Plain-English guide
Open source, explained
You keep hearing that we build on open source. Here is what that means for your business, in plain terms, and why it usually costs you less.
The basics
What “open source” actually means
Open-source software is built in the open and free to run, use, and change. Instead of renting a program from one vendor who controls it and charges for every user, you run software that thousands of people and companies maintain together. A lot of the internet runs on it.
Proprietary software
- Rented from one vendor
- Priced per user, so it climbs as you grow
- The vendor controls it and your data
Open source
- Yours to run, on your terms
- No per-user licence fee
- Maintained and inspected by a whole community
The money part
Why it usually costs less
Most commercial tools charge a monthly fee for every single user. Add a staff member or a volunteer, and your bill goes up. Open-source platforms do not have that per-seat licence, so your costs do not climb just because your team grew. You pay us to set it up and support it, instead of a fee that scales against you forever.
Drag the slider to see how per-seat licensing adds up.
Example at $30 per user per month. Open-source platforms have no per-seat licence, so your bill does not climb as your team grows. You still pay us to set it up and support it, and that part does not scale per user.
The common worry
Is it secure and reliable?
This is the question we hear most, and the answer is yes. Because the code is open, it is inspected by far more people than any single vendor could assign to it, so problems get found and fixed quickly. These are the same platforms large companies, banks, and governments run every day.
Inspected by many
Open code means more people finding and fixing issues than any single vendor could assign to it.
Run by serious organizations
The same systems large companies, universities, and governments rely on every day.
Mature and proven
Odoo, Nextcloud, Moodle, and Wazuh have millions of users, not a hobby following.
The catch, and how we handle it
You are not on your own
Open source being free to use does not mean you have to be technical. The value we add is the part that actually takes work: choosing the right platform, setting it up properly, keeping it secure and updated, and being there when something breaks. You get the software without the licence bill, and a Canadian team that runs it for you.
- We pick the right platform for what you need
- We set it up and move your data across
- We keep it patched, secure, and backed up
- We are your support line when something breaks
Under the hood
Some of the tools we build on
Odoo
CRM and ERP in one connected system
ERPNext
Full ERP: finance, inventory, HR, projects
SuiteCRM & EspoCRM
Customer relationship management
Nextcloud
Private file storage and collaboration
Moodle
Training and e-learning platform
Wazuh, OpenVAS, Suricata
Security monitoring and detection