⚖️LicenseOrg
Compare platforms

npm vs GitHub

Side-by-side comparison of licensing terms between npm and GitHub.

License Comparison

Hover or tap any field name to see what it means. Highlighted rows indicate differences.

GitHub:
n
npm
Free (Public Registry)
Visit Platform
G
GitHub
Free
Visit Platform
Price
Free
Free

Prices may vary by region and are subject to change.

Download
Yes
Yes
Commercial Use
Depends on each package's license field in package.json. MIT (most common) allows commercial use. GPL allows commercial use but requires open-sourcing derivatives. Some packages are proprietary.
Public and private repositories are available; no explicit restriction on commercial use of hosted code at the plan level.
Editing
Depends on the package license. MIT, Apache, and ISC allow modification. GPL allows modification with share-alike requirements.
Depends on the repository license. Most open-source licenses (MIT, Apache, GPL) allow modification. No license = no modification rights.
Attribution
Nice to
Nice to
Exclusive Rights
No
No
Redistribution
Depends on the package license. Most open-source licenses allow redistribution with conditions.
Public repositories are accessible to anyone; no plan-level restriction on redistribution of code hosted.
Print Use
Depends on package license. Rarely relevant for code packages.
Depends on repository license. Most open-source licenses do not restrict the medium of use.
Digital Use
Depends on package license. Most open-source licenses allow digital use.
Depends on repository license. Most open-source licenses permit digital use.
Client Work
Depends on package license. MIT and Apache allow client work. GPL may require clients to open-source their code.
Depends on repository license. MIT and Apache 2.0 allow client work. GPL may require your client to also open-source derivative works.
Survives Cancellation
Forever
Forever
npm:

Always check the 'license' field in package.json before using a package. MIT is the most common but not universal - some packages are GPL, proprietary, or have no license specified.

Packages with no license field or 'UNLICENSED' are all rights reserved. You may not have the right to use them in your projects.

GitHub:

License depends on each individual repository. No license file means all rights reserved by default - you cannot legally use, modify, or distribute the code.

GitHub Copilot suggestions may include code from repositories with various licenses. Review suggestions carefully for license compliance.

Key Differences

Fields where these platforms differ

Commercial Use

npm:~Depends on each package's license field in package.json. MIT (most common) allows commercial use. GPL allows commercial use but requires open-sourcing derivatives. Some packages are proprietary.
GitHub:✓

Editing

npm:~Depends on the package license. MIT, Apache, and ISC allow modification. GPL allows modification with share-alike requirements.
GitHub:✓

Redistribution

npm:~Depends on the package license. Most open-source licenses allow redistribution with conditions.
GitHub:✓

Digital Use

npm:~Depends on package license. Most open-source licenses allow digital use.
GitHub:✓

Client Work

npm:~Depends on package license. MIT and Apache allow client work. GPL may require clients to open-source their code.
GitHub:✓

Popular Comparisons

ShutterstockVSAdobe StockElevenLabsVSSoundrawArtlistVSEpidemic SoundMidjourneyVSChatGPTElevenLabsVSFish AudioCanvaVSCreative MarketPexelsVSUnsplashElevenLabsVSDescriptEnvato ElementsVSShutterstockGetty ImagesVSiStockPixabayVSPexelsHailuo AIVSKling AI

Informational Only - Not Legal Advice

LicenseOrg provides informational summaries of platform license terms for educational purposes only. This is not legal advice. Always consult the platform’s official license page and a qualified legal professional.

Exclusive perks for members

Join Our Community

Get early access to new features, plus exclusive deals and coupons from top creative platforms.