LicenseManagerLimeLM alternatives
Best LimeLM alternatives in 2026
Looking for something other than LimeLM? Here are 9 tools, and how each one differs from it.
We build LicenseManager, listed first. The others are ranked by how close they are to LimeLM. Prices and features come from each vendor's public pricing page and documentation, checked on 2026-10-25. Report an error.
Why look for an alternative to LimeLM
- Plans count every activation ever made, not only active ones
- The free plan allows 10 activations
- Ships a native library with your app
When LimeLM is still a good choice
- Native libraries for Windows, macOS, Linux and BSD
- Guides for C, C++, C#, Delphi, Go, Java, Node.js, Python and more
- Paid plans from $17 per month
- Verified trials and floating licenses
9 alternatives to 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.
Compared with LimeLM:
- Cheaper at every volume we tested. LicenseManager costs less than LimeLM in all 12 scenarios we computed. With 10 licenses sold per month at €19: LimeLM is 3.1x more expensive than LicenseManager, a difference of €14.62 per month.
- Official SDKs. For Tauri, Swift, Ruby, and PHP, LicenseManager has an official SDK and LimeLM doesn't.
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.
What it does better than LimeLM:
- SDK coverage. For Unity, Swift, and Android, LicenseSpring has an official SDK and LimeLM doesn't.
- Subscription licenses. Unlike LimeLM, LicenseSpring keeps licenses valid while a subscription is paid, and stops them when it ends. Recurring Stripe prices create subscription licenses.
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.
Compared with LimeLM:
- Subscription licenses. Cryptolens keeps licenses valid while a subscription is paid, and stops them when it ends, while LimeLM leaves renewing licenses with subscription payments to your own code. Recurring billing module, extends licenses on each Stripe payment.
- Usage metering. Unlike LimeLM, Cryptolens supports usage metering.
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.
Compared with LimeLM:
- More room on the free plan. On the free plans, Keygen allows 100 active licenses and LimeLM 10 activations.
- Inactive customers are free. Keygen's plans count licenses used in the last 90 days. LimeLM's count every activation ever made, used or not.
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.
What it does better than LimeLM:
- Merchant of record. Unlike LimeLM, Moonbase is the merchant of record and handles sales tax and VAT.
- Subscription licenses. Unlike LimeLM, Moonbase keeps licenses valid while a subscription is paid, and stops them when it ends. Recurring price variations, with a grace period on failed payments.
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.
Over LimeLM:
- More SDKs. Official Anystack SDKs exist for PHP, WordPress, Ruby, and Tauri, with no LimeLM equivalent.
- Built-in checkout. Unlike LimeLM, Anystack includes a hosted checkout.
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.
Over LimeLM:
- Merchant of record. Polar is the merchant of record and handles sales tax and VAT, while LimeLM leaves sales tax and VAT to you.
- Subscription licenses. Unlike LimeLM, Polar keeps licenses valid while a subscription is paid, and stops them when it ends. License keys revoked when the subscription ends.
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.
What it does better than LimeLM:
- Merchant of record. Lemon Squeezy is the merchant of record and handles sales tax and VAT. LimeLM leaves sales tax and VAT to you.
- Subscription licenses. Unlike LimeLM, Lemon Squeezy keeps licenses valid while a subscription is paid, and stops them when it ends. Keys stay active while the subscription is, and expire with it.
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.
Over LimeLM:
- Merchant of record. Gumroad is the merchant of record and handles sales tax and VAT, while LimeLM leaves sales tax and VAT to you.
- Built-in checkout. Gumroad includes a hosted checkout. LimeLM has no checkout of its own.
Compare the cost
Monthly cost of LimeLM and its alternatives for your sales, with the cheapest plan that fits.
Monthly revenue: €570.
- With LicenseManager, you'd pay €11.42 less per month: LimeLM is 23% 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.
Pricing compared
| Tool | Free tier | Paid plans from | Fee per sale | Billed on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LimeLM | Up to 10 activations in total | $17 / month | None | Total activations |
| 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 |
| Keygen | Up to 100 active licenses | $99 / month | None | Licenses active in the last 90 days |
| Moonbase | No monthly fee, 5% + €1 per sale | - | 5% + €1 | Sales only |
| Anystack | No monthly fee, 15% per sale | $39 / month | 4% to 15% | Active licenses |
| 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 |
| Gumroad | No monthly fee, 10% + $0.50 per sale | - | 10% + $0.50 | Sales only |
Feature comparison
LimeLM and the 4 closest alternatives.
| Feature | LimeLM | LicenseManager | LicenseSpring | Cryptolens | Keygen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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. | YesVerified trials | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 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. | Not documented | YesCustomers keep the last version released in their period | Not documented | Not documented | Yes |
| 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 update an expiration field from your payment processor | 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 renew and suspend licenses from your own Stripe webhook handler, or Zapier |
| Stripe integrationLicenses are created from Stripe payments with no code on your side. | YesAlso PayPal, FastSpring, Skrill and authorize.net | YesEach Stripe payment or subscription creates a license and emails the key | Yes | Not documented | NoThrough Zapier, or your own webhook handler |
| 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. | Not documented | YesActive machines, versions, platforms, revenue, MRR and churn | Yes | Not documented | Yes |
| Test modeA separate environment or sandbox to build the integration. | Not documented | Yes | YesDev environments | Not documented | YesCustom environments |
| Audit logA history of what happened to each license. | Not documented | YesEvents on every license | YesFrom Business Plus | Not documented | Yes |
| File hosting and downloadsThe vendor hosts your installers or packages. | Not documented | No | Not documented | Not documented | YesDocker, npm, RubyGems, PyPI, Tauri, Electron and binaries |
| Outgoing webhooksYour server is notified of license events. | Not documented | No | Not documented | Not documented | Yes |
| Floating licensesA pool of seats shared by several machines, checked out and released. | YesFrom the Plus plan, trials only below | No | YesCloud and on-premise floating server | Yes | Yes |
| Usage meteringLicenses that count consumption, like API credits. | No | No | YesFrom Business Plus | Yes | Yes |
| SSO for your teamSign in to the dashboard with SAML or another identity provider. | Not documented | No | Yes | YesSAML and SCIM on Enterprise | YesSAML on Ent tiers |
| Self-hostingRun the licensing server on your own infrastructure. | Not documented | No | No | YesLicense Server add-on, for offline environments | YesKeygen CE (free) and Keygen EE (paid) |
| Open sourceThe service's source code is public. | No | No | No | No | Yes |
About this list
See also
- LimeLM vs LicenseManager
- Best Keygen alternatives in 2026
- Best LicenseSpring alternatives in 2026
- Best Cryptolens 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
Start with LicenseManager's free plan
The Free plan includes every feature, for up to 100 active licenses. No credit card needed.