specification: API Commons Plans
specificationVersion: '0.1'
schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/interface-research/main/schema/api-commons.yml#/$defs/Plans
provider: Synapse
providerId: synapse
created: '2026-05-04'
# Provenance stamped 2026-08-11: this artifact was written by the API Evangelist
# bulk sweep dated 2026-05-04, not harvested from the provider. See roadmap#35.
method: generated
modified: '2026-05-05'
reconciled: true
tags:
  - Open Source
  - Matrix
  - Messaging
  - Decentralized
description: Synapse is the reference Matrix homeserver - free, self-hosted open-source software (AGPL-3.0, since v1.99 maintained by Element). There is no commercial license fee for the software itself; cost lives in the operator's own infrastructure (compute, database, media storage, federation egress). Element offers separately-priced Element Server Suite (ESS) for managed/supported deployments.
sources:
  - https://github.com/element-hq/synapse
  - https://element-hq.github.io/synapse/latest/
  - https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/blob/develop/LICENSE
plans:
  - id: synapse-self-hosted
    name: Self-Hosted (AGPL-3.0)
    type: freemium
    description: Synapse software is free under AGPL-3.0. Operators pay only for the hardware/cloud they run it on; APIs (Client-Server, Server-Server, Admin, Application Service) are included.
    entries:
      - label: Software License
        name: software_license
        type: flat
        metric: month
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: usage
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '$0 (AGPL-3.0)'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: Hosting Cost (Operator-Borne)
        name: hosting_cost
        type: metered
        metric: varies
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: month
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: see operator infrastructure
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: Synapse Client-Server API
      - name: Synapse Server-Server API
      - name: Synapse Admin API
      - name: Synapse Application Service API
      - name: Federation
      - name: Self-Managed Hosting
  - id: synapse-element-server-suite
    name: Element Server Suite (ESS)
    type: enterprise
    description: Element offers a separately-priced commercial distribution of Synapse with enterprise support, hardening, and operator tooling. Pricing is contact-sales.
    entries:
      - label: ESS Subscription
        name: ess_subscription
        type: subscription
        metric: month
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: month
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: contact sales
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: Synapse Client-Server API
      - name: Synapse Server-Server API
      - name: Synapse Admin API
      - name: Element Support
      - name: Hardened Distribution
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: kin@apievangelist.com
x-canonical:
  generated: '2026-10-08'
  vocabulary: all/0-working/economics/plans-canonical.yml
  models:
  - subscription
  units:
  - negotiated
  - period
  plans:
  - name: Self-Hosted (AGPL-3.0)
    access: freemium
    model: subscription
    model_how: derived
    units:
    - negotiated
    - period
    periods:
    - month
    - per-use
  - name: Element Server Suite (ESS)
    access: enterprise
    model: subscription
    model_how: derived
    units:
    - period
    periods:
    - month