Understanding Creative Licenses: Standard vs Extended

Licensing is the part of digital asset purchasing that nobody enjoys thinking about. The language is dry, the implications are not always obvious, and the consequences of getting it wrong can range from mildly awkward to genuinely costly. Here is the version that actually makes sense.

The core distinction

The difference between a Standard License and an Extended License comes down to one question: are you making money from it? Standard: you are not earning income from a project that uses this asset. Extended: money is changing hands somewhere in the chain involving this asset.

Standard License

A Standard License lets you use the asset in personal work. This includes portfolio pieces, passion projects, non-commercial social media posts, internal work presentations, educational use, and mockups for your own unreleased projects.

Extended License

An Extended License covers commercial use. Real examples:

• A website you are building for a client who is paying you
• A digital product you sell on your own store that incorporates the asset
• Social media ads running on behalf of a paying client
• A print campaign for a business
• Branding deliverables handed off to a client

The grey areas

If a company pays you to make a presentation for internal use, technically money changed hands. You should have an Extended License. The rule of thumb: if anyone is paying for anything related to the project, use the Extended License.

When to ask us

If you have a genuinely unusual situation, email support@cre8so.com with a description of your use case. We will tell you which license applies. We would rather help you get it right than have confusion put you off buying.