LicenseManagerSwift
Best free license management tools for Swift in 2026
What you get for free from 10 license management tools, and how each one works with Swift.
We build LicenseManager, listed first. The others are ranked by Swift support, then by features. Prices and features come from each vendor's public pricing page and documentation, checked on 2026-10-25. Report an error.
Free, with limits
These have a plan with no monthly price and no fee on sales: LicenseManager, LicenseSpring, Keygen, Cryptolens, and LimeLM.
LicenseManager
Our productLicensing service
License keys for desktop apps, created from Stripe payments and validated with one request.
- Free tier
- Up to 100 active licenses
- Paid plans from
- €29 / month
- Fee per sale
- None
- Billed on
- Licenses active in the last 90 days
Best for: Indie developers and small teams selling desktop apps with Stripe, who want licensing without building a backend.
Swift SDK: licensemanager-swift
- 100 active licenses
- 10,000 API requests per month
- 3 products
LicenseSpring
Licensing service
A software licensing platform with SDKs for desktop, mobile and game engines.
- Free tier
- Up to 100 active licenses
- Paid plans from
- $199 / month
- Fee per sale
- None
- Billed on
- Active licenses
Best for: Companies licensing native or game-engine software, that need floating or air-gapped licensing.
Swift SDK: Swift SDK
- 100 active licenses
- 1,000 API requests per month
- 1 product
- 1 activation per license
Keygen
Licensing service
A licensing and distribution API, available as a cloud service or self-hosted.
- Free tier
- Up to 100 active licenses
- Paid plans from
- $99 / month
- Fee per sale
- None
- Billed on
- Licenses active in the last 90 days
Best for: Teams that need advanced licensing models, like floating or metered licenses, or want to self-host.
Through the REST API
- 100 active licenses
- 1 product
- Hard limits: requests over the limit are refused
- 10 releases
Cryptolens
Licensing service
A licensing service from Sweden, now sold under the Devolens brand.
- Free tier
- Up to 10 active licenses
- Paid plans from
- €299 / month
- Fee per sale
- None
- Billed on
- Active licenses
Best for: Companies that need EU data residency, a reseller portal or on-premise license servers.
Through the REST API
- 10 active licenses
- Unlimited for the first 30 days, then 10 keys and 15 end users
- 1 API request every 10 seconds
LimeLM
Licensing service
wyDay's licensing service, built around the TurboActivate and TurboFloat native libraries.
- Free tier
- Up to 10 activations in total
- Paid plans from
- $17 / month
- Fee per sale
- None
- Billed on
- Total activations
Best for: Native Windows, macOS and Linux apps, in languages like C++, C# or Delphi.
Through the REST API
- 10 activations in total
- 1 product
Pay per sale
These cost nothing per month, and take a share of each sale instead.
Polar
Merchant of record with license keys
An open source merchant of record for developers, with license keys as a benefit.
- Free tier
- No monthly fee, 5% + $0.50 per sale
- Paid plans from
- $20 / month
- Fee per sale
- 3.4% + $0.30 to 5% + $0.50
- Billed on
- Sales only
Best for: Developers selling subscriptions or digital products who want tax handled and an open source platform.
Through the REST API
- No monthly fee, 5% + $0.50 per sale
Lemon Squeezy
Merchant of record with license keys
A merchant of record for digital products, with license keys included.
- Free tier
- No monthly fee, 5% + $0.50 per sale
- Paid plans from
- -
- Fee per sale
- 5% + $0.50
- Billed on
- Sales only
Best for: Sellers who want tax handled for them and only need basic license keys.
Through the REST API
- No monthly fee, 5% + $0.50 per sale
Moonbase
Merchant of record with license keys
A merchant of record with licensing, built for audio plugins and desktop software.
- Free tier
- No monthly fee, 5% + €1 per sale
- Paid plans from
- -
- Fee per sale
- 5% + €1
- Billed on
- Sales only
Best for: Audio plugin makers (JUCE) and desktop developers who want a store and licensing from the EU.
Through the REST API
- No monthly fee, 5% + €1 per sale
Gumroad
Merchant of record with license keys
A store for creators selling digital products, with optional license keys.
- Free tier
- No monthly fee, 10% + $0.50 per sale
- Paid plans from
- -
- Fee per sale
- 10% + $0.50
- Billed on
- Sales only
Best for: Creators selling small apps, plugins or assets, who want the simplest setup.
Through the REST API
- No monthly fee, 10% + $0.50 per sale
Anystack
Sales, licensing and distribution platform
A platform to sell, license and distribute software, with a checkout on your Stripe account.
- Free tier
- No monthly fee, 15% per sale
- Paid plans from
- $39 / month
- Fee per sale
- 4% to 15%
- Billed on
- Active licenses
Best for: Developers who want checkout, licensing and auto-updates for Electron or PHP packages in one tool.
Through the REST API
- No monthly fee, 15% per sale
- Sell exclusively through Anystack
- Licenses can't be created by hand
Free tiers side by side
| Tool | Free tier | Paid plans from | Fee per sale | Billed on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LicenseManager | Up to 100 active licenses | €29 / month | None | Licenses active in the last 90 days |
| LicenseSpring | Up to 100 active licenses | $199 / month | None | Active licenses |
| Keygen | Up to 100 active licenses | $99 / month | None | Licenses active in the last 90 days |
| Cryptolens | Up to 10 active licenses | €299 / month | None | Active licenses |
| LimeLM | Up to 10 activations in total | $17 / month | None | Total activations |
| Polar | No monthly fee, 5% + $0.50 per sale | $20 / month | 3.4% + $0.30 to 5% + $0.50 | Sales only |
| Lemon Squeezy | No monthly fee, 5% + $0.50 per sale | - | 5% + $0.50 | Sales only |
| Moonbase | No monthly fee, 5% + €1 per sale | - | 5% + €1 | Sales only |
| Gumroad | No monthly fee, 10% + $0.50 per sale | - | 10% + $0.50 | Sales only |
| Anystack | No monthly fee, 15% per sale | $39 / month | 4% to 15% | Active licenses |
When you start selling
Compare what each tool costs once you have paying customers.
That's €580 of sales per month.
- LicenseManager is 43% more expensive than LimeLM, a difference of €14.38 per month.
- With LicenseManager, you'd pay €270 less per month: Cryptolens is 6.7x more expensive.
Per month, excluding VAT. Assumes one-time purchases and customers using your app for 4 months, with Stripe's fees for the tools that aren't a merchant of record.
Swift support
| Technology | LicenseManager | LicenseSpring | Keygen | Polar | Lemon Squeezy | Moonbase | Cryptolens | Gumroad | Anystack | LimeLM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swift | licensemanager-swiftLicensing SDK | Swift SDKLicensing SDK | REST API | REST API | REST API | REST API | REST API | REST API | REST API | REST API |
| REST APIUsable from any language | YesWith an OpenAPI document | Yes | Yes | YesWith an OpenAPI document | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Feature by feature
| Feature | LicenseManager | LicenseSpring | Keygen | Polar | Lemon Squeezy | Moonbase | Cryptolens | Gumroad | Anystack | LimeLM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offline validationThe app can check a license without reaching the vendor's servers, usually with a signed file or token. | YesEd25519-signed tokens, checked offline | YesAir-gapped workflows on Enterprise | Yes | NoKeys are validated with an API call | NoThe License API validates online | YesOffline activations, counted once per device | Yes | NoKeys are verified with an API call | Not documented | Yes |
| Machine activation limitsA license can be limited to a number of devices, enforced by the service. | Yes | Yes | Yes | YesOptional activation limits | YesActivation limit per product variant | Yes | Yes | NoThe verify API returns a uses count, your app enforces the limit | Yes | Yes |
| TrialsTime-limited licenses to let users try the app. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | YesFree trials on subscriptions | Yes | Yes | YesFree trials on memberships | Not documented | YesVerified trials |
| Perpetual licensesLicenses that never expire. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Updates for a limited timeCustomers keep the versions released while their license was valid, after it ends. | YesCustomers keep the last version released in their period | Not documented | Yes | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | YesAccess limited to the latest release at expiry | Not documented |
| Customer portalA page where customers find their keys and manage their devices on their own. | YesCustomers find their keys, free machines, cancel for a refund and manage their subscription | YesUser portal | Not documented | Yes | Yes | YesCustomers manage activations and downloads | Yes | YesCustomers find their purchases in their library | YesCustomers activate and revoke their own devices | Not documented |
| Money back guaranteeCustomers cancel a license on their own during a set period: it stops working and their payment is refunded. | YesSet in days on each offer, refunded through your Stripe account | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented |
| Subscription licensesLicenses that renew with each recurring payment and stop when the subscription ends, without code on your side. | YesRecurring Stripe prices, valid while paid, every update included | YesRecurring Stripe prices create subscription licenses | NoYou renew and suspend licenses from your own Stripe webhook handler, or Zapier | YesLicense keys revoked when the subscription ends | YesKeys stay active while the subscription is, and expire with it | YesRecurring price variations, with a grace period on failed payments | YesRecurring billing module, extends licenses on each Stripe payment | NoThe verify API returns the membership's status: your app enforces it | NoRecurring packages are announced as coming soon | NoYou update an expiration field from your payment processor |
| Stripe integrationLicenses are created from Stripe payments with no code on your side. | YesEach Stripe payment or subscription creates a license and emails the key | Yes | NoThrough Zapier, or your own webhook handler | NoPayments are processed by Polar | NoPayments are processed by Lemon Squeezy | NoPayments are processed by Moonbase | Not documented | No | Yes | YesAlso PayPal, FastSpring, Skrill and authorize.net |
| Merchant of recordThe vendor sells on your behalf and handles sales tax and VAT for you. | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Built-in checkoutA hosted checkout page sold with the tool. | NoUses your Stripe checkout or payment links | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| AnalyticsDashboards of licenses, usage or revenue. | YesActive machines, versions, platforms, revenue, MRR and churn | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not documented | Not documented | Yes | Not documented | Not documented |
| Test modeA separate environment or sandbox to build the integration. | Yes | YesDev environments | YesCustom environments | YesSandbox environment | Yes | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented |
| Audit logA history of what happened to each license. | YesEvents on every license | YesFrom Business Plus | Yes | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented |
| File hosting and downloadsThe vendor hosts your installers or packages. | No | Not documented | YesDocker, npm, RubyGems, PyPI, Tauri, Electron and binaries | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not documented | Yes | YesElectron, Electron Builder, Composer, npm and PyPI updates | Not documented |
| Outgoing webhooksYour server is notified of license events. | No | Not documented | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not documented | Not documented | YesPing notifications | Not documented | Not documented |
| Floating licensesA pool of seats shared by several machines, checked out and released. | No | YesCloud and on-premise floating server | Yes | No | No | Not documented | Yes | No | Not documented | YesFrom the Plus plan, trials only below |
| Usage meteringLicenses that count consumption, like API credits. | No | YesFrom Business Plus | Yes | YesUsage quotas on license keys | Yes | No | Yes | No | Not documented | No |
| SSO for your teamSign in to the dashboard with SAML or another identity provider. | No | Yes | YesSAML on Ent tiers | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented | YesSAML and SCIM on Enterprise | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented |
| Self-hostingRun the licensing server on your own infrastructure. | No | No | YesKeygen CE (free) and Keygen EE (paid) | Not documented | No | No | YesLicense Server add-on, for offline environments | No | No | Not documented |
| Open sourceThe service's source code is public. | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
About this list
Detailed comparisons
Start with LicenseManager's free plan
Every feature on every plan, and 100 active licenses on the Free plan.