Built for indie developers worldwide

License protection
done right

One API to generate, validate, and lock down license keys — hardware-bound, expiry-ready, and built to stop key sharing. Stripe payments included, no extra fees.

Start for free Read the docs
your app → LicenseForge 
# You:      generate a key in the dashboard — one click
# Buyer:    pastes the key into your app
# Your app:  asks LicenseForge before it runs:

POST /api/validate
{ "api_key": "YOURS", "license_key": "BUYER_KEY", "hwid": "MACHINE_ID" }

→ { "valid": true }   # protected. that's the whole product.
HWID Protection
Stripe Payments

How it works

Three steps, that's literally it

No PhD required. No reading 40 pages of docs. Just three things and you're protected.

1

Create a product & get your API key

Sign up, create a product (e.g. "My App"), copy your API key. Done in 2 minutes.

2

Generate license keys & sell them

Generate keys from the dashboard. Sell them on Discord, a website, wherever. Each key is unique and tamper-proof.

3

Your app checks the key at startup

One API call. LicenseForge says ✓ valid or ✗ invalid. If invalid, don't let them in. That's the whole system.

AI-first integration

Just copy a prompt and let AI do it

Pick your use case below, copy the prompt, paste it into Claude or ChatGPT. You'll have working code in under 2 minutes. No reading required.

I'm selling via a website

Node.js / Python / PHP backend

I'm building a website to sell software. When a user enters their license key, my backend needs to validate it with LicenseForge API. API: POST https://licenseforge.dev/api/validate Body: { "api_key": "YOUR_KEY", "license_key": "USER_INPUT", "hwid": "optional_machine_id" } Response: { "valid": true/false, "expiry": "...", "reason": "..." } Build me the backend route + frontend form that validates the key and shows success/error. Use [YOUR STACK].

I'm selling via Discord

discord.js or discord.py bot

I'm building a Discord bot where users type /activate <license_key> to unlock my software. Use LicenseForge API: POST https://licenseforge.dev/api/validate Body: { "api_key": "YOUR_KEY", "license_key": "USER_INPUT", "hwid": "USER_DISCORD_ID" } If valid: reply with success + assign a role called "Licensed". If invalid: reply with the reason (expired / hwid_mismatch / not found). Use discord.js v14 (or discord.py if I say so).

I have a C++ / native app

Desktop software, utilities, native apps

I have a C++ application. Add license key protection at startup using LicenseForge. API: POST https://licenseforge.dev/api/validate (JSON, no SDK needed) Body: { "api_key": "YOUR_KEY", "license_key": "USER_INPUT", "hwid": "MACHINE_ID" } Response: { "valid": true/false, "reason": "..." } Get the machine HWID from Windows registry or volume serial. Prompt user for their key on first run, save it locally. If valid=false, show the reason and exit. Use libcurl or WinHTTP.

I have a Python script or bot

Script, bot, automation tool

I have a Python script I want to protect with a license key using LicenseForge. API: POST https://licenseforge.dev/api/validate Body: { "api_key": "YOUR_KEY", "license_key": "USER_INPUT", "hwid": "MACHINE_ID" } Response: { "valid": true/false, "expiry": "...", "reason": "..." } Add this at the top of my script: ask for key on first run, save to a local file, check on every run. Get HWID from /etc/machine-id or uuid.getnode(). Exit with a message if invalid. Use the requests library.

or if you're old-school and actually read docs —

POST https://licenseforge.dev/api/validate

// Request body

{
  "api_key":     "YOUR_API_KEY",
  "license_key": "XXXX-XXXX-XXXX",
  "hwid":        "MACHINE_ID"  // optional
}

// Response

{
  "valid":   true,            // false if anything's wrong
  "expiry":  "2027-01-01T00:00:00Z",
  "reason":  null             // "expired" / "hwid_mismatch" / etc
}
Full API reference + error codes →

Features

Everything you need to ship

One API, one dashboard, full control over your licenses.

One API Call

Generate keys in the dashboard, check them from your app with a single POST to /api/validate. Works from any language.

HWID Binding

Lock licenses to a specific machine. Users can reset HWID with a configurable cooldown.

Time & Usage Licenses

Create time-based (days/lifetime) or usage-based (minutes of runtime) license types.

Multi-product

Manage multiple products under one account. Each product gets its own API key and license pool.

Stripe Payments

Accept credit and debit card payments worldwide via Stripe. Fast checkout, no extra fees, works in every country.

Customer Management

Track every customer and their licenses in one place. Revoke, reset HWID, or extend access in seconds.

Built for who?

Built for developers who'd rather ship than build auth from scratch

LicenseForge is not for big companies with engineering teams. It's for solo developers and small crews who build real software, sell it to real users, and just need the licensing to work without getting in the way.

🎮

You sell desktop software or game utilities

One key, one PC. HWID binding shuts down key sharing and refund abuse before it starts.

Used by: indie software developers

💬

You run a Discord server and sell in DMs

No website, no checkout page. Generate a key, drop it in DM, done.

Used by: Discord community sellers

🛠️

You built a tool or script people want to pay for

Skip the auth backend. One API call and your tool is protected.

Used by: indie tool & script devs

💰

You're turning your side project into income

No team, no budget, no month lost building license logic. Just start charging.

Used by: solo devs just starting to monetize

If any of these sound like you — you're exactly who we built this for.

Start free, no card needed

Pricing

Start free, scale when you grow

Simple, transparent pricing. Pay with card via Stripe. Annual billing saves 25%.

Free

Free

Forever free

  • ✓ 1 product
  • ✓ 10 active licenses
  • ✓ Full API access
Get started
Most Popular

Developer

$2.99 / mo

Billed via Stripe

  • ✓ 5 products
  • ✓ 1,000 active licenses
  • ✓ Everything in Free
  • ✓ API access
Get started

Unlimited

$4.99 / mo

Billed via Stripe

  • ✓ Unlimited products
  • ✓ Unlimited licenses
  • ✓ 25 API keys
  • ✓ Everything in Developer
Get started

Annual billing available — save 25%. All plans include API access and HWID binding.

Ready to ship your app?

Free plan gets you started in minutes. No credit card, no foreign payment required.

Create free account View documentation