Compare

Two tools, side by side. Openness included.

Pick two. The table shows their rating, their Openness score and the facts behind it, each from the vendor's own pages.

Platform A

Platform B

Side by side

KeygenGet Paid & Manage Money

STOA rating

For builders

Openness

OPENNESS 5/10API 2/3 · Export 0/3 · Contract 2/2 · Integrations 1/2

Add another tool (up to 4)

Want to compare general tools, like two CRMs or two project tools? Every tool page has a Compare button, with no limit.

Neither one does what you need?

Grab a 15-minute chat. Sometimes the answer is to build the missing piece next to what you run.

Grab a 15-minute chat

Contract

Keygen says you can cancel a subscription at any time from the billing dashboard. keygen.sh, checked 10 Oct 2026 (opens in a new tab)

What it does

Software licensing and distribution API for developers selling desktop apps, on-premise software, or any product needing license keys. Handles creation, validation, device activation, and distribution via REST APIs. Free: 100 active users, 10 releases. Standard: $49/month. No revenue share.

Strengths

Free tier with 100 active users and 10 releases
Covers every common licensing model
No revenue-share — flat predictable pricing
Well-documented API praised by developers

Weaknesses

Developer-only — requires engineering to integrate
Niche — only for software needing license management
Whitelabel costs extra $995/year
Small specialized product with limited ecosystem

Key features

Every licensing model — perpetual, timed, trial, node-locked, floating, metered, feature-based
Device activation, user identity, and license validation via REST API
Distribution API for software updates via npm, PyPI, Docker, and more
Cloud or self-hosted with flat monthly pricing — no revenue percentage

STOA verdict

Keygen is best for small software companies or indie developers who sell desktop apps or on-premise software and need a reliable way to manage license keys and software distribution. The free tier handles up to 100 active users with no revenue share, and the $49/month Standard plan is straightforward pricing that won't punish you as you grow. The catch is that this is a developer-first API tool, so if you don't have coding skills or a developer on your team, you'll struggle to set it up.