Flexible Software Licensing: Perpetual Use
Secure your software. Stay complient.
A perpetual license gives customers unlimited access to your software for a one-time payment. Unlike subscriptions, there are no recurring fees—making it a predictable, straightforward model for both you and your clients. It is especially well-suited for mature software products with long life cycles.
Key benefits include:
- One-time payment – Full access without ongoing charges
- Lifetime usage – Customers keep using the software indefinitely
- Customer-friendly – Ideal for clients who prefer ownership over subscriptions
Perpetual licensing provides long-term value and peace of mind—for both software vendors and their customers.
Cost Predictability
One-time payments provide immediate revenue and help maintain predictable cash flow. By eliminating the need for renewals or recurring billing, businesses reduce administrative overhead and customer frustration.
Long-Term Value
Customers appreciate unlimited access without time restrictions. This increases satisfaction, reduces churn, and results in fewer support requests about licensing.
Full Control & Simplicity
As a vendor, you retain full control over when and how licenses are upgraded. You can offer optional maintenance plans or paid feature unlocks, while keeping your licensing structure easy to manage.
Secure & transparent tracking with CodeMeter
Wibu-Systems’ CodeMeter technology makes it easy to deploy perpetual licenses securely. Licenses can be issued and stored in three flexible formats:
CmDongles – Hardware-based security for maximum protection
CmActLicenses – Software-based containers for flexible distribution.
CmCloudContainer – Online management for modern deployments.
All CodeMeter licenses are cryptographically protected and can be managed both online and offline, ensuring flexible use in any environment.
Perpetual licensing does not mean static revenue. With CodeMeter, you can combine it with flexible monetization strategies:
- Offer maintenance contracts to deliver continuous support and updates
- Introduce feature upgrades or premium modules as one-time purchases
- Build hybrid models that pair perpetual access with recurring add-ons (e.g. cloud sync, advanced analytics)
Use Cases from the field
Agfa HealthCare – Affordable Access to Digital Imaging
Agfa HealthCare, a global leader in diagnostic imaging and healthcare IT, introduced an Easy Payment Scheme for Computed Radiography (CR). This model bundles advanced imaging equipment and software into a package that eliminates upfront investment for smaller clinics and healthcare providers.
Using Wibu-Systems’ CodeMeter technology, Agfa HealthCare implemented time-based licensing on their proprietary operating system. Clients pay in regular, predictable installments, which grant temporary access to the software via encrypted license updates. This setup offers:
- Affordable digital imaging for emerging markets
- Predictable, recurring revenue for Agfa
- Maximum security and flexibility via CmDongles and CodeMeter’s license lifecycle management
The result: even cost-conscious facilities can transition from analog to digital radiography while Agfa retains full control over software access and monetization.
Ready to try?
Discover how Pay as per Use licensing can help you scale smart:
Looking for other models?
Check out: Concurrent license and Pay per use license
Or call us directly at +31 (0)74 750 14 95
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