Licenz vs Paddle
Paddle is a payment platform with basic licensing. Licenz is licensing-first with enterprise features.
Choosing the right tool
Paddle and Licenz solve different problems. Here's when to use each.
Use Paddle when...
- You need a merchant of record (handle tax, VAT, compliance)
- Simple license keys are sufficient
- Your software is always online
- Payment processing is your primary need
Use Licenz when...
- You need true offline/air-gapped support
- You need floating/concurrent licenses
- You need hardware binding or machine locking
- You sell to enterprise/industrial customers
Pro tip: Many teams use Paddle for payments and Licenz for licensing. They integrate well together via webhooks.
Licensing feature comparison
| Feature | Licenz | Paddle |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing Model | Flat monthly fee | 5% + 50¢ per transaction |
| Free Tier | 50 licenses | None (pay per sale) |
| Cost at $10k/mo Revenue | $49-$199/month | $500+ in fees |
| Offline & Security | ||
| Offline Validation | ||
| Air-Gapped Deployment | ||
| Hardware Binding | ||
| Cryptographic Signatures | ||
| Open Source Client | ||
| License Types | ||
| Perpetual Licenses | ||
| Subscription Licenses | ||
| Floating / Concurrent | ||
| Feature Flags | ||
| Trial Licenses | ||
| Paddle Strengths | ||
| Merchant of Record | ||
| Tax/VAT Handling | ||
| Checkout UI | ||
Why serious software teams choose Licenz
True Offline-First
Paddle licenses require online validation. Licenz licenses work completely offline with cryptographic signatures - perfect for air-gapped environments.
2MB Rust Binary
A single static binary that works everywhere. No SDK dependencies, no runtime requirements, no installation headaches.
Open Source Security
Our client library is MIT-licensed. Security teams can audit the code, verify the cryptography, and trust it in sensitive environments.
Predictable Pricing
Flat monthly fee instead of per-transaction. At $10k/month in sales, you save hundreds compared to Paddle's 5% cut.
Use Paddle + Licenz together
Get the best of both worlds: Paddle for payments, Licenz for licensing
Customer Pays
Customer completes checkout through Paddle's payment flow
Webhook Fires
Paddle sends a webhook to your server on successful payment
License Created
Your server calls Licenz API to create a license and email the customer
Need more than basic license keys?
Start with Licenz for serious licensing. Integrate with Paddle for payments.