Microchip provides several licensing options for the MPLAB XC8 Compiler:
: Microchip and similar companies often have programs for students and hobbyists that might offer free or discounted access to their development tools.
: If you aren't strictly tied to C, this is an excellent open-source alternative for PIC development that handles many complex tasks automatically.
A paid, permanent license for a single user that unlocks "Pro" optimizations.