Open-source solutions power modern enterprises, underlying everything from website builds to ready-made and custom applications. Small and large companies alike leverage open-source office suites, and developers often tap into open-source code libraries to streamline software projects.
Even so, there are still many in the business world—even tech professionals—who don’t know of all the benefits and drawbacks of open-source solutions. Below, members of Forbes Technology Council detail some common misconceptions about open-source solutions. Read on to ensure you and your team are leveraging these tools wisely.
1. They’re Always Free
Many believe that open-source solutions are always free to use and maintain. While it’s true that open-source software doesn’t typically require an upfront licensing fee, the reality is that it often comes with hidden costs, especially in terms of maintenance, support and integration. Organizations may need to invest in skilled developers to customize, secure or optimize it for their specific needs. – Katerina Axelsson, Tastry
2. Open-Source Software Is Not As Secure As Proprietary Software
I’m a strong advocate of open-source software because of the larger pool of contributors who can examine the code, identify issues and rectify them. The misconception that open-source software is less secure than proprietary software is unfounded. The reality is that open-source software can offer enhanced security benefits through community collaboration, transparency and thorough scrutiny. – Olanrewaju Ogunleye, Delarex Technologies
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3. ‘Closed’ And ‘Open’ Projects Are Incompatible
The idea that “closed” and “open” projects are incompatible is outdated. Most organizations benefit from both under different circumstances. Modern commercial products depend on open-source software, and successful open-source projects rely on commercial services. AI exemplifies this mix: Closed-source models ensure safety, while open-source models like Llama3 drive progress, creating a balanced ecosystem. – George Davis, Frame AI
4. There Are People Constantly Working On Open-Source Code
There is a misconception that open-source code is always more secure because it’s available to anyone. In reality, even critical projects are often understaffed and don’t have nearly enough people involved to guarantee that vulnerabilities will be discovered and fixed before malicious actors can find and exploit them. That is why sustainable funding for open-source projects is so important. – Daniil Baturin, VyOS
5. AI Regulation Will Stifle Innovation
Some believe that more stringent regulations around open-source AI projects will stifle innovation. But if you want production-grade software, it must be safe, reliable, fair and legal. We’ve already proven innovation and regulation can coexist in healthcare and education, and we should encourage the industry to build things right—not just fast. – David Talby, John Snow Labs
6. You Won’t Have To Devote Internal Resources To Open-Source Software
A common misconception about open-source software is that it’s less secure and always free. In reality, open-source software benefits from a large community of developers who continuously improve security. And while open-source software is initially a low-cost option for companies, getting the most benefit requires dedicating resources for maintenance and customization, which will lead to greater flexibility and faster innovation. – Ginger Dhaliwal, Upflex
7. ‘Open-Source AI’ Means The Same Thing To Everyone
A common misconception, especially when it comes to open-source AI, is that every model embraces the same definition of “open source.” The Open Source Initiative is working on creating standards specific to AI, but they aren’t established yet, meaning that not every tool or model adheres to the same principles. – Brian Raymond, Unstructured
8. There Are A Lot Of Independent Projects Driving Innovation
A common misconception about open-source software is that there are many independent projects driving innovation. In reality, most tools rely on a small set of core global technologies maintained by a few individuals. For example, many open-source database startups depend on engines from companies like Google and Meta, which are maintained by about a dozen employees. This pattern extends across other domains as well. – Ash Vardanian, Unum
9. There’s No Support For Issues
One misconception tech professionals often hold is that open-source resources don’t offer support if an issue arises—developers believe that if there’s a problem, they are on their own and will struggle. In reality, open-source solutions generally have huge community support systems. A tech professional who encounters an issue or disruption can ask for help, and the community will help tackle the problem. – Vikas Agarwal, Citizens Financial Group
10. Security Response And Innovation Are Slower
Many companies worry about the security of open-source software, as well as the lack of enterprise-level support. The truth is, open-source technologies innovate faster than traditional enterprise solutions when it comes to security and patching. Further, there is usually a large community of contributors who can provide direct insights and information to teams engaged with the software. – Sree Sreedhararaj, IPSY
11. There Are No Hidden Costs
A prevalent misconception is that open-source software is entirely free. While there is no initial licensing fee, other costs can arise. These include implementation and customization expenses, training and support, ongoing maintenance, and infrastructure investments. Additionally, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements may also incur costs. – Shivanku Misra, McKesson
12. There Aren’t Enterprise-Level Service Options
The myth: Open-source software lacks support. The reality: Many open-source projects are backed by active communities and professional developers—even major companies. Paid support options offering enterprise-level assistance are also available. Open-source software often has robust support ecosystems that are comparable to proprietary solutions. – Maksim Strok, Stress Monitor iOS App
13. You Can’t Make Any Money From An Open-Source Product
Entrepreneurs often think that making their software product open-source means losing revenue and control. However, there are various business models, such as charging for premium features or offering paid services for product deployment. The subscription model popularized by Red Hat is not only well-known, but also highly rewarding, proving that open-source solutions can still be profitable. – Shraddha Thanawala, Remiges Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
14. All Open-Source Solutions Have An Active Community
Open-source software development solves a big problem by building reusable software; every developer understands this. However, if you look at the past few years, some of the biggest security breaches were caused by unmaintained open-source projects. As an open-source developer myself (at Google, I worked on the Chromium project), I would stress that there are few indicators of a healthy project. It’s important to understand that. – Akash Mukherjee, LangSafe
15. Open-Source Software Always Makes Projects Faster And Easier
It’s commonly thought that open-source software accelerates product deployment because anyone can modify it. In truth, the extensive customization that’s often required for specific business needs can prolong deployment timelines, especially without the structured release schedules typical of proprietary software. – Dominic David, Parasoft
16. There Are No Strings Attached To Contributions
Many developers believe that contributing to open-source projects has no strings attached. They often overlook restrictive licenses that limit how their work can be used and that may prevent them from using their own contributions in proprietary, or incompatible open-source, projects. In some cases, like with certain AI libraries, even models built with resources from those libraries must be open-source. – Øyvind Forsbak, Orient Software Development Corp.
17. Open-Source Projects Will Be Open-Source Forever
The widespread misconception about open-source software is the expectation that its support will last forever. However, there is no guarantee that open-source software will stay available on the same terms tomorrow. There are several examples of open-source projects whose support was discontinued or whose licensing was switched from the open-source model. – Alexander Belokrylov, BellSoft
18. Open-Source Code Is Secure For Use In Any Situation
Open-source code is embedded in more than 90% of companies’ codebases, and there’s a false sense of security from its communal nature. It is not a question of whether open-source code in itself is more or less secure; rather, it’s that what is secure varies by company and even by application. Therefore, companies must not only regularly scan open-source code, but also apply context if they’re to enjoy productivity gains without being overwhelmed by inevitable security flaws. – Brittany Greenfield, Wabbi
19. Highly Active Open-Source Projects Are Higher-Quality
One common misconception is that a high level of activity on an open-source project is an indicator of its quality or reliability. Often, the opposite is true: Open-source projects that reach stability and maturity cut new versions only occasionally and change code only when necessary. – Matt Butcher, Fermyon Technologies
20. Choosing Open-Source Software Prevents Vendor Lock-In
In addition to misunderstandings regarding open-source software’s cost and security, a common misconception is that choosing to use open-source software prevents a company from being subject to vendor lock-in. Software designed with poor abstractions will be highly coupled with the original open-source software, and a decision to migrate to an alternative solution in the future will require similar time and cost commitments as switching proprietary solutions. – Bhavdeep Sethi, Frec Markets, Inc.
