macOS Software Authorization Scheme - what are the options?

[toddburch]

I've been around software for 27 years, but have never primarily dealt with the licensing / user key / password / authorization processes for protected software.

For people who purchase my commercial app, I want to allow a trial process (with limited functionality and a trial period), and then if they purchase, I want to give them a key / password to turn the product on. Nothing new under the sun here.

So, what are the options I have? Perhaps there is a software company that sells code that does this? Where would one look for the essential aspects of this type of scheme?

Thanks, Todd

 

[kainjow]

Try AquaticPrime. It handles licenses, but for anything time-based trial period, you're on your own (not hard to create).

Kagi provides purchasing and license key generating. I used them for several years.

 

[Krevnik]

Try AquaticPrime. It handles licenses, but for anything time-based trial period, you're on your own (not hard to create).

Kagi provides purchasing and license key generating. I used them for several years.

Honestly? I like AquaticPrime. If you have a web host that can handle server-side scripting, you can integrate with a sales cart, PayPal, etc. If you really want, you can also use AquaticPrime with Kagi (Kagi helps integrate custom license key generators into their sales system).

And you have some level of certainty that a license key is a license key unless someone reverse engineers part of your app.