LicenseManagerKeygen alternatives
Best Keygen alternatives in 2026
What else is there besides Keygen? 9 license management tools, with what they do better and what they cost.
LicenseManager is our product, and is listed first. Prices and features come from each vendor's public pricing page and documentation, checked on 2026-10-25. Report an error.
Reasons to look elsewhere
- One official SDK (Go), other languages call the REST API
- No native Stripe integration: licenses from payments need Zapier or your own code
- The free Dev tier has hard limits and 1 product
Reasons to stay with Keygen
- Floating, metered, user-locked and feature licenses
- Can be self-hosted, with an open source edition
- Hosts releases for Electron, Tauri, npm, PyPI, Docker and more
- SAML SSO and audit logs for larger teams
9 alternatives to Keygen
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.
Compared with Keygen:
- Stripe integration. Unlike Keygen, LicenseManager creates licenses from Stripe payments without code. Each Stripe payment or subscription creates a license and emails the key.
- Lower or equal cost. In 9 of 12 scenarios we computed, LicenseManager is the cheaper one. In the 3 others, they cost the same. For example, with 30 sales a month at €19: you'd save €56.14 per month with LicenseManager. Keygen is 2.1x more expensive.
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.
Compared with Keygen:
- Stripe integration. Unlike Keygen, LicenseSpring creates licenses from Stripe payments without code.
- SDK coverage. LicenseSpring has official SDKs for C# (.NET), C++, Java, Python, JavaScript, Unity, Swift, and Android, which Keygen doesn't.
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.
What it does better than Keygen:
- More SDKs. Official Cryptolens SDKs exist for C# (.NET), Python, Java, JavaScript, and C++, with no Keygen equivalent.
- Subscription licenses. Unlike Keygen, Cryptolens keeps licenses valid while a subscription is paid, and stops them when it ends. Recurring billing module, extends licenses on each Stripe payment.
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.
Compared with Keygen:
- Stripe integration. Unlike Keygen, LimeLM creates licenses from Stripe payments without code. Also PayPal, FastSpring, Skrill and authorize.net.
- SDK coverage. Official LimeLM SDKs exist for C++, C# (.NET), Java, Python, Delphi, JavaScript, and Electron, with no Keygen equivalent.
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.
What it does better than Keygen:
- Merchant of record. Unlike Keygen, Polar is the merchant of record and handles sales tax and VAT.
- SDK coverage. Official Polar SDKs exist for JavaScript, Python, and PHP, with no Keygen equivalent.
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.
Over Keygen:
- Merchant of record. Lemon Squeezy is the merchant of record and handles sales tax and VAT, while Keygen leaves sales tax and VAT to you.
- Subscription licenses. Lemon Squeezy keeps licenses valid while a subscription is paid, and stops them when it ends. Keygen leaves renewing licenses with subscription payments to your own code. Keys stay active while the subscription is, and expire with it.
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.
Compared with Keygen:
- Merchant of record. Moonbase is the merchant of record and handles sales tax and VAT, while Keygen leaves sales tax and VAT to you.
- More SDKs. Moonbase has official SDKs for JUCE, C# (.NET), JavaScript, C++, and Rust, which Keygen doesn't.
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.
Compared with Keygen:
- Merchant of record. Gumroad is the merchant of record and handles sales tax and VAT, while Keygen leaves sales tax and VAT to you.
- Built-in checkout. Unlike Keygen, Gumroad includes a hosted checkout.
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.
Compared with Keygen:
- Stripe integration. Anystack creates licenses from Stripe payments without code. Keygen has no native Stripe integration.
- Official SDKs. Anystack has official SDKs for Electron, JavaScript, PHP, WordPress, Python, Ruby, and Tauri, which Keygen doesn't.
Compare the cost
Monthly cost of Keygen and its alternatives for your sales, with the cheapest plan that fits.
Monthly revenue: €570.
- With LicenseManager, you'd pay €56.14 less per month: Keygen is 2.1x 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.
Prices at a glance
| Tool | Free tier | Paid plans from | Fee per sale | Billed on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keygen | Up to 100 active licenses | $99 / month | None | Licenses active in the last 90 days |
| 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 |
| 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 |
Features compared
Keygen next to its 4 closest alternatives.
| Feature | Keygen | LicenseManager | LicenseSpring | Cryptolens | LimeLM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offline validationThe app can check a license without reaching the vendor's servers, usually with a signed file or token. | Yes | YesEd25519-signed tokens, checked offline | YesAir-gapped workflows on Enterprise | Yes | Yes |
| Machine activation limitsA license can be limited to a number of devices, enforced by the service. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| TrialsTime-limited licenses to let users try the app. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | YesVerified trials |
| Perpetual licensesLicenses that never expire. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Updates for a limited timeCustomers keep the versions released while their license was valid, after it ends. | Yes | YesCustomers keep the last version released in their period | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented |
| Customer portalA page where customers find their keys and manage their devices on their own. | Not documented | YesCustomers find their keys, free machines, cancel for a refund and manage their subscription | YesUser portal | Yes | Not documented |
| Money back guaranteeCustomers cancel a license on their own during a set period: it stops working and their payment is refunded. | Not documented | YesSet in days on each offer, refunded through your Stripe account | 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. | NoYou renew and suspend licenses from your own Stripe webhook handler, or Zapier | YesRecurring Stripe prices, valid while paid, every update included | YesRecurring Stripe prices create subscription licenses | YesRecurring billing module, extends licenses on each Stripe payment | NoYou update an expiration field from your payment processor |
| Stripe integrationLicenses are created from Stripe payments with no code on your side. | NoThrough Zapier, or your own webhook handler | YesEach Stripe payment or subscription creates a license and emails the key | Yes | Not documented | 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 | No | No |
| Built-in checkoutA hosted checkout page sold with the tool. | No | NoUses your Stripe checkout or payment links | No | No | No |
| AnalyticsDashboards of licenses, usage or revenue. | Yes | YesActive machines, versions, platforms, revenue, MRR and churn | Yes | Not documented | Not documented |
| Test modeA separate environment or sandbox to build the integration. | YesCustom environments | Yes | YesDev environments | Not documented | Not documented |
| Audit logA history of what happened to each license. | Yes | YesEvents on every license | YesFrom Business Plus | Not documented | Not documented |
| File hosting and downloadsThe vendor hosts your installers or packages. | YesDocker, npm, RubyGems, PyPI, Tauri, Electron and binaries | No | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented |
| Outgoing webhooksYour server is notified of license events. | Yes | No | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented |
| Floating licensesA pool of seats shared by several machines, checked out and released. | Yes | No | YesCloud and on-premise floating server | Yes | YesFrom the Plus plan, trials only below |
| Usage meteringLicenses that count consumption, like API credits. | Yes | No | YesFrom Business Plus | Yes | No |
| SSO for your teamSign in to the dashboard with SAML or another identity provider. | YesSAML on Ent tiers | No | Yes | YesSAML and SCIM on Enterprise | Not documented |
| Self-hostingRun the licensing server on your own infrastructure. | YesKeygen CE (free) and Keygen EE (paid) | No | No | YesLicense Server add-on, for offline environments | Not documented |
| Open sourceThe service's source code is public. | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Methodology
See also
- Keygen vs LicenseManager
- Best LicenseSpring alternatives in 2026
- Best Cryptolens alternatives in 2026
- Best LimeLM alternatives in 2026
- Best Lemon Squeezy alternatives in 2026
- Best Polar alternatives in 2026
- Best Gumroad alternatives in 2026
- Best Moonbase alternatives in 2026
- Best Anystack alternatives in 2026
See if LicenseManager fits your app
Up to 100 active licenses for free, every feature included, no credit card.