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I feel like they are using open source as a marketing and growth channel. Even if you self-host it, there's no way to self-host the API. You have to pay to use

I feel like they are using open source as a marketing and growth channel. Even if you self-host it, there's no way to self-host the API. You have to pay to use it. So you're just self-hosting the UI. They can change the API at any time or kick you off it. Also the AGPL is a very restrictive license.

ilrwbwrkhv 4y ago
Absolutely. All these new open source companies are a bit shady. Supabase was also another one of these although I hear now their stuff is easier to self host.
js4ever 4y ago
Also the docker compose in the repo is a mess and doesn't work... Clearly it seems to be a way to limit usage of the selfhosted version
- ezekg 4y ago
  Open a PR and fix it?
AlotOfReading 4y ago
The pricing tiers on the website are also misleading/incorrect (edit: may be outdated info). For example, the free tier has unlimited event type only for the duration of a trial period. After that it downgrades you to 1 active event type at a time. I've run into a few "bugs" like that, but it still works well enough that I haven't bothered with the difficult self-host for my recruiter booking calendar.
- Peer_Rich 4y ago
  > The pricing tiers on the website are also misleading/incorrect. For example, the free tier has unlimited event type only for the duration of a trial period. After that it downgrades you to 1 active event type at a time. hey hey, that pricing is long gone. there are no trials anymore, everything is that is PRO on calendly is free on cal.com
  - AlotOfReading 4y ago
    Good to know if true. I ran into that particular issue only about 6 months ago, so I'm not sure about long gone. I'll definitely double check when I have the chance and I've updated the prior comment to reflect that it may be outdated.
TAForObvReasons 4y ago
It's the VC-funded OSS playbook (restrictive open source, monetize support and advanced deployments until the open source loses potency, relicense). Cal.com took money from https://oss.capital/portfolio https://oss.capital/portfolio and others
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brap 4y ago
I don’t see the point in making this open source to begin with, it’s not like their target audience even cares. When you’re selling to developers etc it could make sense. But when you’re selling to doctors, HR, teachers? Eh. I guess maybe they could score a few free bug fixes, but I don’t see much added value beyond that.
truetraveller 4y ago
> there's no way to self-host the API. You have to pay to use it Can someone explain this in detail? What exactly do I get with self-hosting?
Peer_Rich 4y ago
hey, peer here from cal.com. that statement is not completely accurate: the open source core is a fully-fledged full-stack app with tRPC as the API. nothing of that requires a license. however, we have an private REST API for admins etc, which you only ever need if you have >100 users -- and likely run a commercial product.
md5wasp 4y ago
I self host it, and I self host both the API and the database.

ilrwbwrkhv 4y ago

Absolutely. All these new open source companies are a bit shady. Supabase was also another one of these although I hear now their stuff is easier to self host.

js4ever 4y ago

Also the docker compose in the repo is a mess and doesn't work... Clearly it seems to be a way to limit usage of the selfhosted version

ezekg 4y ago
Open a PR and fix it?

AlotOfReading 4y ago

The pricing tiers on the website are also misleading/incorrect (edit: may be outdated info). For example, the free tier has unlimited event type only for the duration of a trial period. After that it downgrades you to 1 active event type at a time. I've run into a few "bugs" like that, but it still works well enough that I haven't bothered with the difficult self-host for my recruiter booking calendar.

Peer_Rich 4y ago
> The pricing tiers on the website are also misleading/incorrect. For example, the free tier has unlimited event type only for the duration of a trial period. After that it downgrades you to 1 active event type at a time. hey hey, that pricing is long gone. there are no trials anymore, everything is that is PRO on calendly is free on cal.com
- AlotOfReading 4y ago
  Good to know if true. I ran into that particular issue only about 6 months ago, so I'm not sure about long gone. I'll definitely double check when I have the chance and I've updated the prior comment to reflect that it may be outdated.

TAForObvReasons 4y ago

It's the VC-funded OSS playbook (restrictive open source, monetize support and advanced deployments until the open source loses potency, relicense). Cal.com took money from https://oss.capital/portfolio https://oss.capital/portfolio and others

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brap 4y ago

I don’t see the point in making this open source to begin with, it’s not like their target audience even cares. When you’re selling to developers etc it could make sense. But when you’re selling to doctors, HR, teachers? Eh. I guess maybe they could score a few free bug fixes, but I don’t see much added value beyond that.

truetraveller 4y ago

> there's no way to self-host the API. You have to pay to use it Can someone explain this in detail? What exactly do I get with self-hosting?

Peer_Rich 4y ago

hey, peer here from cal.com. that statement is not completely accurate: the open source core is a fully-fledged full-stack app with tRPC as the API. nothing of that requires a license. however, we have an private REST API for admins etc, which you only ever need if you have >100 users -- and likely run a commercial product.

md5wasp 4y ago

I self host it, and I self host both the API and the database.