LicenseManagerCompare
Keygen vs Gumroad
How do Keygen and Gumroad differ? A factual comparison of their features, SDKs and pricing.
We build LicenseManager, mentioned at the end of this page. Prices and features come from each vendor's public pricing page and documentation, checked on 2026-10-25. Report an error.
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.
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.
Price comparison
Enter your price and monthly sales to compare Keygen, Gumroad and LicenseManager.
Monthly revenue: €2,450.
- Gumroad is 2.2x more expensive than Keygen: you'd save €195 per month with Keygen.
- Keygen is 56% more expensive than LicenseManager: you'd save €56.14 per month with LicenseManager.
- You'd save €251 per month with LicenseManager. Gumroad is 3.5x 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.
Where Keygen fits better
Offline validation
Unlike Gumroad, Keygen lets your app check a license offline.
Machine activation limits
Keygen enforces a number of devices per license, while Gumroad doesn't enforce a number of devices itself.
A flat price
With Keygen, a higher license price doesn't mean higher fees. Gumroad takes at least 10% + $0.50 per sale.
Floating licenses
Keygen supports floating licenses. Gumroad has no floating licenses.
Self-hosting
Keygen can be self-hosted. Gumroad is cloud only. Keygen CE (free) and Keygen EE (paid).
Lower cost in most cases
In 11 of 12 scenarios we computed, Keygen is the cheaper one. When 10 licenses sold per month at €99: Gumroad is 5.2x more expensive than Keygen, a difference of €109 per month.
A free plan
Keygen has a free plan with no fee on sales, up to 100 active licenses. Gumroad has no free tier without fees.
Usage metering
Keygen supports usage metering, while Gumroad has no usage metering.
More SDKs
Official Keygen SDKs exist for Go, with no Gumroad equivalent.
Gumroad's advantages
Merchant of record
Unlike Keygen, Gumroad is the merchant of record and handles sales tax and VAT.
Built-in checkout
Gumroad includes a hosted checkout, while Keygen has no checkout of its own.
Cheaper at some volumes
In 1 of 12 scenarios we computed, Gumroad is the cheaper one. For example, with 30 licenses sold a month at €19 each: Keygen is 13% more expensive than Gumroad, a difference of €12.01 per month.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Keygen | Gumroad |
|---|---|---|
| Offline validationThe app can check a license without reaching the vendor's servers, usually with a signed file or token. | Yes | NoKeys are verified with an API call |
| Machine activation limitsA license can be limited to a number of devices, enforced by the service. | Yes | NoThe verify API returns a uses count, your app enforces the limit |
| TrialsTime-limited licenses to let users try the app. | Yes | YesFree trials on memberships |
| Perpetual licensesLicenses that never expire. | Yes | Yes |
| Updates for a limited timeCustomers keep the versions released while their license was valid, after it ends. | Yes | Not documented |
| Customer portalA page where customers find their keys and manage their devices on their own. | Not documented | YesCustomers find their purchases in their library |
| 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 | NoThe verify API returns the membership's status: your app enforces it |
| Stripe integrationLicenses are created from Stripe payments with no code on your side. | NoThrough Zapier, or your own webhook handler | No |
| Merchant of recordThe vendor sells on your behalf and handles sales tax and VAT for you. | No | Yes |
| Built-in checkoutA hosted checkout page sold with the tool. | No | Yes |
| AnalyticsDashboards of licenses, usage or revenue. | Yes | Yes |
| Test modeA separate environment or sandbox to build the integration. | YesCustom environments | Not documented |
| Audit logA history of what happened to each license. | Yes | Not documented |
| File hosting and downloadsThe vendor hosts your installers or packages. | YesDocker, npm, RubyGems, PyPI, Tauri, Electron and binaries | Yes |
| Outgoing webhooksYour server is notified of license events. | Yes | YesPing notifications |
| Floating licensesA pool of seats shared by several machines, checked out and released. | Yes | No |
| Usage meteringLicenses that count consumption, like API credits. | Yes | No |
| SSO for your teamSign in to the dashboard with SAML or another identity provider. | YesSAML on Ent tiers | Not documented |
| Self-hostingRun the licensing server on your own infrastructure. | YesKeygen CE (free) and Keygen EE (paid) | No |
| Open sourceThe service's source code is public. | Yes | Yes |
SDKs compared
| Technology | Keygen | Gumroad |
|---|---|---|
| Go | keygen-goLicensing SDK | REST API |
| REST APIUsable from any language | Yes | Yes |
Plans and limits
Keygen
| Plan | Per month | Active licenses (last 90 days) | Products |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dev | $0 | 100 | 1 |
| Std 1 | $99 | 1,000 | 5 |
| Std 2 | $299 | 10,000 | Unlimited |
| Std 3 | $599 | 25,000 | Unlimited |
| Std 4 | $999 | 100,000 | Unlimited |
| Std 5 | $1,999 | 250,000 | Unlimited |
| Ent 1 | $2,999 | 250,000 | Unlimited |
| Ent 2 | $6,999 | 500,000 | Unlimited |
| Ent 3 | $9,999 | 1,000,000 | Unlimited |
- Active licensed users are licenses with API activity in the last 90 days.
- Paid tiers have soft limits.
- Keygen CE can be self-hosted for free, Keygen EE under a paid license.
- Whitelabel API domain: $995 per year per domain.
Gumroad
| Plan | Per month | Fee per sale |
|---|---|---|
| Direct sales | $0 | 10% + $0.50 |
- 10% + $0.50 on direct sales, 30% on sales from the Discover marketplace.
- Card processing (2.9% + $0.30) is charged on top of direct-sale fees.
Summary
Choose Keygen for teams that need advanced licensing models, like floating or metered licenses, or want to self-host. Choose Gumroad for creators selling small apps, plugins or assets, who want the simplest setup. On price, Keygen is the cheaper one in 11 of the 12 scenarios we computed.
What sets Keygen apart here: offline validation, machine activation limits, and a flat price.
An alternative to Keygen and Gumroad
With 50 sales a month at €49, LicenseManager costs €99.69 per month, card processing included: less than both.
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.
Stripe integration
Unlike Keygen, LicenseManager creates licenses from Stripe payments without code. Each Stripe payment or subscription creates a license and emails the key.
Subscription licenses
Unlike Keygen, LicenseManager keeps licenses valid while a subscription is paid, and stops them when it ends. Recurring Stripe prices, valid while paid, every update included.
See also
Try LicenseManager for free
Up to 100 active licenses for free, every feature included, no credit card.