Is AGPL 3.0 compatible with BSD-3?
AGPL 3.0-licensed code is not compatible with a BSD-3 project. Here is what that means for your obligations, conflicts, and distribution.
The license of the code you want to use.
The license you are applying to your project.
The short answer
AGPL 3.0 is a copyleft license — any combined work must keep that copyleft license, so you cannot wrap it in a permissive license like BSD-3.
Key obligations
Adopt AGPL 3.0 for the whole project to use this code.
Potential conflicts
Copyleft requires derivative works to be released under the same terms.
Distribution notes
Prohibited under BSD-3.
Deep-dive resources
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What this means in practice
GNU AGPL v3.0 is a network copyleft license and BSD 3-Clause is a permissive license. Combining them in a single distributed work is not permitted because their terms conflict. You can often still use the AGPL 3.0 component if you keep it at arm's length — behind a separate process or network boundary — or by choosing an alternatively-licensed dependency.
Compliance checklist for AGPL 3.0 → BSD-3
- Do not combine AGPL 3.0 and BSD-3 code in the same distributed binary.
- Isolate the AGPL 3.0 component behind a process or network boundary if you must use it.
- Evaluate an alternatively-licensed library, or re-license your project to resolve the conflict.
- Get legal sign-off before shipping anything that links the two.
About these licenses
GNU AGPL v3.0
LibraryNetwork copyleft. Closes the "SaaS loophole" — offering the software over a network triggers the obligation to share source.
- Type
- Network copyleft
- Patent grant
- Express
- Source sharing
- Combined work + network use
BSD 3-Clause
ProjectPermissive like MIT, plus a clause barring use of the project's name to endorse derived products.
- Type
- Permissive
- Patent grant
- None
- Source sharing
- Not required
AGPL 3.0 and BSD-3: frequently asked questions
Common questions about combining GNU AGPL v3.0 and BSD 3-Clause.
Is AGPL 3.0 compatible with BSD-3?
AGPL 3.0 is a copyleft license — any combined work must keep that copyleft license, so you cannot wrap it in a permissive license like BSD-3.
Can I use AGPL 3.0 code in a BSD-3 SaaS or cloud application?
AGPL 3.0 is a network-copyleft license that closes the "SaaS loophole" — serving the software over a network triggers copyleft, so you cannot re-license it under BSD-3.
What are my obligations when combining AGPL 3.0 and BSD-3?
Adopt AGPL 3.0 for the whole project to use this code. Prohibited under BSD-3.