# 📜 Licensing
The GitHub MCP Server by **MCP Labs** is available under a **dual licensing model**.
## 🆓 Free Open Source License (AGPL v3)
**For:**
- ✅ Open source projects
- ✅ Personal use
- ✅ Educational purposes
- ✅ Non-commercial use
- ✅ Internal company use (if source shared)
**Requirements:**
- Must share your source code
- Must use AGPL v3 license for derivative works
- Network use counts as distribution
- Modifications must be published
**License:** [GNU Affero General Public License v3](LICENSE-AGPL)
**Perfect for:**
- Individual developers
- Open source projects
- Research and education
- Community contributions
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## 💼 Commercial License
**For:**
- ✅ Commercial applications
- ✅ Proprietary software
- ✅ SaaS products
- ✅ Internal business tools (without sharing source)
- ✅ Products you want to keep closed-source
**Benefits:**
- ✅ No obligation to share source code
- ✅ Use in proprietary applications
- ✅ Priority support
- ✅ Custom feature development
- ✅ SLA guarantees (Enterprise)
- ✅ Legal protection
**License:** [Commercial License Agreement](LICENSE-COMMERCIAL)
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## 💰 Commercial License Pricing
*All prices in GBP (£) - USD/EUR accepted at current exchange rates*
*UK customers: VAT (20%) will be added*
### 🚀 Startup License - £399/year
**Best for small teams and startups**
- Up to 10 developers
- Up to 1M API calls/month
- Email support (48hr response)
- All updates included
- 30-day money-back guarantee
### 🏢 Business License - £1,599/year
**Best for growing companies**
- Up to 50 developers
- Unlimited API calls
- Priority email support (24hr response)
- All updates included
- Custom integration assistance
- Quarterly business reviews
### 🏛️ Enterprise License - £3,999/year
**Best for large organizations**
- Unlimited developers
- Unlimited API calls
- Priority support (4hr critical response)
- Phone & video support
- Custom feature development
- SLA guarantees (99.9% uptime)
- Private Slack channel
- Dedicated account manager
- On-premise deployment support
### ♾️ Perpetual License - Custom Pricing
**One-time payment, lifetime usage**
- All Enterprise features
- Lifetime usage rights
- 1 year of updates and support included
- Extended support available
- Contact for quote
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## 🤔 Which License Do I Need?
### Choose AGPL v3 (Free) if:
- ❓ You're building an open-source project
- ❓ You're okay with sharing your source code
- ❓ You're using it for personal projects
- ❓ You're in education/research
- ❓ Your company is willing to open-source the integration
### Choose Commercial License if:
- ❓ You're building a commercial product
- ❓ You want to keep your code proprietary
- ❓ You're offering it as a SaaS
- ❓ You need support and SLA guarantees
- ❓ You can't comply with AGPL requirements
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## 📊 License Comparison
| Feature | AGPL v3 (Free) | Startup | Business | Enterprise |
|---------|----------------|---------|----------|------------|
| **Price** | Free | £399/yr | £1,599/yr | £3,999/yr |
| **Developers** | Unlimited | 10 | 50 | Unlimited |
| **API Calls** | Unlimited | 1M/month | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| **Source Sharing** | Required | Not Required | Not Required | Not Required |
| **Commercial Use** | ✅ (with source) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| **Proprietary Use** | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| **Support** | Community | Email (48hr) | Priority (24hr) | Phone (4hr) |
| **Updates** | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| **Custom Features** | ❌ | ❌ | Limited | ✅ |
| **SLA** | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| **Legal Protection** | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
---
## 🛒 How to Purchase
### Option 1: Email (Fastest)
**Email:** licensing@mcplabs.co.uk
Include:
- Company name and registration number
- VAT number (if applicable)
- Company size (number of developers)
- Use case description
- Desired license tier
- Billing address
**Response time:** 24 hours
### Option 2: GitHub
Open an issue: [Request Commercial License](https://github.com/crypto-ninja/mcp-server-for-Github/issues/new?title=Commercial+License+Inquiry)
### Option 3: Self-Service Portal (Coming Soon)
Visit: https://mcplabs.co.uk
- Instant purchase
- Automatic license delivery
- Easy renewal management
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## ⚖️ Understanding AGPL v3
**Key points:**
- You CAN use it commercially
- You MUST share your source code
- Network use = distribution (must share even SaaS code)
- Modifications must also be AGPL v3
- Strong copyleft license
**Example scenarios:**
✅ **Allowed without commercial license:**
- Building an internal tool and sharing the code with your team
- Creating an open-source AI assistant with GitHub integration
- Using it for personal projects
- Educational/research purposes
❌ **Requires commercial license:**
- Building a SaaS product you sell
- Internal business tool you want to keep proprietary
- Integrating into closed-source software
- Offering managed hosting without sharing your code
---
## 📝 License FAQ
### Q: Can I try before buying?
**A:** Yes! Use the AGPL v3 version to evaluate. We also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on commercial licenses.
### Q: What if I'm a startup with limited budget?
**A:** Contact us at licensing@mcplabs.co.uk! We offer discounts for early-stage startups and can work out flexible payment terms.
### Q: Can I switch from AGPL to Commercial later?
**A:** Absolutely! Many users start with AGPL and upgrade when they commercialize.
### Q: Do I need a license for each environment?
**A:** No. One license covers dev, staging, and production for your organization.
### Q: What happens if my license expires?
**A:** You must stop using the software or renew. We send reminders 60, 30, and 7 days before expiration.
### Q: Can I cancel anytime?
**A:** Yes, but no pro-rated refunds after the 30-day guarantee period. License remains valid until expiration.
### Q: Is the source code the same?
**A:** Yes! Both licenses use the same codebase. You get the same quality and features.
### Q: Do you offer volume discounts?
**A:** Yes! Contact us for quotes on 100+ developer seats or multi-year agreements.
### Q: What about UK VAT?
**A:** UK customers will be charged 20% VAT on top of the listed prices. We're not yet VAT registered but will be once we reach the threshold.
### Q: What payment methods do you accept?
**A:** Credit card (Stripe), PayPal, and bank transfer (BACS/SWIFT) for UK customers. Invoicing available for Enterprise.
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## 🇬🇧 UK-Specific Information
**Legal Entity:** MCP Labs (Sole Trader / Limited Company)
**Jurisdiction:** England and Wales
**Data Protection:** UK GDPR compliant
**VAT:** Will be added for UK customers once registered
**Payment Terms:** 14 days from invoice date
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## 🤝 Support & Compliance
### For AGPL Users:
- Community support via GitHub Issues
- Public documentation and guides
- No SLA guarantees
### For Commercial License Holders:
- Direct email/phone support
- Priority bug fixes
- Feature requests considered
- Legal compliance assistance
- SLA guarantees (Enterprise)
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## 📧 Contact
**MCP Labs**
United Kingdom
**General inquiries:** licensing@mcplabs.co.uk
**Website:** https://mcplabs.co.uk (coming soon)
**GitHub:** https://github.com/crypto-ninja/mcp-server-for-Github
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## 🔄 License Updates
This licensing structure may be updated. Changes apply to new licenses only. Existing license holders are grandfathered under original terms.
**Current Version:** 1.0
**Last Updated:** October 2025
**Next Review:** January 2026
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**Made with ❤️ by MCP Labs**
*Thank you for respecting the license terms and supporting sustainable open source development!*
