Licensing

Open source.
Commercial-ready.

DocSlicer is free and open source under AGPL-3.0. If you’re building an open-source project, it’s free, forever. If you’re embedding DocSlicer in a proprietary product, a commercial license lets you do that without open-sourcing your stack.

AGPL-3.0
Free

Full source code available on GitHub. Use freely in any open-source project under a compatible license.

View source on GitHub
Full source on GitHub — use, modify, and self-host freely
No fees, no usage limits, no time limit
Community support via GitHub Issues
Derivative works must also be released under AGPL
Offering it over a network requires publishing your source
Commercial
Contact us

Embed DocSlicer in proprietary software without open-sourcing your product. Built for finance, legal tech, and enterprise AI.

Get a commercial license
Keep your source code private — no copyleft, no disclosure
Embed in closed-source software and run it as a hosted service
OEM and redistribution rights for shipping inside your product
Priority support — dedicated email and Slack channel
Custom licensing terms available on request
Decision guide

Which license is yours?

One question settles it: will software that includes DocSlicer ever leave your organization — shipped to customers or exposed over a network — without its source being open? If yes, you need a commercial license. If no, AGPL has you covered.

AGPL is fine
Building an open-source project under a compatible license
Evaluating or prototyping — no time limit
Personal projects and academic research
Internal tooling that never leaves your organization
Open-source AI pipelines and research notebooks
Commercial license required
Embedding DocSlicer in a proprietary product you ship to customers
Running it inside a SaaS or hosted service you won't open-source
Air-gapped or regulated deployment where source can't be published
AGPL conflicts with your legal or license stack

Not sure which applies to you? Ask us — we'll give you a straight answer.

Why open source

What this model means for you

DocSlicer is a 1.5 MB library you embed, not an API you call — and that shapes how we license it. Open source isn't a teaser here; it's the whole product, in your hands. Here's what you get out of that.

Transparency
No black box

Every line is on GitHub. You can read exactly how your documents are parsed, audit it against your own compliance bar, and fork it if you ever need to. Nothing leaves your machine; nothing phones home.

Independence
No lock-in

It's a 1.5 MB library, not a service we can switch off. Pin a version, run it air-gapped, and keep running it on your terms — no metered API, no per-page bill, and no vendor sitting on your critical path.

Fairness
A straight trade

Open source stays free, forever — that's the deal, not a trial. Companies that build proprietary products on top buy a license, and that's what funds the work. You only pay once you're shipping it commercially.

FAQ

Common questions

What does AGPL mean for a SaaS or hosted service?

AGPL's network copyleft clause requires that if you run DocSlicer as part of a service you offer to others over a network, you must make your application's full source code available to those users. A commercial license removes this requirement.

Is internal use covered by AGPL?

Internal tooling used exclusively within your organization — never distributed to customers or third parties — typically does not trigger AGPL's distribution or network clauses. If your team uses DocSlicer purely to process internal documents, AGPL is likely fine. When in doubt, reach out and we'll give you a straight answer.

How is the commercial license priced?

Commercial licenses are negotiated directly. Price depends on how you're embedding DocSlicer, your deployment model, and your organization's size. Get in touch with a short description of your use case — we'll get back within one business day.

Can I evaluate DocSlicer under AGPL before committing?

Yes. There's no time limit on evaluation under AGPL. Run it in your development environment, prototype against real documents, and benchmark it against your current stack. When you're ready to ship in a proprietary product, reach out about a commercial license.

Why AGPL instead of MIT or Apache 2.0?

A permissive license like MIT would let anyone fold DocSlicer into a closed product and give nothing back, which leaves no way to fund the work. AGPL keeps it genuinely free for open source while asking companies that build proprietary products on top to take a commercial license. It's the same balance MongoDB, Grafana, and PostHog strike — and it's why the project can stay open and maintained.

What happens if I'm already using DocSlicer without a license?

AGPL is enforced by copyright law. If you're shipping DocSlicer in a closed-source product without a commercial license, you're technically in violation. We'd rather work out a license than pursue enforcement — reach out and we'll make it straightforward.

[LIC]Get a license

Ready to ship
DocSlicer in your product?

Send us a short description of your use case. We'll get back within one business day.