How Open Source Companies Monetize Through Feature Gating

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How Open Source Companies Monetize Through Feature Gating

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Episode 74 of The Open Source Business digs into feature gating — the strategy of offering a free open-source core while charging for premium features like SSO, audit logging, or advanced analytics. Lucas and Luna examine why HashiCorp switched from open core to a more restrictive Business Source License in 2023, and how that decision reshaped the conversation around what 'open source' means when you gate features. They break down the specific mechanisms: compile-time flags, configuration toggles, and API-level restrictions, using concrete examples from GitLab, Mattermost, and Grafana. The hosts also explore the risk of community backlash, citing the Terraform fork OpenTofu as a cautionary tale. No hot takes — just a practical look at how companies balance revenue goals with developer trust in mid-2026. #OpenSourceBusiness #FeatureGating #HashiCorp #GitLab #Mattermost #Grafana #OpenTofu #BSL #BusinessSourceLicense #OpenCore #Monetization #DeveloperExperience #CommunityTrust #EnterpriseFeatures #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #BusinessAndTechnology #RevenueStrategy Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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