Are Opensource Edge-TTS free for commercial use?

Question

There are many repositories on github and spaces on huggingface, named after EdgeTTS.
Like https://github.com/rany2/edge-ttsand https://huggingface.co/spaces/innoai/Edge-TTS-Text-to-Speech
And most of them have the GPL v3 license file in them, which generally have the commercial usage permission with just some small condition like - License and copyright notice - State changes - Disclose source - Same license.

So, I was wondering if can I make a TTS website with it, and have generous subscription plans. You know, I'm just figuring out some make money online idea 😊. But also was concerned that how can Microsoft provide such amazing facilities under GPLicense, so I'm asking in the community.

So please any professional from the Microsoft team help me out that can I use such repositories and provide tts services on my own website? and rather not taking subscription of azure. Is it possible?

Answer 1

Hi @Samama,

Thank you for your inquiry! While I'm unable to provide legal advice, I can offer some clarification from a Microsoft perspective.

If you're using repositories like EdgeTTS under the GPL v3 license, you are allowed to modify, distribute, and even commercialize them, provided you comply with the license terms, such as making your source code available and keeping the copyright notice intact. However, if these repositories rely on Microsoft's proprietary services, such as Azure Cognitive Services' Text-to-Speech, commercial use without a valid Azure subscription could be a violation of our terms of service.

To legally provide TTS services, we recommend using Microsoft's official Azure AI Speech platform, which is specifically designed for scalable, commercial-grade TTS applications. Azure offers flexible subscription plans that can support your business model, ensuring you comply with Microsoft's licensing and usage terms.

I would encourage you to review the license of any third-party repository you're considering and, if necessary, consult with legal professionals to ensure you're adhering to all applicable terms and conditions. If you have any further questions about Azure AI Speech or need help setting up a subscription, feel free to reach out!
Please see: Microsoft Azure Legal Information.

I hope you understand. Thank you.

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