rkito is free
for open source.
Not a free trial. Not a limited tier. Qualifying open-source projects get the complete platform — all three layers, all features, unlimited members — free, forever.
Two criteria.
We keep it simple.
The project's primary repository must be publicly accessible. Monorepos with a public root qualify even if sub-packages are proprietary.
The project must be distributed under a licence recognized by the Open Source Initiative (MIT, Apache 2.0, GPL, MPL, BSD, and others). We verify at application and at annual re-validation.
What does not qualify: commercial projects with a source-available licence (BUSL, SSPLv1, ELv2), internal developer tools that are not released publicly, or demo/portfolio repos.
Everything.
No feature gates.
- SteeringVisions, Manifestos, Pillars, Policies, ADRs, Patterns, Best Practices, Lenses
- Architecture LedgerSystems, Components, Interfaces — the complete design model
- Change ControlCHI workflow, Design Reviews, full approval and audit records
- GitHub integrationOrg connection, repo linking, team sync
- Jira bidirectional syncCHI ↔ Jira ticket linking
- Automated Lens evaluationsFull CDA when the CI/CD gate ships — unlimited
- All membersNo seat limit. Everyone on the project.
- All productsNo product limit. Every sub-system, every repo.
What rkito is actually committing to.
Full CDA pipeline — free, absorbed, permanent
Running a Continuous Design Audit on every PR is not free for rkito to operate. Every Lens evaluation consumes compute and AI inference. For qualifying OSS projects, rkito absorbs that cost in full. Not a limited version. Not a capped quota. The same CDA pipeline that enterprise customers pay for — on every PR, every Lens, every time.
The founders of rkito have genuine appreciation for what the open-source community makes possible for the entire industry. This is an attempt to give something material back — not a badge, not a logo placement. Absorbed infrastructure cost, at scale, for as long as rkito operates.
MCP module — not yet, and here is why
The MCP module — the Shift Left layer that loads design context into AI coding agents before they write code — is currently not available on the OSS plan. This is not a product decision. It is a cost one.
Unlike the CDA pipeline, which runs once per PR, the MCP module runs validate_diff multiple times per agent session — every write step, every generation loop. The per-session AI inference cost is structurally higher than per-PR evaluation. Absorbing it at OSS scale, without a revenue base to support it, is not something we can commit to honestly right now.
As rkito establishes revenue, we intend to bring the MCP module to OSS projects — either through direct contribution (absorbing the cost ourselves) or through industry sponsorships where companies whose tools benefit from rkito governance co-fund access for the OSS community.
We will say so clearly when that commitment can be made. We will not dress up an unavailable feature as a future promise without a plan behind it.
Open-source projects on rkito
Organizations currently using rkito under the OSS program.
Self-service.
No sales conversation.
The application takes under five minutes. No pitch, no demo call, no procurement process. Qualifying projects are approved automatically or within 24 hours.
Create your rkito account at the link below. Free, no credit card.
Set up your organization and connect your GitHub account.
Go to Settings → OSS Program → Apply. Provide your repository URL and licence. That's it.
Once per year, rkito re-checks that your repo is still public and the licence is still OSS. You'll receive a reminder 30 days before.
rkito is in Closed Beta, so onboarding is gated — tell us about your project and we'll set you up.
Request access →Share your GitHub project URL and we'll follow up.
- Free while project remains OSS and public
- Annual re-validation (30-day notice before review)
- If project goes commercial, pricing transitions at renewal
- No retroactive billing — ever
- Data remains yours. Export at any time.