a community for home labbers and retro geeks
Full transparency on how Nekotopia is funded, governed, and sustained for the long term.
"Operators pay for usage. Sponsors pay for stewardship and visibility."
This simple principle guides our entire funding model. We believe in separating commercial usage from community support, ensuring that those who benefit from infrastructure pay their fair share, while those who contribute for the love of the community are recognized for their stewardship.
Operators are individuals or businesses using Nekotopia infrastructure for commercial purposes. This includes content creators streaming from vintage hardware, businesses hosting services, or anyone generating revenue through the platform.
Operator fees are based on resource consumption and include SLA guarantees. These fees directly fund infrastructure costs and help subsidize community access for hobbyists.
Sponsors are stewards of the community. They contribute not for commercial benefit, but because they believe in what we're building. In return, they receive recognition, visibility, and a voice in shaping the project's direction.
Sponsorship is about relationship and trust. Sponsors get early access to features, input on the roadmap, and their support is highlighted to inspire others.
Donations are one-time or recurring contributions from community members who simply want to help. Every dollar goes directly to infrastructure costs. There are no tiers, no perks required - just the satisfaction of keeping vintage systems connected.
All contributions fund real infrastructure. The maintainer covers any deficit out of pocket. Here's what it actually costs to run Nekotopia:
| Service | Purpose | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| AWS EC2 | Compute instances across regions (FreeBSD, Docker, Mikrotik CHRs) | ~$250/mo |
| AWS Networking | Data transfer, VPC, Transit Gateway, inter-region peering | ~$150/mo |
| AWS EIPs & BYOIP | Elastic IPs and BYOIP management for Operator tier | ~$60/mo |
| AWS Other | WAF, WorkMail, miscellaneous services | ~$20/mo |
| Route 53 | DNS hosting and queries | ~$15/mo |
| RIPE NCC | IPv4 address block (193.143.16.0/24) - EUR 1,800/yr | ~$150/mo |
| Monthly Total | ~$645/mo | |
Note: These figures are approximate and vary based on usage. Actual AWS bills can be viewed in the monthly transparency reports. The maintainer (Richard) does not take a salary and contributes significant personal time and resources.
Nekotopia is a passion project, not a business. These principles guide how we operate:
All income and expenses are tracked and shared publicly. No hidden costs, no surprises.
We're not building to sell. Every decision prioritizes the community's long-term interests.
Growth is intentional. We add features and users at a pace we can support responsibly.
We favor open protocols and standards. No vendor lock-in where we can avoid it.
Start with the tier that fits your current use. If your project becomes commercial, upgrade to an Operator plan. We're flexible and appreciate honest communication.
No. Sponsorship is about stewardship, not access. Sponsors who want commercial usage should also become Operators. The two paths serve different purposes.
Any surplus is reserved for future infrastructure improvements, emergency repairs, or to cover months with lower contributions. We don't profit from donations.
Yes. We publish monthly cost breakdowns. If you want more detail, just ask. We have nothing to hide.
Richard (druk) is the sole maintainer and decision-maker. This isn't a democracy - it's a benevolent dictatorship. But community input is valued and shapes the roadmap.
No plans for that. This is a passion project. If circumstances change, the community would be informed and given options (including data export and transition time).
If you have questions about the funding model, want to discuss an Operator arrangement, or just want to chat about the project: