No, you don’t have to pay for Unreal Engine. Epic Games, the developers of Unreal, offer different licensing terms depending on how you plan to use the engine. One of these is a 100% royalty-free license, allowing you to create your internal projects or free projects. You’ll use a different license if you plan on publishing your game; Unreal Engine remains free to use, but you’ll pay a 5% royalty when you monetize your game. Additionally, you have the option of contacting Epic Games for custom licensing options. A custom license might include additional support and training and negotiated terms for royalties.