{
  "question": "MIT vs Unlicense: what is the difference?",
  "slug": "mit-vs-unlicense",
  "url": "https://www.rightshold.com/answers/mit-vs-unlicense",
  "short_answer": "MIT: commercial use, modification, redistribution: Yes. Unlicense: the same uses: Yes.",
  "framing": "MIT: Deal in the software without restriction, including to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense and sell it, as long as the copyright and permission notice go with all copies or substantial portions. Unlicense: Dedicates the software to the public domain; anyone may use it for any purpose without conditions.",
  "checks": [
    {
      "label": "MIT: commercial use, modification, redistribution",
      "license": "MIT",
      "license_name": "MIT License",
      "intended_use": {
        "commercial_use": true,
        "modification": true,
        "redistribution": true
      },
      "verdict": "permitted",
      "answer": "Yes",
      "findings": [
        "Every use you described is granted by MIT, and nothing you described is prohibited."
      ],
      "duties": [
        "attribution",
        "license_notice"
      ],
      "curation": "curated",
      "official_text": "https://opensource.org/license/mit"
    },
    {
      "label": "Unlicense: the same uses",
      "license": "Unlicense",
      "license_name": "The Unlicense",
      "intended_use": {
        "commercial_use": true,
        "modification": true,
        "redistribution": true
      },
      "verdict": "permitted",
      "answer": "Yes",
      "findings": [
        "Every use you described is granted by Unlicense, and nothing you described is prohibited."
      ],
      "duties": [],
      "curation": "curated",
      "official_text": "https://unlicense.org/"
    }
  ],
  "compatibility": {
    "licenses": [
      "MIT",
      "Unlicense"
    ],
    "verdict": "compatible"
  },
  "compare": [
    {
      "license": "MIT",
      "duties": [
        "attribution",
        "license_notice"
      ],
      "notes": [
        "Provided as is, without warranty."
      ]
    },
    {
      "license": "Unlicense",
      "duties": [],
      "notes": [
        "Provided as is, without warranty."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "context": [
    "The duties differ: compare the duties and notes listed for each license below."
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "MIT License: official text",
      "url": "https://opensource.org/license/mit"
    },
    {
      "title": "MIT on the SPDX License List",
      "url": "https://spdx.org/licenses/MIT.html"
    },
    {
      "title": "The Unlicense: official text",
      "url": "https://unlicense.org/"
    },
    {
      "title": "Unlicense on the SPDX License List",
      "url": "https://spdx.org/licenses/Unlicense.html"
    }
  ],
  "check_it_yourself": {
    "mcp": {
      "tool": "check_license",
      "arguments": {
        "license": "MIT",
        "intended_use": {
          "commercial_use": true,
          "modification": true,
          "redistribution": true
        }
      }
    },
    "rest": "POST https://www.rightshold.com/v1/licenses/check"
  },
  "computed_from": "Rightshold license profiles at render time; not legal advice",
  "updated": "2026-10-19"
}