{"slug": "show-hn-we-stopped-feature-gating-our-open-source-bi-platform", "title": "Show HN: We stopped feature-gating our open source BI platform", "summary": "Helical Insight, an open source BI platform, announced that all features including a new AI module, SSO, embedding, multi-tenancy, and row-level security are now free in its Community Edition, with the only condition being a small branding mark on charts and exports. Founder Nikhilesh said the company no longer believes advanced BI functionality should be locked behind feature gates, though organizations can purchase Enterprise Support for SLAs and direct engineering support.", "body_md": "Hi HN, Nikhilesh here — founder of Helical Insight.\n\nWe've been building this as an open BI framework for a while, mostly used for AI assisted analytics, paginated/pixel-perfect reporting (invoices, statements, regulatory docs), interactive dashboards, and embedding. Right now on version 7.0, with 200+ paying clients.\n\nWith immediate affect, As of today, every feature ships free in Community Edition — including a new AI module (chat with your data, bring-your-own-LLM key, so nothing about your data goes through us), SSO, embedding, multi-tenancy, and row-level security.\n\nEvery feature. Free forever. No exceptions. Source code present on github, download and start using.\n\nOne condition: Community Edition keeps a small \"Helical Insight\" mark on charts and exports that can't be removed — that's how the whole thing stays free.\n\nStack: Java, React, Python. Small project — a few hundred GitHub stars — so ask anything, including the parts that don't flatter us yet.\n\nOrganizations that need SLAs or direct engineering support can purchase Enterprise Support, but we no longer believe advanced BI functionality should be locked behind feature gates. Even free version users can purchase support & services from us.\n\nHappy to answer any technical questions\n\nComments URL: [https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49006632](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49006632)\n\nPoints: 1\n\n# Comments: 0", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/show-hn-we-stopped-feature-gating-our-open-source-bi-platform", "canonical_source": "https://github.com/helicalinsight/helicalinsight", "published_at": "2026-07-22 13:38:56+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-07-22 13:52:29.650925+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["artificial-intelligence", "ai-products"], "entities": ["Helical Insight", "Nikhilesh"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/show-hn-we-stopped-feature-gating-our-open-source-bi-platform", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/show-hn-we-stopped-feature-gating-our-open-source-bi-platform.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/show-hn-we-stopped-feature-gating-our-open-source-bi-platform.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/show-hn-we-stopped-feature-gating-our-open-source-bi-platform.jsonld"}}