Distribution Modes
Every LPM package has a distribution mode that controls who can access it and how authors earn revenue.
Private
The default mode. Private packages are only accessible to:
- The package owner (personal packages)
- Organization members (org packages)
Private packages have no platform fees and no public listing.
Pool
Pool packages are available to all Pool subscribers ($12/month). Revenue is distributed to authors based on their share of total installs.
- No individual pricing, revenue comes from the shared subscription fund
- 80% of subscription revenue goes to authors, 20% to the platform
- Permanent: cannot be changed back to private
- Cannot depend on marketplace packages
See Pool for how revenue sharing works.
Marketplace
Marketplace packages are listed publicly and available for purchase. Authors set pricing plans and buyers get install access after checkout.
- Requires at least one pricing plan
- Supports individual, organization, and commercial licenses
- Platform fee: 15% on Free plan, 10% on Pro or Org plans
- Permanent: cannot be changed back to private
See Marketplace for pricing and license setup.
Licensing Considerations
Your package's license (MIT, ISC, Apache, etc.) affects which distribution mode works.
Pool
Pool works with any license, including open-source licenses like MIT and ISC. The Pool subscription is a platform fee for accessing the LPM ecosystem — it does not change or replace your code's license. Your code stays under whatever license you choose, and authors earn from usage through the shared subscription fund.
Marketplace
Marketplace packages need a commercial or proprietary license. Open-source licenses like MIT and ISC allow free redistribution, which conflicts with per-seat and per-organization pricing — a buyer could legally share the code with everyone, making the paid model unenforceable.
If you want to keep your code open-source while also selling on the Marketplace, consider dual licensing: publish under an open-source license on GitHub for community use, and under a commercial license on LPM Marketplace for teams that want support, guarantees, or commercial redistribution rights.
See Commercial Licenses for a ready-to-use license template.
Switching Modes
You can switch from private to marketplace or pool in Package Settings > Distribution. This change requires confirmation because it is irreversible.
Before switching, LPM validates your dependencies:
| Your dependency's mode | Switching to Marketplace | Switching to Pool |
|---|---|---|
| Private | Blocked | Blocked |
| Marketplace | Requires commercial license (same owner exempt) | Blocked |
| Pool | Allowed | Allowed |
Private dependencies are always blocked because public/paid packages cannot include code that others cannot access. Marketplace dependencies are blocked for pool targets because pool subscribers should not need to buy separate licenses.
