How Open Source Developers Make Money Without a Salary

Lucas and Luna explore the economics of open source development beyond corporate sponsorship. They dive into the story of Tidelift, a startup that pays maintainers to secure critical libraries like Lodash and Babel. The episode breaks down how 40% of npm packages rely on unpaid volunteer work, and how platforms like GitHub Sponsors and Open Collective are changing the game. Lucas shares data on the median open source contributor earning just $7,500 a year from their work, while Luna asks whether the 'passion project' model is sustainable. The conversation ends with a look at the tension between community ethos and financial survival, and what it means for the future of the internet's infrastructure. #OpenSource #DeveloperEconomics #Tidelift #GitHubSponsors #OpenCollective #Lodash #Babel #npm #MaintainerBurnout #FundingOpenSource #TechSustainability #DeveloperCommunity #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Technology #SoftwareDevelopment #Security #VolunteerEconomy Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo