How we make money

Jan is building a sustainable business that aligns our incentives with our users’ success. We believe the best way to build beneficial AI is to ensure our business model reinforces our values: privacy, ownership, and universal access.

Our Business Model

1. Open Core Foundation

Jan Desktop is free forever

Download and run AI models locally
No subscriptions, no accounts required
Full privacy and ownership of your data
Community-driven development

This isn’t a loss leader—it’s our foundation. A thriving open-source community creates:

Trust through transparency
Innovation through collaboration
Distribution without marketing spend
Feedback loops that improve the product

2. Premium Features & Services

We monetize through optional add-ons that enhance the Jan experience:

Jan Cloud (Coming Soon)

Optional cloud sync across devices
Managed model hosting for teams
Advanced collaboration features
Pay only for what you use

Enterprise Support

Priority support and SLAs
Custom model deployment
Air-gapped installations
Compliance and audit tools

Professional Tools

Advanced model fine-tuning interfaces
Team management and permissions
Analytics and usage insights
API rate limit increases

3. Model Marketplace

Curated Model Hub

Premium access to specialized models
Early access to new model releases
Commercial licensing for enterprise models
Revenue sharing with model creators

We use Jan Exam to ensure quality—whether models are free or paid, they must meet our standards.

4. Hardware Integration

Optimized Hardware Solutions

Pre-configured devices for AI inference
Plug-and-play AI workstations
Edge deployment solutions
Partnership with hardware manufacturers

5. Training & Certification

Jan Certified Program

Professional certification for developers
Enterprise training workshops
Educational institution partnerships
Community education initiatives

Revenue Philosophy

What We’ll Never Do

Sell your data: Your conversations remain private
Lock you in: Always provide export and migration tools
Paywall core features: Local AI remains free
Compromise on privacy: No ads, no tracking, no surveillance

What We Always Do

Align incentives: We succeed when you succeed with AI
Transparent pricing: Clear, predictable costs
Community first: Free tier remains fully functional
Open standards: No proprietary lock-in

Unit Economics

Our approach creates sustainable unit economics:

Zero marginal cost for open-source users
High-margin cloud and enterprise services
Network effects as community grows
Reduced CAC through open-source distribution

The Flywheel

Open Source Adoption → Community Growth → Better Models →
More Users → Enterprise Adoption → Revenue → Investment in Open Source

Each turn of the wheel strengthens the next:

More users improve models through feedback
Better models attract enterprise customers
Enterprise revenue funds open development
Open development attracts more users

Long-term Vision

We’re building for a future where:

Every organization runs their own AI
Privacy is the default, not premium
Open models outperform closed ones
AI infrastructure is as common as web servers

Our business model ensures we’ll be here to see it through.

Current Status

As of 2024:

✅ Sustainable open-source project
✅ Growing community adoption
🚧 Enterprise features in development
🚧 Cloud services in beta
📅 Hardware partnerships planned

Join Our Mission

Whether you’re a:

User: Your adoption drives our mission
Contributor: Your code shapes our platform
Customer: Your success funds development
Partner: Your integration expands possibilities

You’re part of building the open superintelligence economy.

“The best business model is one where doing the right thing is also the profitable thing. That’s what we’re building at Jan.”