If you and your affiliated companies together earn less than $1,000,000 in gross revenue over the past 12 months, you do not need to purchase seat subscriptions for your developers. This exception also includes advances and fundraising, not just direct sales revenue.
This analysis describes what Unreal Engine's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
This exception makes Unreal Engine effectively free for many small and independent developers, but the inclusion of advances and funds raised in the revenue calculation may surprise studios that receive investment or publisher advances without corresponding sales revenue.
Independent developers under the $1,000,000 annual revenue threshold can use Unreal Engine without seat subscription fees, but the threshold calculation includes all affiliated entities, advances, and funds raised, which may catch some studios off-guard.
How other platforms handle this
If you do not timely cancel your subscription, your subscription will be renewed at the full price as indicated when the purchase was made, without any additional action by you, and you authorize us to charge your payment method for these amounts.
You also authorize us to retry any failed authorizations. We may use data provided to us by our partners to determine when to schedule such retries.
Any renewal of your AC WhatsApp Service subscription or your WhatsApp Credit Subscription will be at the then current prices listed on, or otherwise accessible via, the ActiveCampaign Pricing page without applying any prior discount.
"i. Personal and indie exception. During any period that you, together with any entities in your corporate group, have generated less than $1,000,000 USD in gross revenue over the last 12 months, the Seat subscription requirement will not apply to your Users. For purposes of this calculation, your corporate group means any entities that control, are controlled by, or are under common control with you and revenue includes any advances received or other funds raised.Excerpt from Unreal Engine's EULA
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: The exception operates as a contractual carve-out rather than a regulatory requirement.
Enforcement risk, jurisdiction flags, contract triggers, and due diligence action items.
Get the research letter
Companies change their terms quietly. We read every version and catch what actually changed. One email a week on the changes that matter and what they mean.
This exception makes Unreal Engine effectively free for many small and independent developers, but the inclusion of advances and funds raised in the revenue calculation may surprise studios that receive investment or publisher advances without corresponding sales revenue.
Independent developers under the $1,000,000 annual revenue threshold can use Unreal Engine without seat subscription fees, but the threshold calculation includes all affiliated entities, advances, and funds raised, which may catch some studios off-guard.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 230 platforms. See the full comparison.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Unreal Engine.