Licensing

Play Free. License Hosting.

The closed-source native HexBench client is free to download. It can join any compatible hosted game without a software license or per-player fee.

A purchased Alpha, Beta, or retail license adds the closed-source HexBench Host package and the right to run one active server. It is a one-time, perpetual license, not a subscription. The host may run on a personal computer or a server they control.

The client may be installed freely. The host license may be active on one server device at a time. Deactivate the old device to transfer immediately; if that device is unavailable, a recovery transfer has a 24-hour cooldown.

Future expansions may be separate optional purchases. They do not replace the base hosting license unless sold explicitly as part of a bundle.

One Client, Server-Granted Roles

Players, builders, co-GMs, and GMs use the same native client. The licensed server grants capabilities for each game. A free player can use the complete creative toolkit when the server authorizes it; the free client cannot start a server by itself.

Permissions are enforced by the server. GM-only information is not sent to clients that lack the corresponding capability.

Closed-Source Software

The HexBench client, host package, server, editor, renderer, and internal tools are proprietary and closed-source. Buying any HexBench license or expansion does not grant access to their source code. Compiled binaries are distributed under the End-User License Agreement.

Build Whatever You Want

The separately published Plugin SDK (hexbench-api, hexbench-macros) will be MIT licensed. Once released, it can be used to build modules, sell them, or give them away.

There are no royalties, no approval process, no strings. If you build something with the SDK, it's yours.

Official Game-System Plugins

Official game-system plugins may be published separately under the MIT License, with game rules under their applicable ORC or Creative Commons terms. Their open licenses do not apply to the HexBench client or server.

Your Creations Are Yours

Maps, tokens, scripts, plugins, themes, anything you make belongs to you. License it however you want. Sell it if you want. We will never claim rights to your work.

ORC Licensed Game Content

Game mechanics in our official plugins use the Open RPG Creative License, the same irrevocable license used by Paizo, Chaosium, Kobold Press, and 1,500+ TTRPG publishers.

The ORC is stewarded as an irrevocable open RPG license. Its full legal text is available from the official ORC License page.

What's ORC Licensed Material: Game mechanics, rules, stat blocks in official system plugins.

What's Reserved (ours): The HexBench name, logo, and brand identity.

What's Reserved (yours): Your original content, settings, characters, and worlds.

The Open Source We Stand On

HexBench is built with open-source Rust libraries. Those dependencies retain their own licenses; they do not make HexBench itself open source. I credit them, with links to their work and where to support it.

→ See what HexBench is built on