NonCommercial

Noncommercial is an adjective describing activities, products, or uses that are not intended for or directed toward commercial profit. In common usage, a noncommercial project is undertaken without a goal of generating revenue for an owner or sponsor. The term is often contrasted with commercial or for-profit activities and may apply to content, events, or organizations. However, the boundary between commercial and noncommercial is not always clear and can vary by context.

In copyright and licensing, noncommercial is a license condition that restricts certain uses. Creative Commons licenses include a NonCommercial clause (the NC variant) that allows use of a work for noncommercial purposes only. The exact meaning depends on the license and jurisdiction; generally, uses that are primarily intended to generate monetary benefit or are part of a commercial enterprise are disallowed. Noncommercial use does not imply free of charge or royalty-free; attribution and other terms may still apply. The term is not a universal legal standard and can be interpreted differently by courts or contract terms.

Common examples include educational use, personal study, or community events, provided no part of the activity is intended to obtain profit; in licensing terms, a classroom presentation or nonprofit website might be permitted while a storefront advertisement would not.

Limitations and criticisms: because noncommercial can be ambiguous, some users worry about uncertainty and enforcement; some licenses, platforms, or jurisdictions may define it differently or reject the term in favor of clearly defined rights. In general, noncommercial is complementary to related notions such as non-profit, open access, or public-domain-like arrangements.