“Free” in a WYSIWYG editor usually means the core package is free. The product you ship often needs more than the core: a paid module for a feature you assumed was included, a licence that counts domains or developers, or a clause that applies the moment you redistribute the editor inside something you sell. None of this is hidden, but it is easy to miss when you compare the open-source line in a table. These are the traps that show up most often.
The MIT core is not always the product
Some editors split the code into a free core and paid modules. The core may be free to use under an open-source licence while track changes, comments, or real-time collaboration are sold separately. Jodit is one example: its core is MIT-licensed, while its Pro licence and the separate Jodit Collaboration product have their own terms, as the Jodit comparison shows. Before you commit, list the features your documents need and check which licence each one falls under.
Redistributing is a different licence
Using an editor on your own website and shipping it inside a product sold to other companies are not the same act. Many vendors use a separate OEM or redistribution licence for the second case, and the price can be several times higher. If your product is delivered to customers who run it on their own servers, read the redistribution clause, not only the price on the pricing page.
Metered loads and seats
Some editors charge by how often the editor loads, by active users, or by AI calls. The bill can grow with traffic even when the licence fee looks small. A metered plan may suit a small internal tool, but it is hard to predict for a public site. Compare the cost at your real traffic for three years, not at the starting price. The editor pricing models guide works through the arithmetic.
AI features are often a separate meter
AI writing tools are sold in many ways: a paid add-on, prepaid credits, or a provider key you bring yourself. When an editor says it has AI, ask which of these applies, what a request costs, and whether your provider key is supported. Bring-your-own-key designs keep the cost with you and keep the data path clear.
A short licence checklist
- List the features you need, and check the licence for each one, not only the core.
- Find out whether your product is an application on your own servers or software you redistribute.
- Estimate the three-year cost at your real traffic, including any metered fees.
- Ask what an AI request costs and whether you can use your own provider key.
- Save the licence text and the pricing page you checked, with the date.
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