We believe that open-source philosophy is a driving force that encourages innovation, provides endless customization capabilities, and fosters collaboration. That is why we made EspoCRM an open-source project and ensured that our software is accessible and adjustable for a wide range of users and businesses.
However, as our project evolved, we became aware of potential risks associated with permissive open-source licenses. After months of careful consideration, we have made the decision to transition from the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPLv3) to GNU Affero General Public License version 3 (AGPLv3) for EspoCRM. You can familiarize yourself with the license here https://www.espocrm.com/espocrm-open-source-license/.
Please note that this change does not affect anyone who is subscribed to EspoCRM Cloud.
The new license only influences the companies and developers that use our source code and create proprietary tools that compete with us directly. We are keen to prevent larger companies from developing a SaaS based on our product. This change does not prevent you from using, modifying, or providing the open-source software to others.
Please feel free to contact us if your company has any policy regarding usage of AGPL or you have any questions on licensing.