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Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

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Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#31

Post by schoen »

ugh123 wrote: post #18

Do consulting/contracting work for the large company with the stipulation the work stays open source. I wouldn't recommend you start selling support tiers and you don't need to start selling a "product" here. Just give them a rate you're comfortable with.

Historically, Cygnus Solutions was very successful at this with custom development on the GNU toolchain.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cygnus_Solutions

I don't know if there's something specific about compilers that makes this model work especially well. They would get paid to add specific features to the toolchain that customers wanted, and also to help the customers fix bugs or understand how to do what they wanted.

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#32

Post by Onavo »

lysecret wrote: post #26
gigamick wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you point me to your startups? I'm not entirely sure I understand how to implement this.

Also an example of open core is https://www.quantconnect.com/

Their monetisation strategy is from cloud hosting and being a data provider, very different from open core.

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#33

Post by doubleg »

Recently started experimenting with Polar[^1] (OSS themselves). They offer a platform for OSS authors to sell perks (e.g. newsletter, digital assets, access to private repositories/discord, README ads) and handle billing/VAT for you. Quite happy with the experience so far.

[^1]: https://polar.sh/

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#34

Post by GTP »

handfuloflight wrote: post #29
benwerd wrote: post #7

I've built two open source startups, totaling a decade of my life. Take it from me: the only way to do this sustainably is open core. That means you make the core software open, but you sell the features that businesses will pay for or that allow other people to make money. Think of it as two distinct products for two distinct userbases. In effect, the open source software becomes lead gen; the closed software is you…

Can you switch the licenses? I'm assuming since no consideration is exchanged, there's no contract, so you can change to a less permissive license.

Depends on the license: e.g. the GPL can't be revoked, so once something gets GPL'd it remains so forever.

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#35

Post by shiroiushi »

GTP wrote: post #34
handfuloflight wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you switch the licenses? I'm assuming since no consideration is exchanged, there's no contract, so you can change to a less permissive license.

Depends on the license: e.g. the GPL can't be revoked, so once something gets GPL'd it remains so forever.

No it doesn't. If you're the sole copyright holder of the code (e.g. it's a project you did by yourself), you can do what you want with it, including switching to a proprietary license. You can't retroactively un-GPL any copies that other people already have, of course, and it probably would look bad to take away older GPL versions from your GitHub page or wherever they're hosted, but you absolutely can make all new versions proprietary if you want.

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#36

Post by freilanzer »

You want to request features? Great, pay me. You want support? Great, pay me.

Companies will almost never sponsor you if they get the product for free. We're using open source DBs, analytics tools, libraries, etc. and we're paying nothing for them.

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#37

Post by victorbjorklund »

GTP wrote: post #34
handfuloflight wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you switch the licenses? I'm assuming since no consideration is exchanged, there's no contract, so you can change to a less permissive license.

Depends on the license: e.g. the GPL can't be revoked, so once something gets GPL'd it remains so forever.

But only for existing code. If I am a developer and I release this code under GPL:

console.log("hello world")

And then I as the only contributor to the project releases the code and new changes under a new license:

console.log("hello world") console.log("and space")

Then that code is under the new license. Yes, you can still use the first version under GPL license. But nothing stops me from granting a new license in addition to GPL. Remember GPL is only a license. It doesnt take away the underlying ownership to the IP. It becomes more problematic of course if the first version isnt 100% written by me. Then I would need any contributors permissions too.

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#38

Post by freilanzer »

huijzer wrote: post #28

Ensure that you’re either increasing someone’s revenue or decreasing their costs. In both cases, it should be possible to somehow convince people to pay you. How exactly is a bit of an art and requires some creativity but should be possible. For example if a company earns or saves 100k dollars per year from your software, it should not take much convincing to negotiate them giving you 1k-5k.

If companies and people already use it heavily it provides value.

Re: Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular?

#39

Post by edg5000 »

gigamick wrote: post #15
benwerd wrote: post #7

I've built two open source startups, totaling a decade of my life. Take it from me: the only way to do this sustainably is open core. That means you make the core software open, but you sell the features that businesses will pay for or that allow other people to make money. Think of it as two distinct products for two distinct userbases. In effect, the open source software becomes lead gen; the closed software is you…

Can you point me to your startups? I'm not entirely sure I understand how to implement this.

Odoo is ERP/CRM software that comes to mind when open core is mentioned.

PS Also look into Cesium, they approached it in a smart way as well, by offering a web services tightly coupled wity, but optional from their open source product.

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