Subscriptions and features

While you can use most Enterprise Search features for free, some features require a specific Elastic subscription level or trial.

The following pages on the Elastic website list the subscription levels required for various Enterprise Search features:

To access certain features, you will need to purchase a subscription or start a free trial. Details vary by deployment type. The following sections explain how this works for each deployment type.

Enterprise Search deployments on Elastic Cloud and Elastic Cloud Enterprise (ECE) provide access to all Enterprise Search features. Get started with Elastic Cloud or ECE with a free trial and then purchase a subscription to continue beyond the trial period.

Elastic Cloud offers multiple subscription levels, but these levels do not affect Enterprise Search features. All Enterprise Search features are available at all Elastic Cloud subscription levels.

ECE has only one subscription level.

Everyone can use Elastic Cloud on Kubernetes (ECK) and the Elastic Stack without a paid subscription. However, to access additional Enterprise Search features, you must start a subscription or trial.

Self-managed Elastic Stack deployments can choose from multiple subscription levels, but to use additional features, you must purchase a subscription, or start a trial.

ECK has only one subscription level.

Review the procedure that applies to your deployment:

Contact Elastic to submit issues or questions regarding subscriptions.

Use your Elastic Cloud account to create your first deployment. Your trial begins automatically.

See Installation, Deploying on Elastic Cloud.

Your Elastic Cloud account includes a free trial. Upon expiration, complete the billing information prompts to start your subscription.

Ensure you purchase a subscription level that includes the features you need.

Alternatively, convert your trial to a paid subscription at any time by providing your billing details.

See Add your billing details in the Elastic Cloud documentation.

Download and install ECE on your first host to start your ECE trial.

Submit the Enterprise subscriptions contact form to request a subscription for ECE.

You will receive a license file that confirms your subscription. Add this license to your ECE deployment to complete the subscription process.

See Manage licenses, Add a license in the ECE documentation.

Create a specific Kubernetes secret to start your trial.

See Manage licenses in ECK, Start a trial in the ECK documentation.

Submit the Enterprise subscriptions contact form to request a subscription for ECK.

You will receive a license file that confirms your subscription. Add this license to your ECK deployment to complete the subscription process.

See Manage licenses, Add a license in the ECE documentation.

Start your Elastic Stack trial using the Start trial UI or API. The trial provides the same functionality as a Platinum subscription.

See License management in the Kibana documentation, and Start trial API in the Elasticsearch documentation.

Alternatively, start your trial via configuration.

See License settings in the Elasticsearch documentation.

Submit the Subscriptions contact form to request your Elastic Stack subscription. Ensure you purchase a subscription level that includes the features you need.

You will receive a license file that confirms your subscription. Add this license to your Elastic Stack deployment to complete the subscription process.

See License management in the Kibana documentation, and Update license API in the Elasticsearch documentation.