Is the ArcGIS Server JavaScript API free to use?

Question

The 2008 blog post announcing the ArcGIS Server JS API says:

Everyone can use the ArcGIS JavaScript API. There is no fee for using the ArcGIS JavaScript API or deploying an application built with it.

But Esri's Web Mapping Pricing page says "Contact us for pricing".

Which is correct?

• Mapperz: The API is free - its the geoprocessing and geodatabase access you need behind the scenes that means you will require ArcGIS Server.
• Stephen Lead: But if you're able to use someone else's ArcGIS Server, or omit it completely (by using Fusion Tables, GeoServer, etc), it's definitely free to use the APIs for a commercial application? Is there a reference to confirm this?

Answer 1

It is free for the uses outlined in the top section in your "Web Mapping Pricing" link:

• Development and Evaluations
• Non-commercial external use
• Education(teaching purposes only)
• NGO or not-for-profit business
• When used in conjunction with ArcGIS for Server license
• When used in conjunction with ArcGIS Online Task Services totaling 4,000ドル per year or more

For commercial use, on a publicly accessible website, it is not free. That's when you need to contact sales for a quote.

Edit: best source for this info as of December 2013 is https://developers.arcgis.com/en/terms/

• Stephen Lead: Thanks. It might be an idea to amend the blog post?
• Steve: gis.stackexchange.com/questions/6662/… similar question?
• ca0v: Has this changed by any chance? Where do government agencies that are not affiliated with ESRI fit into this? They are non-commercial internal use clients of ours.
• Derek Swingley: @ca0v I no longer work for esri but I don't think any of this has changed. The link from my edit is what you should use to determine if you need to pay or not: developers.arcgis.com/en/terms
• Aamir Suleman: Does this include the basemap use?