In short
The one mistake that can end a business is reselling a project whose licence forbids it. This cheatsheet sorts the popular AI stacks into three columns: safe to white-label, client-install only, and read-the-licence-first.
The three columns
| Safe to white-label (MIT/Apache) | Client-install only | Read the licence first |
|---|---|---|
| LibreChat, Langflow, Letta | n8n (Sustainable Use) | Open WebUI (branding) |
| Qdrant, LiteLLM, Supabase | Dify (custom terms) | Cal.com (AGPL white-label) |
| RAGFlow, Activepieces | Flowise | Postiz, SearXNG |
The safe play when resale is barred
- Install on the client's own infrastructureTheir account, their server — you are a contractor, not a reseller.
- Charge for the install and the care planThis is normally permitted and is the high-margin default anyway.
- Keep the licence text with the installSave it per project; re-check before every release.
Rules that never change
- Never rely on memory — licences change between releases.
- AGPL is fine to self-host; obligations bite if you offer it as a service.
- For anything you strip and resell as your own, build on MIT/Apache only.
Licence-by-licence quick reference
| Licence | Resell as a service? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| MIT / Apache-2.0 | Yes | Brand it and resell; keep the notice. |
| AGPL-3.0 | Only with care | Self-host for the client; offer source on request. |
| GPL-3.0 | Client install only | Install on the client's own infrastructure. |
| BSL / SSPL | Usually no | Read the terms; often bars competing services. |
| Commercial | Per contract | Buy a licence per sale; never assume. |
What to write in your contract
- The client owns the deployment, data and branding.
- You are installing and configuring, not reselling the software.
- The upstream licence is passed through and governs the code.
- Warranty and support are yours, not the upstream maintainer's.
- A clause letting you re-quote if the licence changes materially.
When to buy a commercial licence
Buy when the licence bars resale-as-a-service, when the client needs indemnity, or when the project is business-critical and you need a support SLA. The cost is usually small next to the risk of a takedown or a forced re-platform.
Price the licence into the install, not the care plan, and keep the receipt for the audit trail.
Get this as a PDF + future updates
Free. We'll email you the downloadable version and new resources as we publish them.