---
url: /getting-started/free-and-pro.md
description: >-
  How RootWright LMS Free and Pro work together: install order, what Pro depends
  on, and what happens when you deactivate Free or Pro.
---

# Free and Pro together in RootWright LMS

RootWright LMS Pro is an add-on to the Free plugin. Both plugins share one admin, one set of courses and one database. This page explains how they behave together.

## The dependency

* Pro requires Free. WordPress lists **RootWright LMS Pro** with the note "Requires: RootWright LMS".
* While Pro is active, WordPress will not let you deactivate or delete the Free plugin. The Free row shows "You cannot deactivate this plugin as other plugins depend on it."
* Deactivate Pro first, then Free.

## The install states

| State | What you see |
|---|---|
| Free only | The full course workflow. Pro sections are absent. |
| Free and Pro active | The full admin with the PRO tags in the course editor and extra sidebar entries. |
| Pro uploaded without Free | Pro cannot be activated. The row says the required plugins are missing. |
| Pro not licensed yet | Pro features are not available until you activate the license. |

## Next steps

* [Activate your Pro license](/getting-started/activate-license).
* [Install RootWright LMS Pro](/getting-started/install-pro).