FAQ (frequently asked questions)

What is Freebase?
Freebase is an open database of the world’s information. It is built by the community and for the community—free for anyone to query, contribute to, build applications on top of, or...
What is the relationship between Freebase and Metaweb?
Metaweb is a technology company based in San Francisco. Freebase is the product we have spent the last few years developing.
How's Freebase different from Wikipedia? From Google Base?
Wikipedia and Freebase both appeal to people who love to use and organize information. The difference lies in the way they store information. Wikipedia arranges information in the form of articles....
How can I participate?
There are five primary things you can do with Freebase: 1) Browse and read information. If you’re looking for something specific, use the search and filter features. If you’re just exploring, start...
Why would I want to contribute?
Here are three good reasons to contribute to Freebase: 1) You’ve got a bunch of data that you’d like to share with the world. Freebase gives you a place to do it. A related benefit: once your data is...
What are the guidelines for contributing?
Check out the Freebase Contribution Guidelines. They're key to your happy participation!
What are the rules for using the data in Freebase?
Freebase uses a Creative Commons license known as an “attribution” or “by” license. It means that if you're welcome to use the Freebase data on your own site, as long as you credit Freebase as the...
How do I know the data's accurate?
Actually, you don’t know for sure. Because Freebase lets anyone edit the data, there’s always a chance that somebody has—intentionally or unintentionally—introduced a mistake. By the same token, data...
Do I have to pay to use Freebase?
Nope. It’s free to use—whether you’re browsing, editing, uploading or using the data for your own purposes. Hence the name “Freebase.”
How does Metaweb plan to make money?
The Freebase team's primary focus lies in creating a rich experience and useful tools that encourage customers to contribute and consume data. As a semantic web platform, Freebase can...
How can I contact Metaweb?
The discussion associated with each topic in Freebase is a great way to get in touch. You can also use the Bug/Feature request page, or the Feedback form, which sends a note directly to Metaweb...
Are you hiring?
Of course. Check out our jobs page.