# Is the Shield free to use？ **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Tags:** elastic-stack-security\ **Created:** [February 1, 2016, 4:01am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-the-shield-free-to-use/40597 "2016-02-01T04:01:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tianzongqi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tianzongqi](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/tianzongqi)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 4:01am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-the-shield-free-to-use/40597/1 "2016-02-01T04:01:18Z")
Maverl is free now for the ES where above the 2.x version, but i do not know whether Shield is free now ? thank you ! ---
**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 4:04am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-the-shield-free-to-use/40597/2 "2016-02-01T04:04:24Z")
Shield use beyond the 4 week trial requires a subscription, with access to a full license key. So unfortunately it's not. ---
**Author:** ![tianzongqi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tianzongqi](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/tianzongqi)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 4:08am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-the-shield-free-to-use/40597/3 "2016-02-01T04:08:05Z")
Maverl is free now ? only for the 2.x version? ---
**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 4:08am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-the-shield-free-to-use/40597/4 "2016-02-01T04:08:57Z")
Marvel is free, but you need to register for a license. ---
**Author:** ![CPS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@CPS](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/CPS)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 1:41pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-the-shield-free-to-use/40597/5 "2016-03-07T13:41:55Z")
Hi As for the shield plugin, I don't get it as it comes to the license... My has been already expired: `[2016-03-07 08:15:04,894][ERROR][shield.action] [Dementia] blocking [cluster:monitor/health] operation due to expired license. Cluster health, cluster stats and indices stats operations are blocked on shield license expiration. All data operations (read and write) continue to work.` Cluster health, cluster status and indices stats are blocked, addtionally while running elastic search I get: ` COMMERCIAL PLUGINS OPERATING WITH REDUCED FUNCTIONALITY - shield - Cluster health, cluster stats and indices stats operations are blocked - All data operations (read and write) continue to work` 1. What does the "limited functionalty" means? 2. Is it possible to open Kibana with expired Shield plugin? Currently I get following error: `[security_exception] current license is non-compliant for [shield], with: {"license.expired.feature":"shield"}` Is it possible to run elastichsearch + shield without cluster health/cluster stats, indeces stats permissions? ---
**Author:** ![skearns](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/skearns/32/125945_2.png) [@skearns](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/skearns)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 1:56pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-the-shield-free-to-use/40597/6 "2016-03-07T13:56:47Z")
Hi, You need a valid license to use Shield. When you first installed Shield, a free 30-day trial license automatically started. Now that it's expired, you will need to either get a trial license extension (just send an email to [info@elastic.co](mailto:info@elastic.co) requesting a trial license extension), or a production license to continue using Shield. To be clear - you cannot continue to use Shield without a license. If you no longer want to use it, you can simply uninstall the plugin. Hope that helps! ---
**Author:** ![CPS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@CPS](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/CPS)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 2:00pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-the-shield-free-to-use/40597/7 "2016-03-07T14:00:48Z")
Thanks, now it's clear for me 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dfr0](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dfr0/32/6433_2.png) [@dfr0](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dfr0)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 3:53am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-the-shield-free-to-use/40597/8 "2016-03-22T03:53:09Z")
Thanks i've the same question 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RJ\_W](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f14d63/32.png) [@RJ\_W](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/RJ_W)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 12:52pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-the-shield-free-to-use/40597/9 "2016-10-11T12:52:27Z")
got it, thanks a lot! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 1:41pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-the-shield-free-to-use/40597/10 "2017-07-06T13:41:36Z")