Self-host free. License if you want a commercial agreement.
You already run ClickHouse. Run chmonitor next to it — free under GPL-3.0, no key required. If procurement, support, or a named vendor matter, buy a host-based license. Yearly or lifetime. We trust you; there is no DRM.
Listing your company on the customers page is optional and off by default.
Approve chmonitor Team license — $499/year, self-hosted
Hi,
I'd like approval to buy a commercial license for chmonitor, the ClickHouse monitoring dashboard we already self-host.
Why this, not another SaaS:
• It runs next to our cluster. GPL-3.0. No DRM, no cloud tenant, no query data leaving our network.
• Team is $499/year for 3 hosts ($1349 lifetime if we want to stop renewing). Unlimited is $999/year.
• We get an invoice, a named vendor, and email support. Polar takes the card and emails the receipt. Optional CHM_LICENSE_KEY (Polar checkout id) is honor-system telemetry, not a feature unlock.
The software itself is already free. The license is paperwork and support — not a feature unlock.
That is less than one hour of someone grepping system.query_log during an incident.
Please approve. I can check out here: https://chmonitor.dev/license
Thanks
Subject: Approve chmonitor Team license — $499/year, self-hosted
Hi,
I'd like approval to buy a commercial license for chmonitor, the ClickHouse monitoring dashboard we already self-host.
Why this, not another SaaS:
• It runs next to our cluster. GPL-3.0. No DRM, no cloud tenant, no query data leaving our network.
• Team is $499/year for 3 hosts ($1349 lifetime if we want to stop renewing). Unlimited is $999/year.
• We get an invoice, a named vendor, and email support. Polar takes the card and emails the receipt. Optional CHM_LICENSE_KEY (Polar checkout id) is honor-system telemetry, not a feature unlock.
The software itself is already free. The license is paperwork and support — not a feature unlock.
That is less than one hour of someone grepping system.query_log during an incident.
Please approve. I can check out here: https://chmonitor.dev/license
Thanks
FAQ
License questions
The software is already free. Why buy a license?
The GPL-3.0 build stays free and unrestricted. A license is a commercial agreement for teams that need an invoice, a named vendor, and email support — and it funds ongoing development. We do not lock features behind a key.
Do I need a license key in the binary?
No DRM and no feature unlock. After you pay, register your company name and website. Set CHM_LICENSE_KEY to the Polar checkout id from the receipt if you want the install counted on telemetry ping. Missing or invalid does not change the app.
What is a host?
A host is one monitored connection — one ClickHouse cluster endpoint, or (beta) one Postgres database. Replicas in the same shard are not counted.
Yearly vs lifetime?
Yearly is a 12-month commercial license and support window. Lifetime is a one-time payment that covers that host count for as long as the product exists. Lifetime does not include a support SLA after the first year; email us if you want a support add-on.
Can we stay private?
Yes. Listing on the customers page is opt-in. Default is private.
What about the hosted cloud?
dash.chmonitor.dev remains available if you do not want to run the app. Most operators who already self-host ClickHouse should run chmonitor next to it and buy a license instead.
Need a PO or vendor form?
Buy on Polar from the license page. For a PO or Net-30 invoice, email hello@chmonitor.dev.
Where do I paste the license key?
Not in Settings — there is no license field in the app. Set CHM_LICENSE_KEY on the dashboard process to the Polar checkout id from the receipt (the same id lookup accepts). It is sent on the telemetry ping when telemetry is on and does not unlock features.
Who emails me after I pay?
Polar sends the receipt. We (hello@chmonitor.dev) only write if you asked for a PO or if lookup cannot find the order.
Is self-hosting really free?
Yes. chmonitor is open source under GPL-3.0. You can run it on your own infrastructure with every feature and unlimited clusters. A paid license is optional: it is a commercial agreement, invoice, and email support — it does not unlock hidden features today. After purchase, set CHM_LICENSE_KEY to the Polar checkout id (honor system).
Should we buy a license or use the hosted cloud?
If you already run ClickHouse (and have an infra team), buy a self-hosted license and run chmonitor next to the cluster. The hosted cloud at dash.chmonitor.dev is for people who do not want to operate the dashboard themselves.
Does hosted cloud cap hosts or seats?
No. Hosted cloud does not cap hosts or team seats. Prefer a self-hosted license if you already run ClickHouse.
What's a “host”?
A host is a single monitored connection — one ClickHouse cluster endpoint, or (beta) one Postgres database. A license is sized by how many hosts you monitor. Self-hosting the OSS build has no technical host limit. Replicas in the same shard are not counted.
Does a self-host license meter AI usage?
No. Self-host OSS is not gated — Personal, Team, and Unlimited have no daily AI allowance or overage. Hosted Cloud (dash.chmonitor.dev) meters AI separately; see https://docs.chmonitor.dev/guide/getting-started/cloud-signup for guest and signed-in caps.
Can I change a license later?
Yes. Email hello@chmonitor.dev to move up a host tier. Yearly licenses can be cancelled at renewal. Lifetime licenses are one-time.
Is lifetime cheaper than yearly?
Lifetime is 3× the yearly price — it pays for itself if you stay past three years.
Do you read or write my data?
chmonitor only reads from ClickHouse system tables and never writes to your data. Connect with a read-only SELECT user for maximum safety.
Start monitoring — advisor and alerts built in
Open the hosted dashboard and connect a cluster, or self-host with Docker, Kubernetes, or from source. Self-hosting is always free.
