Frequently Asked Questions

What is the definition of commercial use for dbNSFP ?

1. Any use within a for-profit organization

2. Use within any organization (including non-profits) where dbNSFP is incorporated into products or services that are sold or monetized

   • Commercial use example: Diagnosis and treatment for patients in a public hospital

   • Non-commercial use example: Research or training in a public hospital

If you have any questions, please contact us at license@dbnsfp.org

Why are some scores present in the dbNSFP academic version but not in the commercial version (e.g. v5.0a vs. v5.0c)?

Some scores in the dbNSFP academic version have individual licensing requirements for commercial use; therefore, we cannot include them in the dbNSFP commercial version. Please note that users are responsible for complying with the individual licensing requirements of these scores when using them in the dbNSFP academic version.

If you already possess licenses for scores included in the dbNSFP academic version but not available in the commercial version, we can incorporate them to build a customized dbNSFP commercial version for you. 

Feel free to contact us at license@dbnsfp.org if you have other customization needs for the dbNSFP commercial version. 

What are the differences between dbNSFP v5.0 and legacy versions (e.g. v4.x.x)?

1. We have re-calculated all potential non-synonymous and splicing-site SNVs based on the recent gene definitions in GENCODE V46 (May, 2024). In contrast, dbNSFP v4.x.x was based on GENCODE v29 (October, 2018). The updated gene definitions enables more comprehensive and accurate non-synonymous variant identification aligned with recent biological evidence.

2. During this rebuild, we added new resources and updated all dbNSFP data sources to their current versions. For details, please refer to our Release Version and README.

Is a commercial license required for legacy versions of dbNSFP (e.g. v4.x.x)?

As a courtesy to users of previous versions of dbNSFP, a commercial license is not required for the c-branch in legacy versions. 

However, we strongly encourage upgrading to the latest version, which provides most updated annotations for nsSNVs in the human genome. Your commercial license fees will be used toward the ongoing development of the database and thus ensuring the long-term sustainability of dbNSFP.  The commercial use license subscribers will receive all updates at no additional cost during the license term.