Community Edition vs Enterprise Edition

This guide is for open source users who want to understand the licensing model and feature availability in Alga PSA.

Alga PSA is available in two editions: Community Edition (CE) and Enterprise Edition (EE). This guide explains the differences, licensing terms, and what you can expect from each edition.

---

Our Commitment

Everything an MSP needs to run day-to-day operations is in the Community Edition.

The Enterprise Edition is specifically for:

• Large-scale, multi-tenant deployments
• Features that depend on Nine Minds' hosted infrastructure
• Services required to run a large multi-tenant environment

We chose to keep all source code—including Enterprise features—in a single repository rather than splitting it across multiple repos. This approach allows for:

• Community source code audits of all features, including Enterprise
• Better troubleshooting when issues span CE and EE boundaries
• Learning opportunities for hobbyists who want to understand how enterprise features work

This model is similar to how GitLab structures their open-source and enterprise code.

---

Licensing Overview

Alga PSA uses a multi-license model to balance open-source accessibility with sustainable development:

Community Edition License (AGPL-3.0)

The Community Edition is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0. This means you can:

• Use the software for any purpose, including production
• Study and modify the source code
• Distribute your own versions
• Host the software as a service

The AGPL-3.0 requires that if you modify the software and make it available over a network, you must also make your source code available under the same license.

Note: The Community Edition contains a complete, production-ready PSA system. You can run CE in production without any license purchase.

Enterprise Edition License

Code in the ee/ directory is licensed under a proprietary license with specific terms:

• Non-production use: You may use EE code internally for testing and development without a license
• Production use: Requires a valid production license from Nine Minds LLC
• No competitive use: EE code cannot be used to build competing products
• Modification submissions: If you modify EE code and use it in production, you must submit those changes back to Nine Minds

Important: The Enterprise Edition code is visible in the repository but is not permitted for production use without a valid license. This is a common "source-available" model used by many open-source companies.

---

Feature Comparison

Community Edition Features

All core PSA functionality is included in the Community Edition and is fully open-source under AGPL-3.0. This includes everything an MSP needs for daily operations:

• Companies & Contacts – Full CRM capabilities for managing clients, contacts, and companies
• Contracts & Billing – Generate invoices, manage billing plans, service agreements, and track payments
• Ticketing System – Complete help desk with ticket creation, assignment, and tracking
• Time Entry & Approval – Time tracking, approval workflows, and reporting
• Project Management – Project tracking, task management, and resource allocation
• Scheduling & Dispatch – Calendar management and technician scheduling
• Document Management – File storage and organization
• Asset Management – Track client hardware and software assets
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) – User roles and permissions
• Client Portal – Self-service portal for your clients
• Email Integration – SMTP email support

Enterprise Edition Features

The Enterprise Edition currently includes three feature areas designed for large-scale deployments:

---

How to Identify CE vs EE Code

In the GitHub repository, the distinction is simple:

• ee/ folder → Enterprise Edition (source-available, commercial license)
• Everything else → Community Edition (open source, AGPL-3.0)

---

Running Community Edition

For step-by-step instructions on setting up Alga PSA Community Edition, see the Complete Setup Guide on GitHub. The guide covers prerequisites, secrets configuration, environment setup, and running the Docker Compose stack.

The CE build automatically excludes Enterprise Edition code, ensuring you only run AGPL-licensed components.

Need help getting started? Join our Discord community.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the Community Edition in production?

Yes. The Community Edition is fully licensed under AGPL-3.0 and can be used in production environments without purchasing a license. It includes everything you need to run an MSP: companies, contacts, contracts, billing, ticketing, time entry, project management, and more.

What happens if I use Enterprise Edition code without a license?

Using Enterprise Edition code (from the ee/ directory) in production without a valid license violates the EE license agreement. The EE code is source-available for transparency and for non-production testing, but production use requires a license.

How do I know which features require a license?

Anything in the ee/ folder requires a license for production use. Currently, that's:

• Extensions
• Workflow System
• SSO (planned to move to CE)

Why is some code in the repo restricted?

We chose a "source-available" approach rather than hiding Enterprise code in a separate repository. This allows:

• Transparency: You can see exactly what Enterprise features do
• Evaluation: You can test EE features in development before purchasing
• Auditing: Security-conscious users can review all code
• Learning: Hobbyists can study how enterprise features are built
• Troubleshooting: Issues that span CE/EE boundaries are easier to debug

This model is similar to GitLab's approach to open-source and enterprise code.

Will more features move to CE?

Yes. SSO is currently in Enterprise but is planned to move to Community Edition once we add the ability for self-hosted users to configure it properly. Our goal is to keep everything an MSP needs for day-to-day operations in the open-source Community Edition.

Can I run Enterprise Edition on my own infrastructure?

Not yet. Enterprise Edition on-premises licensing is not currently available. EE features are currently only available through Nine Minds' hosted platform. We're working on options for self-hosted Enterprise deployments in the future—join our Discord or watch the GitHub repository for updates.

I still have questions about licensing. Where can I ask?

Feel free to reach out on our Discord or open a discussion on GitHub. We're happy to clarify anything that isn't clear.

---

Summary

The Community Edition provides a complete, production-ready PSA solution with everything an MSP needs for daily operations. The Enterprise Edition adds features for large-scale, multi-tenant deployments and is currently available through Nine Minds' hosted platform.

---

For licensing questions or Enterprise Edition inquiries, please contact Nine Minds LLC or join our Discord community.