python and more.
- Git built in, with options to create or clone repositories from GitHub or Azure DevOps.
- Web development with ASP.NET, Node.js, Python and JavaScript.
- Desktop and mobile app development, including WinUI 3, Windows Forms, WPF and .NET MAUI.
- Unity game development support.
Microsoft adds that signing in to Community gives you access to Visual Studio Dev Essentials, with free developer tools, Pluralsight training, Azure credits and more.
Visual Studio vs Visual Studio Code
If you don't need the full IDE, Visual Studio Code may suit you better. Microsoft describes it as a standalone source code editor that runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and the top pick for JavaScript and web developers. My guide on whether Visual Studio Code is free covers its licence, and my roundup of the best code editors compares it with other options.
How to install Visual Studio Community
- Go to the Visual Studio Community page on Microsoft's site and download the installer.
- Run the installer and choose only the workloads you need, such as .NET desktop or web development. Microsoft's workload-based installer is designed to install what you need and nothing you don't.
- Sign in with a Microsoft account to get the Dev Essentials benefits.
- Connect your GitHub or Azure DevOps account to clone a repository.
- Check your team size against the licence before adding colleagues.
Microsoft describes Visual Studio as its comprehensive IDE for .NET and C++ developers on Windows, so if you work on a Mac or Linux machine, Visual Studio Code is the free option to look at instead.
The free extras that come with Dev Essentials
Signing in matters more than people think. Microsoft says Visual Studio Dev Essentials gives you a broad set of free developer tools and services, plus Pluralsight training, Azure credit, downloads and more. Its free developer offers page bundles Visual Studio Community, Visual Studio Code and Azure DevOps under the same free umbrella.
For a small business building its first internal tool, that combination covers the editor, the source control and a little cloud credit to test with, without paying anything up front.
Using Community for open source and training
Microsoft's licence summary on the Community page allows an unlimited number of users within any organisation to use Community in a classroom learning environment, for academic research, or for contributing to open source projects. So even a large company can let staff use it on open source work, as long as that's all they use it for.
When to pay for Visual Studio
Microsoft positions Visual Studio Professional for small-team collaboration, with developer tools, services and subscription benefits. Visual Studio Enterprise adds advanced debugging, enterprise security, AI-assisted development, Azure credits and Dev/Test pricing for the cloud. You'll need one of these once your non-enterprise team goes past five users, or as soon as your organisation counts as an enterprise under Microsoft's definition.
If your code lives on GitHub, my page on whether GitHub is free explains what its free plan covers alongside Visual Studio.
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My verdict
Visual Studio is free for solo developers, students, open source and small businesses with up to five developers, and the Community edition isn't a cut-down trial. The limit is the licence, not the features. Check the five-user and enterprise rules before you roll it out, and pick Visual Studio Code if you work on a Mac or only need an editor.
Frequently asked questions
Is Visual Studio Community free for commercial use?
Yes, for individuals building their own free or paid apps, and for non-enterprise organisations with up to five users, according to Microsoft.
Can a company use Visual Studio Community for free?
A non-enterprise organisation can, for up to five users. Enterprise organisations can only use it for open source, academic research and classroom learning.
What counts as an enterprise for Visual Studio?
Microsoft's page defines it as an organisation with more than 250 PCs or annual revenue above the threshold in its licence terms.
Can students use Visual Studio Community free?
Yes. Microsoft says unlimited users can use it in a classroom learning environment or for academic research.
Is Visual Studio the same as Visual Studio Code?
No. Visual Studio is a full IDE for Windows, while Visual Studio Code is a separate code editor that runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Visual Studio Code free?
Yes. Microsoft lists Visual Studio Code among its free developer tools, as a source code editor for Windows, macOS and Linux.
What is Visual Studio Dev Essentials?
Microsoft describes it as a free bundle of developer tools and services, plus Pluralsight training, Azure credit and downloads, available when you sign in.
Does Visual Studio Community include Git?
Yes. Microsoft says Git is the default source control in Visual Studio, with options to clone from GitHub or Azure DevOps.
