# FingerprintJS

> FingerprintJS (v5.3.0, Oct 2026, ~28.6k stars, ~900k npm downloads a week) reads canvas, audio, fonts, WebGL, screen and other browser signals and returns a hashed visitorId with a confidence score. MIT again since v5.0.0 (v4.x was BSL-1.1, non-production only). Client-side only, so IDs collide between identical devices, drift after about two weeks and can be spoofed. No bot or VPN detection; that is the paid Fingerprint Identification API. npm builds send rare usage pings unless monitoring is turned off.

- Repository: https://github.com/fingerprintjs/fingerprintjs
- Official docs: https://github.com/fingerprintjs/fingerprintjs#readme
- Checked: 2026-10-20

## What it replaces
- Fingerprint Identification: Returning visitor identification, Fraud and account-abuse prevention (partial). Gives a free visitor ID for basic fraud and abuse checks, with much lower accuracy and shorter ID lifetime; no Smart Signals, webhooks or server-side signals.
  - Use it instead of paying for Fingerprint Identification? Personal use: Yes. Business: Yes.

## Facts, with sources

| Question | Status | Answer | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runs on my machine? | Confirmed | Runs entirely in the visitor's browser on your own site; no server or account needed | https://github.com/fingerprintjs/fingerprintjs#readme | 2026-10-20 |
| Code licence | Confirmed | MIT (from v5.0.0; v4.x was BSL-1.1) | https://github.com/fingerprintjs/fingerprintjs/blob/master/docs/licensing.md | 2026-10-20 |
| Model weights licence | Confirmed | No separate model weights | https://github.com/fingerprintjs/fingerprintjs#readme | 2026-10-20 |
| Commercial use | Confirmed | Yes, MIT from v5.0.0; stay off v4.x, whose BSL-1.1 licence bars production use | https://github.com/fingerprintjs/fingerprintjs/blob/master/docs/licensing.md | 2026-10-20 |
| Paid services needed? | Partial | None required; the paid Fingerprint Identification API adds higher accuracy and Smart Signals | https://github.com/fingerprintjs/fingerprintjs#want-higher-accuracy-upgrade-to-fingerprint-identification-for-free | 2026-10-20 |
| Hardware | Confirmed | No server; runs in any modern browser your visitors already use | https://github.com/fingerprintjs/fingerprintjs/blob/master/docs/browser_support.md | 2026-10-20 |
| Operating systems | Confirmed | Any modern browser on Windows, macOS, Linux and mobile; it is a JavaScript library, not an app | https://github.com/fingerprintjs/fingerprintjs/blob/master/docs/browser_support.md | 2026-10-20 |
| Setup effort | Confirmed | Easy; npm install or a CDN import, then FingerprintJS.load() and fp.get() | https://github.com/fingerprintjs/fingerprintjs#installation | 2026-10-20 |

GitHub: 28619 stars, 2633 forks, last push 2026-10-20, archived: no.
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Source: RepoQuarry (https://repoquarry.dev/projects/fingerprintjs). Data licence: CC BY 4.0. Quotes are from project documentation and belong to their authors.