What is open-core software?
Open-core is a middle path between fully proprietary and fully open source software. A company publishes a core product that anyone can use, read and often self-host, and sells extra features on top. It is a common model, and it comes with trade-offs worth knowing.
What matters here
- A free, openly available core you can inspect and often run yourself
- Paid features on top, such as team, AI or enterprise tooling
- The line between the two is a business decision
- A community edition can usually be self-hosted by technical users
- You should check the licence of each part separately
Why companies choose it
Open-core lets a product gain trust and adoption through a transparent core while still funding development. Users get something they can inspect and often host themselves, and the company gets a path to revenue that does not depend on hiding basic functionality.
The important caveat
The line between core and paid is set by the company and can move. A feature that is free today may be commercial later. That is not dishonesty, it is the nature of the model, and it means you should understand which parts matter to you and what licence covers them.
How to evaluate a project
Check three things: what the licence actually says, whether the free core covers the features you need without a paid add-on, and whether you can self-host if the hosted service ends. Clear answers to those questions are worth more than the label itself.
Frequently asked questions
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Disclaimer
This page is general information, not professional, legal, financial or medical advice. It describes common ways of working and how Prysm Note approaches them. Software changes over time, so details may differ from what you see in the product. Any product, company or brand names that appear are the property of their respective owners and are used only for identification. We do not claim any endorsement or affiliation. Where we compare approaches, we aim to describe each one honestly, including where a different approach may suit you better. Try the tools that matter to you and judge for yourself.