[Question] Is Katalon Studio still free?

Hi,

I just learned that I cannot activate offline Katalon any longer, unless I buy the Enterprise package. I can’t believe this is happening.

My servers don’t have internet connection, and due to security constraints, they will never have.

Now, after so many efforts so make things work, I will have to tell my bosses that we cannot go for this solution. They told me not to go for it, just in case something like this happened.

It is a sad and frustrating day. I feel deceived. I was the first one in this company to use the tool, my project it was the PoC. Thanks God it was only the PoC.

5 Likes

Enterprise software usually comes with a price tag. I signed up for KSE but haven’t heard anything back yet.

If is not fair to say that the tool is free when it is not. I was asked to use a free tool. Now the tool is no longer free. This the same story as with Hudson. People just felt deceived.

2 Likes

@YoungNgo @devalex88 @ThanhTo @Hanh_Tran

Can we get some clarity here?

  1. Will offline-activation only be available in Katalon Studio Enterprise edition?

  2. Will KSE only be available to paying customers?

Hi Russ_thomas,

I can assure you you cannot activate offline anymore. I started this thread because I created a new slave and I went to the offline activation link. This is what I got:

1 Like

We feel the same. Enterprise usually means hefty price tag which means that our requirement for a free testing tool in offline environment is no longer satisfied meaning we will be dropping it in case they attach a price tag to it. Why is activation even needed for a free product (as advertised)?

We’re not buying explanation provided:

This is an effort from Katalon Team to address our users’ concerns (e.g. autoupdate, plugin usage, etc.), as well as preventing network and security breaches.

What concerns from users and how exactly does a “Enterprise” version solve autoupdate aswell as prevent network and security breaches in a offline environment sealed from internet at a government agency? Let me tell you developer to developer - it does not! If you are really after money then say so instead of “adressing users concerns” which everyone knows is utter nonsense, we have no problem paying for support in case we need it but forcing users to get a “Enterprise” product in case they have no internet connection due to security constraints is extortion. I feel this needs to be lifted to both medium.com and Twitter so that Katalon get off their high horse and get back to following their motto as stated on website Free. Robust. Cross-platform.

3 Likes

This is deceiving customers, telling them that something is free, when it is not. It could be seen as a fraud, in fact.

2 Likes

I cant believe it man, this is the real issue

2 Likes

Hi Spr2019,

Thank you for your message. We would like to give some clarification in response to your concern about Katalon Studio:

  1. Katalon Studio still remains a free product as claimed in our communication messages.

  2. Katalon Team will introduce the Katalon Studio Enterprise version along with the original Katalon Studio; but its features and capabilities will be tailored to our Enterprise customers’ needs.

  3. Since the first Katalon Studio release, activation has been a requirement according to our agreement. The offline activation feature was only introduced from version 5.x to support other purposes. However, this feature is not part of our commitment as a free product.

We hope this clears out the confusion with our products.

Hi:

The activation always been a requirement but since version ** Version 4.0.1** not 5.x (https://docs.katalon.com/katalon-studio/new/version-401.html) until few days ago.
if you add a functionality in a free product in this case offline activation to support “other purposes” you didn’t expecificate it, then i expect if you introduce a new feature in the free version you didn’t quit after as an arbitrary decision.

By the way in the documentation didn’t mention nothing about the offline activation is only to enterprise customers (https://docs.katalon.com/katalon-studio/docs/katalon-studio-activation-since-70.html#configuring-proxy-for-online-activation)

This is a risk if anyone pick up katalon to use in your organization above others freemiums because you can quit functionality whenever you want and make it enterprise.

I understand you want to add value to enterprise edition but you exactly need add compared to free edition not quit from free edition .

This is my point of view in a respectful way. i hope Katalon team can think about it.

Ikelso,

They won’t.

It is Hudson once again.

The title of this topic is “Is Katalon Studio still free?” And here is the official answer:

To avoid a topic/thread that goes essentially nowhere, I’m going to set this answer as the solution to this topic.

If anyone wants to suggest how to improve activation in Katalon Studio or Katalon Studio Enterprise, please use the Suggestions and Improvements category.

Thanks for your understanding.