Controversies

QingCloud abruptly stops KubeSphere open-source downloads and support, accused of 'fake open source'

In late July 2025, QingCloud Technologies announced adjustments to the KubeSphere open-source project: it stopped downloads and free technical support for the open-source edition, deleted public images and documentation, and changed the license to 'Apache-2.0+' with additional commercial restrictions, causing some users' production environments to be affected. The community criticized it for providing no transition period and abandoning its open-source commitment; the company said the move was due to third-party unauthorized commercial use, and later said it would launch a streamlined free community edition. It triggered criticism from the global open-source community and was reported by The Register and other media.