I have been developing FediSuite on my own for a while now, and so far I have paid for everything out of my own pocket. Server costs, the domain, Docker Hub, test setups across a whole bunch of different Fediverse instances, plus the time for new features, bug fixes and the Android app. That worked fine for the first few months, but FediSuite has reached a point where I had to honestly think about how all of this can be sustained long term.
FediSuite is built for the Fediverse, and the Fediverse is not what it is by accident. It exists because people start projects when they need them themselves, or because they want to build a better alternative to the commercial platforms. FediSuite was born out of exactly that spirit. A paywall, a Pro tier for power users or ads on the hosted instance have never been on the table for me, and they never will be. That would be the exact opposite of what the Fediverse stands for, and FediSuite would stop being what it is meant to be.
To keep the project sustainable in the long run, I have decided to set up a donation option on LiberaPay. LiberaPay is a non profit organization based in France, takes no commission on donations and operates fully transparently. For me that fits the idea behind FediSuite far better than anything involving contracts, subscriptions or ad networks. Anyone who enjoys using FediSuite and wants to support its ongoing development can now do so there. Even small amounts help, because they add up across many people and pay for exactly what they should. Server bills, new features, documentation work, and ongoing maintenance of the Android app.
If donating is not in your budget right now, recommending FediSuite to others or filing a bug report helps just as much. Both cost nothing and right now they are almost more valuable than a few euros a month.
You can find the LiberaPay profile at https://liberapay.com/fedisuite
Thank you to everyone who already uses FediSuite, gives feedback or reports bugs. Honestly, without you the project would be nothing.
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