# HTTP Toolkit's bootstrapped freemium and open-source business model

DevFeed: [HTTP Toolkit's bootstrapped freemium and open-source business model](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/free-as-in-beer-19059.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://httptoolkit.com/blog/free-as-in-beer/>)

Author: HTTP Toolkit; Tim Perry

Published: 2020-01-06T18:00:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [HTTP Toolkit](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/http-toolkit.md>)

Topics: [dev-tools](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/dev-tools.md>), [Open Source](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/open-source.md>), [Software](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/software.md>), [Development](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/development.md>)

Tags: [business](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/business.md>), [developer-tools](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/developer-tools.md>), [development](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/development.md>), [free](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/free.md>), [growth](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/growth.md>), [open-source](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/open-source.md>), [software](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software.md>), [vc](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/vc.md>)

## AI overview

The author explains how HTTP Toolkit combines a bootstrapped commercial model with open-source development. The project charges power and enterprise users for advanced features while allowing free users to use the core product without forced upgrades. The article argues that broad free usage can generate feedback, testing, and word-of-mouth growth that helps sustain and improve the software.

## Source excerpt

HTTP Toolkit is a bootstrapped commercial open-source project. It takes work from me, and it needs to make money to survive, but it's also directly powered by the feedback, testing & contributions of its users. As you might imagine, this is a complicated balancing act. I want to talk a little about how and why this works now, and the next step in this direction. Philosophy 101 To make this work, I've taken a few philosophical positions on how HTTP Toolkit should operate. First on the business model, and second on the licensing. Freemium HTTP Toolkit aims to be profitable by charging for features that power & enterprise users need, not by charging everybody. It doesn't hook you then cut you off, it doesn't nag you into submission, and it doesn't integrate itself into your life to force you to upgrade. Instead I separate features by use cases & audience. The aim is to let free users get on with things unhindered, but ensure advanced users reward the project for the value they get from it. This is a practical stance, rather than a purely charitable one. As a small development team, if your goal is to build great & popular software, you need a lot of marketing, and a lot of user feedback. Free & widely used software provides more feedback & testers, especially early on. As long as the project is sustainable enough that somebody can actually work on that feedback, this builds better software for everybody. Good free software then lends itself to word of mouth growth, some of the most effective long-term marketing possible for a small team. All together, this is a automated virtuous cycle. More feedback makes better software makes more growth makes even more feedback. As a model, bootstrapped freemium lets you pair sustainable businesses with a deep understanding & focus of your users. If more developer tools followed this, rather than gambling on VC for funding or going 100% freeware for growth, we might even trade shiny & transient for reliable & effective. Better tools