Open source is infrastructure for an open society.

Many open source projects have found a pragmatic way to fund themselves: they offer hosted versions of their software as a service. Nextcloud, GitLab, Plausible, Cal.com — SaaS revenue funds the development of free software.

At the same time, we believe self-hosting matters. That people should have control over their data and their digital infrastructure. That decentralization contributes to digital emancipation — away from dependence on individual platforms.

But if everyone self-hosts and nobody pays for the service, the funding source for these projects dries up. More self-hosting must not mean less funding.

That's the dilemma. And obacht is our attempt to resolve it.

We checked every template for whether the project behind it has any way to receive money. 13 of 43 have none. Some sit behind a company and finance themselves through cloud plans or licences. Some never set up a donation channel. One declines donations on principle.

We still collect nothing for those. If we cannot forward it, the template costs nothing. The contribution only exists where it actually arrives.

Every template page states which case applies and where the money goes. If you work on one of these projects: set up a channel or write to us. The contribution starts flowing from that moment.