The AI chat client app Chatbox has successfully returned to the US App Store after a three-month legal battle, but the victory has sparked fresh debates about open-source licensing practices in the developer community.
Trademark Dispute Victory Sets Important Precedent
In April 2025, Chatbox was removed from Apple's App Store following a trademark dispute from another company claiming ownership of the Chatbox name. The Chatbox development team fought back through federal court, arguing that Chatbox is a generic term widely used across the internet. Their persistence paid off when the court ruled in their favor on August 29, ordering Apple to restore the app within seven days. This case represents a significant win against trademark bullying, where companies use questionable trademark claims to remove competitors from app stores.
Key Timeline:
- March 2023: Chatbox first used as AI software name on GitHub
- April 2025: Trademark dispute filed by competing company
- June 17, 2025: App removed from US App Store
- August 29, 2025: Federal court rules in favor of Chatbox
- September 2025: App restored to App Store
GPL Licensing Controversy Overshadows Victory
While celebrating their legal win, the Chatbox team now faces criticism from the open-source community over their licensing practices. The app claims to be GPL licensed, but recent versions of the source code are not available on GitHub, creating confusion about the actual licensing terms. Community members have raised concerns about this discrepancy multiple times, but the issues remain unaddressed.
The situation is complicated by the existence of both a Community Edition under GPL license and a commercial version priced at $19.99 USD per month. Some developers argue that as the original copyright holders, the Chatbox team can dual-license their software and aren't bound by GPL requirements for their own code. However, others point out the problematic nature of labeling software as GPL while not providing source code access.
The app labels itself at GPL licensed, but the most recent releases are not available on GitHub. It's been the situation for quite a while now and it's been raised with the author a few times in the issues.
Chatbox Versions:
- Community Edition: GPL v3 licensed, available on GitHub (older versions)
- Commercial Edition: Closed source, $19.99 USD/month subscription
- Mobile App: Available on iOS and Android app stores
Technical Features Draw User Interest Despite Controversy
Beyond the legal and licensing discussions, users continue to praise Chatbox's technical capabilities. The app functions as a versatile client for various large language models, supporting custom API keys from different providers and even connecting to locally hosted models through Ollama. Early adopters appreciated its advanced features like custom system prompts and multi-provider support, which were rare in mobile AI apps during early 2024.
However, some users have moved to alternatives like Msty due to limitations in API provider support, particularly the lack of OpenRouter integration which would enable access to multiple AI models through a single key.
The Chatbox case highlights the complex intersection of trademark law, open-source licensing, and commercial software development in today's competitive app marketplace. While the team successfully defended their right to use the Chatbox name, questions about their commitment to open-source principles continue to generate community discussion.