License it once.
Renew if you want updates.
Own it forever.
Munikit is software you license — not a platform you subscribe to. Pay once for the right to run it, renew annually to keep receiving updates, and stop renewing any time without losing your site. Implementation is a separate professional services engagement.
Two things. Priced separately.
The software license and the implementation work are different line items — just like Moodle or Craft CMS. One is fixed; one is scoped to your municipality.
Munikit License
- Perpetual right to run Munikit for your municipality
- Full access to the source code
- One year of updates and security patches included
- Renew at $600/yr — new features, security patches, and WCAG compliance updates
- Let the renewal lapse — your site keeps running
- Hand the code to any developer at any time
Implementation
- Needs assessment and content audit
- Configuration for your content types
- Data migration from your current site
- Custom theme design — your brand, not a template
- Staff training and admin walkthrough
- Hosting setup, DNS cutover, and launch
- 30-day post-launch support
At the end of five years, you either own the site — or you don't.
The number that matters in a procurement decision isn't the annual fee. It's what you've spent — and what you have to show for it — five years from now.
| Subscription platform (representative) |
Munikit | |
|---|---|---|
| Software license | Bundled into platform fee | $2,500 (one-time) |
| Implementation / build | ~$28,000 | ~$20,000 |
| Annual platform fee (year 1) | ~$8,000/yr | $0 (updates included) |
| Years 2–5 fees (with ~5%/yr increase) | ~$36,200 | ~$2,400 (optional updates) |
| 5-year total | ~$72,200 | ~$24,900 |
| Code & content ownership | ✗ Platform owns the site | ✓ You own it forever |
| Can re-bid maintenance to any vendor? | ✗ Must rebuild to switch | ✓ Any developer can take it on |
Figures reflect typical small-municipality implementations. Your implementation quote will be specific to your requirements.
What happens if you stop renewing?
This is the question that separates a software license from a subscription. The answer determines whether you actually own your site.
Stop paying → site goes dark
- Platform removes access to your site immediately
- Your content is trapped in a proprietary database
- Switching vendors requires a full rebuild
- Years of fees paid — nothing to show for it
Stop renewing → site keeps running
- Your site continues running, exactly as it was
- You own the git repository and PostgreSQL database
- You just stop receiving new versions — nothing breaks
- Renew again any time to pick up where you left off
Already implementing open-source platforms for municipal clients?
If you're an agency or independent developer who implements Moodle, Drupal, WordPress, or similar platforms for local government clients, Munikit fits the same workflow. Per-deployment licensing with volume pricing available for multi-client engagements. Get in touch to discuss a partner arrangement.
Talk to us about agency pricingCommon questions
What ongoing support is available after launch?
Every implementation includes 30 days of post-launch support — covering any issues that arise after go-live. After that, ongoing support retainers are available if your municipality wants a dedicated contact for questions, updates, and minor changes. If you'd rather hand day-to-day maintenance to a local developer or your own IT staff, the codebase is fully documented and any Next.js developer can take it on.
What if the implementation runs over time or budget?
We provide a fixed-scope quote before you sign anything — a detailed statement of work that specifies exactly what's included and what the timeline looks like. If your requirements change during implementation, additional scope is quoted separately before work begins. You won't receive an invoice for work you didn't agree to.
Can the site be hosted somewhere other than Vercel?
Yes. Vercel is the default recommendation because it's the simplest and most cost-effective option for most small municipalities, but Munikit is a standard Next.js application — it runs on any Node.js-compatible host. If your municipality has a preferred hosting provider, an existing server, or a data-residency requirement, the codebase can be deployed there instead.
Is the annual renewal a subscription?
No. A subscription means the software stops working when you stop paying. The Munikit annual renewal buys you access to future software updates and security patches — not the right to continue running the software you already licensed. Let it lapse and your site keeps running exactly as it was, on the version you last updated to. Renew again any time to get back on the latest version.
Do we own the code?
You own a perpetual license to run the version of Munikit you paid for. The source code is delivered to your git repository — you can read it, modify it, hand it to any developer, or self-host it anywhere. What you're licensing is the right to use and deploy the software; Munikit retains copyright on the underlying product.
What does hosting cost after launch?
For most small municipalities, Vercel's free tier and Neon's free PostgreSQL tier are sufficient — putting hosting at $0/month. Higher-traffic sites may need Vercel Pro ($20/month). Media storage on Cloudflare R2 is typically under $5/month. These costs are billed directly to you by the hosting providers — they're not part of the Munikit license.
Can we bring in our own developer for implementation?
Yes. The license doesn't require you to use Munikit's implementation services. If your municipality has an existing web agency or prefers to work with a local developer, they can implement Munikit on your behalf. Get in touch if you'd like us to refer a partner or provide developer documentation.
What's not included in the implementation quote?
Custom development beyond Munikit's included feature set — for example, a citizen-facing permit application, payment processing, or a custom third-party integration — is scoped and quoted separately. Most municipal websites launch happily within what's included. We'll be honest about scope during the demo.
What if we want to switch vendors later?
Hand the git repository to any developer. Your content lives in a standard PostgreSQL database — not a proprietary format. Any competent Next.js developer can take on the codebase. This is one of the real advantages of the licensing model: you can re-bid ongoing work competitively, because the code is yours to share.
Why not just use WordPress? It's free.
WordPress is free, but running a compliant municipal website on it isn't simple. You'd need: a government-appropriate theme, WPML for French, a genuinely WCAG-compliant accessibility solution (not an overlay widget), a meeting agenda management plugin, emergency alert functionality, and a role system that makes sense for government staff. By the time you've licensed and maintained all of that, you've spent more in time and money than Munikit costs — and you still don't have a purpose-built tool.
What if Munikit shuts down?
Your site keeps running regardless. You own the git repository and the PostgreSQL database. Any Next.js developer can take over the codebase — it's not proprietary. And the CMS underneath Munikit is Payload, an independently owned, actively maintained open-source project — not a venture-backed product at risk of being acquired and shut down. The software license gives you the perpetual right to run the version you paid for, independent of whether Munikit exists as a company.
Ready to see Munikit in action?
Request a 30-minute demo. We'll show you the admin panel, walk through the content types, and give you an honest scope and cost estimate for your municipality.
Request a demo