# ProxMate Licensing

ProxMate is **open core**: a free, open-source Community Edition that anyone can
self-host, plus a separately-licensed commercial **EDU Edition** for schools and
organizations that run it at scale.

This page explains, in plain language, who can use what.

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## Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Jewell Net LLC. All rights reserved.

"ProxMate" and the ProxMate logo are trademarks of Jewell Net LLC and are **not**
licensed under the open-source license below — see *Trademark* at the bottom.

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## Community Edition — free & open source

The code in this repository is the **Community Edition**, licensed under the
**GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 (AGPLv3)** — see [LICENSE](./LICENSE).

You are free to use, study, modify, self-host, and redistribute it. In return, the
AGPL asks one main thing: **if you run a modified version of ProxMate as a network
service for others, you must make your modified source available to those users.**
That keeps improvements flowing back to the community.

This edition is built for homelab enthusiasts and individuals. It is, and will
remain, free — and it is never crippled to sell the paid edition. Security and the
full single-operator dashboard live here, in the free edition.

## EDU Edition — commercial

The **EDU Edition** adds organization-scale features — multi-class management,
roster import and bulk onboarding, directory/SSO sync, end-of-term teardown
automation, and usage reporting — for schools, universities, and training
organizations.

The EDU Edition is **not** covered by the AGPL. It is proprietary software offered
under a separate commercial license. See [COMMERCIAL-LICENSE.md](./COMMERCIAL-LICENSE.md)
or contact **licensing@proxmate.host**.

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## Why two editions?

So ProxMate stays genuinely free and open for the community that homelabs are
built on, while the work of supporting institutions at scale can be funded
sustainably. The paid edition is about *organizational scale* — not unlocking
basics.

## Dual licensing for businesses

Because Jewell Net LLC holds the copyright to the Community Edition, it can also be
offered under a **separate commercial license** if the AGPL's source-sharing
obligation does not fit your organization. Contact **licensing@proxmate.host**.

## Contributions

Code contributions are accepted to the **Community Edition only**, under a
Contributor License Agreement — see [CONTRIBUTING.md](./CONTRIBUTING.md) and
[CLA.md](./CLA.md). The EDU Edition is not open to outside contributions.

## Trademark

The AGPL covers the **code**, not the **name**. You may run and fork the Community
Edition, but you may not use the "ProxMate" name or logo in a way that implies
endorsement or that your fork is the official project. For permitted uses, ask at
**licensing@proxmate.host**.