Open source — with a commercial option
MessageFoundry is available under the GNU AGPL-3.0-or-later or a commercial license. Read the terms below to choose the option that fits your organization.
Licensing at a glance
The license itself is the source of truth. The official GNU AGPL-3.0-or-later license text is the authoritative, legally governing document for MessageFoundry. Everything on this page is a plain-English summary to help you understand it — it carries no legal force, and if anything here differs from the license, the license controls.
The short version
- Use it freely. Read, run, and modify the source, in your own environment, at no cost.
- Running it as-is, internally? Nothing to publish beyond keeping the license notices.
- Modify it and offer it as a service to outside parties and the AGPL asks you to give those users your modified source.
- Don't want those terms? A low-cost commercial license removes them, and the fees go straight back into the project.
The open-source license (AGPL-3.0-or-later)
MessageFoundry is released under the GNU Affero General Public License, version 3 or later. It's a recognized open-source license, and a strong copyleft one: you're free to use, study, modify, and share the software, on the condition that those same freedoms travel with it. The "or later" simply means you may also rely on any later version the Free Software Foundation publishes.
The source is available to inspect and adapt under the license. Run as many interfaces as you need, with no per-interface fee or license key.
What the license asks in return
Ordinary open-source copyleft (like the GPL) asks you to share your source only when you distribute the software — hand someone a copy. The AGPL adds one extra clause, Section 13, that also covers running modified software as a network service. It's the clause people mean when they say "AGPL." What it requires depends entirely on what you do:
Run it unmodified
Self-host MessageFoundry as released, for your own organization. No source obligation — you're not changing or redistributing anything. Just keep the license and copyright notices in place.
Modify it & offer it as a service
Change the source and offer your modified version as a service to outside parties over a network — that's the case AGPL §13 is about. You then have to give those external users access to your modified source. Running a changed copy purely for your own internal staff is a much lower bar.
Redistribute or embed it
Ship MessageFoundry inside a product, or host a derivative as a service for others. Standard copyleft applies — the combined work is also AGPL (offer the source), or you take a commercial license instead.
What about the interface scripts you write? Simply using MessageFoundry to author and run your own interfaces internally is fine under the AGPL.
Trademarks aren't part of the code license. The AGPL covers MessageFoundry's source code; the MessageFoundry name and word mark are trademarks of MessageFoundry, LLC and are not licensed under it.
A low-cost commercial license — when the AGPL doesn't fit
The same software is also available under a commercial license. Fees support development, security, and maintenance.
- Modify and host without publishing your changes to users.
- Embed MessageFoundry in a proprietary product you distribute or sell.
- A formal commercial agreement — when your legal or procurement team prefers paid terms or indemnification over a public license.
License fees support the project
MessageFoundry, LLC reinvests commercial license fees in development, security, and support.
Frequently asked questions
Is MessageFoundry free?
Yes. The MessageFoundry engine is free and open source under AGPL-3.0-or-later. You can self-host it and run as many interfaces as you like, with no per-interface fee and no license key.
What does the AGPL require of me?
If you run MessageFoundry as released for your own organization, there's no source obligation — just keep the license notices. The AGPL only asks you to share source if you modify the engine and offer your modified version as a network service to outside parties.
Is a commercial license available?
Yes. A low-cost commercial license is available from MessageFoundry, LLC for teams that can't use copyleft terms — for example, embedding MessageFoundry in a proprietary product. Fees are deliberately low and reinvested in the project.
Do the interfaces I write fall under the AGPL?
Authoring and running your own interface scripts internally is fine under the AGPL. The copyleft obligation is about modifying and redistributing the engine itself — not the routes and handlers you write and run in-house.
Read the terms or ask about licensing
Read the license file for the governing terms. Contact us for commercial terms or questions about your intended use.
This page is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. The AGPL-3.0 text is the authoritative source; for a real deployment decision, run it past your own legal or compliance team.