LicenseManagerCryptolens alternative
Cryptolens vs LicenseManager
Cryptolens and LicenseManager both issue license keys. This page compares them with the data each vendor publishes.
This page is written by the LicenseManager team. Prices and features come from each vendor's public pricing page and documentation, checked on 2026-10-25. Report an error.
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.
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.
Compare the cost
Monthly cost of Cryptolens and LicenseManager for your sales, from their published prices.
That's €570 of sales per month.
- Cryptolens is 6.4x more expensive than LicenseManager: you'd save €270 per month with LicenseManager.
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.
What LicenseManager does differently
Lower price
LicenseManager is cheaper than Cryptolens in each of the 12 scenarios we computed. For example, with 10 licenses sold per month at €19: Cryptolens is 43.6x more expensive than LicenseManager: you'd save €299 per month with LicenseManager.
Official SDKs
Official LicenseManager SDKs exist for Electron, Tauri, Swift, Ruby, and PHP, with no Cryptolens equivalent.
More room on the free plan
LicenseManager's free plan allows 100 active licenses, Cryptolens's 10 active licenses.
Lower entry price
LicenseManager's paid plans start at €29 per month, Cryptolens's at €299.
Where Cryptolens fits better
Floating licenses
Cryptolens supports floating licenses, while LicenseManager has no floating licenses.
Self-hosting
Unlike LicenseManager, Cryptolens can be self-hosted. License Server add-on, for offline environments.
Other features
Unlike LicenseManager, Cryptolens also offers usage metering and sso for your team.
More SDKs
Cryptolens has official SDKs for C++, which LicenseManager doesn't.
Feature by feature
"Not documented" means we couldn't find it in the vendor's public documentation.
| Feature | LicenseManager | Cryptolens |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Machine activation limitsA license can be limited to a number of devices, enforced by the service. | Yes | Yes |
| TrialsTime-limited licenses to let users try the app. | Yes | Yes |
| Perpetual licensesLicenses that never expire. | 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 |
| 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 | Yes |
| 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 |
| 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 billing module, extends licenses on each Stripe payment |
| 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 | Not documented |
| Merchant of recordThe vendor sells on your behalf and handles sales tax and VAT for you. | No | No |
| Built-in checkoutA hosted checkout page sold with the tool. | NoUses your Stripe checkout or payment links | No |
| AnalyticsDashboards of licenses, usage or revenue. | YesActive machines, versions, platforms, revenue, MRR and churn | Not documented |
| Test modeA separate environment or sandbox to build the integration. | Yes | Not documented |
| Audit logA history of what happened to each license. | YesEvents on every license | Not documented |
| File hosting and downloadsThe vendor hosts your installers or packages. | No | Not documented |
| Outgoing webhooksYour server is notified of license events. | No | Not documented |
| Floating licensesA pool of seats shared by several machines, checked out and released. | No | Yes |
| Usage meteringLicenses that count consumption, like API credits. | No | Yes |
| SSO for your teamSign in to the dashboard with SAML or another identity provider. | No | YesSAML and SCIM on Enterprise |
| Self-hostingRun the licensing server on your own infrastructure. | No | YesLicense Server add-on, for offline environments |
| Open sourceThe service's source code is public. | No | No |
Supported languages
Licensing SDKs handle validation in your app. API clients wrap the REST API.
| Technology | LicenseManager | Cryptolens |
|---|---|---|
| Electron | @licenseman/electronLicensing SDK | Through Node.js SDK |
| JavaScript | TypeScript SDKAPI client | Node.js SDKLicensing SDK |
| Python | Python SDKAPI client | Python SDKLicensing SDK |
| Go | Go SDKAPI client | Go SDKLicensing SDK |
| Java | Java SDKAPI client | Java SDKLicensing SDK |
| C# (.NET) | C# SDKAPI client | .NET SDKLicensing SDK |
| PHP | PHP SDKAPI client | REST API |
| Ruby | Ruby SDKAPI client | REST API |
| C++ | REST API | C++ SDKLicensing SDK |
| Swift | licensemanager-swiftLicensing SDK | REST API |
| Tauri | tauri-plugin-licensemanagerLicensing SDK | REST API |
| REST APIUsable from any language | YesWith an OpenAPI document | Yes |
Every plan
LicenseManager
| Plan | Per month | Active licenses (last 90 days) | API requests / month | Products |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | €0 | 100 | 10,000 | 3 |
| Startup | €29 | 1,000 | 100,000 | 10 |
| Standard | €99 | 5,000 | 1,000,000 | Unlimited |
| Custom | Custom | Unlimited | Unlimited | - |
- Every feature is on every plan, plans only differ by their limits.
- No fee on sales: payments go to your own Stripe account.
- Over a limit, a 7-day grace period starts and the app keeps working.
Cryptolens
| Plan | Per month | Active licenses | API requests / month | Products |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | €0 | 10 | - | Unlimited |
| Business | €299 | 5,000 | 250,000 | Unlimited |
| Scale | €699 | 10,000 | 1,000,000 | Unlimited |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited | Unlimited | - |
- Data is stored in the EU on every plan.
- License Server, Reseller Portal and Migration Support are paid add-ons.
Which one to choose
LicenseManager suits indie developers and small teams selling desktop apps with Stripe, who want licensing without building a backend. Choose Cryptolens for companies that need EU data residency, a reseller portal or on-premise license servers. In 12 of 12 price scenarios, LicenseManager costs less than Cryptolens.
What sets LicenseManager apart here: lower price, official SDKs, and more room on the free plan.
See also
Start with LicenseManager's free plan
The Free plan includes every feature, for up to 100 active licenses. No credit card needed.