Why Did MongoDB Switch Licenses and How Is AWS Responding with DocumentDB?

In October 2018 MongoDB announced it was switching its open‑source license from GNU AGPLv3 to the Server Side Public License (SSPL) to prevent cloud providers from profiting from the project and to generate revenue from SaaS or cloud services.

The Free Software Foundation (FSF) argued that adding commercial terms makes the project no longer free software and suggested the community fork it.

Amazon Web Services later released DocumentDB, a compatible fork of MongoDB 3.6, choosing to maintain its own open‑source version rather than purchase a commercial license from MongoDB.

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so AWS’s move is not surprising. However, developers are savvy enough to distinguish genuine innovation from poor imitation. MongoDB will continue to surpass any imitators in the market."

MongoDB CEO Dev Ittycheria made this statement, emphasizing the company’s confidence in outpacing imitators.

"To give developers what they want, AWS was asked to provide a MongoDB‑like service based on code from two years ago. Our whole company focuses on one thing – giving developers the best way to handle data, freely and at scale. This commitment will keep the real MongoDB distinct from the endless imitators."

Co‑founder and CTO Eliot Horowitz echoed the sentiment, highlighting AWS’s effort to provide a service based on older MongoDB code while MongoDB remains focused on delivering the best data handling solutions.

A MongoDB spokesperson added that DocumentDB’s MongoDB 3.6 API lacks many newer features such as ACID transactions, global clusters, and mobile synchronization.

TechCrunch wrote: "Objectively, AWS has become more active in the open‑source community and, to some extent, does provide developers with what they want. Yet, knowing the reasons behind MongoDB’s license change, AWS’s decision to bypass the new license by offering a compatible API remains controversial and is unlikely to endear the company to the open‑source community."

The article also notes Amazon’s earlier initiative, Amazon Corretto, a free, production‑ready OpenJDK distribution, illustrating a pattern of Amazon maintaining its own open‑source forks.

The licensing change helped MongoDB’s stock rise about 200% over the past year, but AWS’s move caused a sharp decline of roughly 13‑15% in MongoDB’s share price on the day of the announcement.