9+ Best Software License Management Tools

Most business organizations today are seen to rely on one or multiple software applications to automate different types of operations, boost productivity, and drive growth. But for developers, managing licenses for these tools is a daunting task.

The problem is acute for organizations that want to scale up their user base and release more new software. Software license management tools can make this process easy for you as they empower you to navigate the complicated department of software licensing.

You will find countless software license managers online. But which one is to choose? In this article, we’ll introduce you to some of the best software license management tools so you can shortlist your research and choose the right one for your products. Get started!

What Is a Software License Manager?

Software license managers help you prevent software piracy and enable buyers to comply with software licensing agreements. There are two types of license managers.

The first type is designed specifically for software developers. It enables developers to protect their software from piracy and control how customers use it. With this tool, they can generate license keys and offer trial versions with limited functionality for a specific period.

The second type is the software asset management (SAM) tool. This type is used by buyers to keep track of the software they have purchased. They help manage and monitor software installations, licenses, compliance, renewals, and expirations.

What You Can Do with License Management Software

Having a license management software could undoubtedly become a crucial factor for organizations doing software business. Let’s take a look at the things you can do with license management software.

• Track and manage software licenses
• Monitor license usage and ensure compliance
• Generate and manage license keys
• Control and enforce license restrictions
• Automate license renewals and expirations
• Provide reporting and analytics on license usage
• Secure software against unauthorized use
• Streamline software deployment and updates
• Support different licensing models (subscription, floating, etc.).
• Integrate with other software management systems

Best Software License Management Tools

In this section, we will introduce you to some of the best software license management tools. We’ll cover a brief description of them and list all the key features. Let’s explore.

1. Appsero

Appsero is a feature-rich WordPress tool by which developers can manage and deploy their WordPress themes and plugins. Its comprehensive set of features and seamless integrations simplify the process of plugin development, management, and growing user base.

Appsero has a centralized dashboard that serves as a control center for all plugin-related activities. From this intuitive dashboard, developers can effortlessly manage their plugins, themes, and real-time reports about their product performance. This information helps developers make data-driven decisions.

One of the key features of Appsero is its seamless integration with popular version control platforms like GitHub, Bitbucket, and GitLab. This integration enables developers to effortlessly sync their code repositories with Appsero, ensuring that every update and release is automatically tracked and managed.

Key features of Appsero:

• Provides a killer analytic to check theme and plugin performances
• Automatic update deployment to GitHub, Bitbucket, and Gitlab
• Licensing management for premium WordPress plugins and themes
• Integration with marketing and CRM platforms like Mailchimp and HubSpot
• Seamless deployment of updates and releases
• Automation of tasks such as license renewals and expirations.
• Support for different licensing models (subscription, floating, etc.)
• Secure protection against unauthorized use and piracy
• Integration with eCommerce platforms like WooCommerce and Easy Digital Downloads
• Documentation and support resources are available for users

2. Freemius

Freemius is a comprehensive software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution designed to help WordPress plugin and theme developers monetize, market, and maintain their products efficiently and effectively. It provides a suite of tools that handle various aspects of a business operation such as billing, subscriptions, software licensing, and analytics.

Freemius is particularly valuable for developers looking to transition from project-based income to a more stable, subscription-based business model. Freemius places a strong emphasis on security and compliance, ensuring that all data handled through its platform is protected according to industry standards.

This includes compliance with GDPR for European customers, offering both users and developers peace of mind regarding data privacy and security.

Key features of Freemius:

• A centralized dashboard to track information like products purchased, payment information, order history, etc.
• Integration with WooCommerce and Easy Digital Downloads to sell plugins and themes
• Flexible licensing system supporting free, trial, freemium, and paid versions of products
• Automatic software updates allow customers to receive the latest features and bug fixes
• Advanced analytics and user insights to track behavior, engagement, and conversion rates
• User management tools for license management, refunds, and communication with customers
• Support for affiliate programs to onboard and manage affiliates
• Integration with marketing platforms like Mailchimp for user synchronization
• Version deployment options are available for premium and free versions of products

3. Zluri

Zluri is a powerful SaaS management platform. It comes with the ability to effectively manage software licenses. It provides complete control over the software assets and licenses of your organization so you don’t have to depend on any shadow IT.

With the tool, you can track your software licenses. You can monitor their software inventory, meaning who is using your software right now, the types of licenses, the quantity of software that has been sold so far, and the cost associated with it.

Zluri has made license renewals so simple with its Renewal Calendar feature. It provides timely reminders so users pay their due within the assigned dates. This saves users from facing any disruption.

Key features of Zluri:

• Uses five methods to find all the software licenses you have issued so far
• Has integrations with over 800 different tools
• The Renewal Calendar reminds users when it’s time to make the next payment
• Keeps a record of important contract information and files
• Allows you to monitor software usage and handle renewals from the same dashboard
• Provides real-time analytics for comprehensive reporting
• Offers a pre-built database of popular vendor apps

4. AWS License Manager

AWS License Manager is a part of the prominent Amazon Web Services (AWS). It enables developers and software companies to manage and optimize their licenses in both cloud and on-premises environments. Its automation feature facilitates license discovery, tracking, reporting, and more.

By tracking and monitoring software licenses, you can optimize your software spending. AWS License Manager helps you save costs by maximizing the use of licenses, enforcing license usage limits, and blocking new launches to prevent noncompliance.

AWS License Manager integrates with other AWS services like Amazon RDS. It enables you to gain visibility into vCPU usage for RDS instances. This integration enhances license management capabilities and provides a holistic view of license consumption.

Key features of AWS License Manager:

• Provides a centralized dashboard for license management
• Easy to limit non-compliance proactively
• Automate discovery of existing licenses
• Manage user-based license subscriptions
• Built-in AWS integration
• Allows a dashboard to track usage
• Set soft and hard limits to license usage

5. FlexNet Manager

FlexNet Manager is a software license management tool developed by Flexera Software. Although it may not be specifically targeted towards developers, it can be helpful for both developers and users in different ways. It guides you as a user in understanding the number of licenses or packages you can purchase for your organization.

For developers, FlexNet Manager can provide insights into software usage patterns and license utilization. This information can help developers understand how their software is being utilized by end users and identify areas for optimization.

Key features of FlexNet Manager:

• Manage a variety of different license models
• Has an extensive library of 45,000 applications
• Includes built-in tools for asset lifecycle management
• Covers advanced algorithm for license reconciliation
• Provides the connection of organizational, contractual, and inventory to understand software usage
• Manage contracts and vendor relationships strategically to improve business outcomes

6. Snow License Manager

Snow License Manager is equally helpful both for developers and users. For users, Snow License Manager helps you and organizations ensure compliance with licensing rules. It monitors software usage and alerts you to potential violations, providing proactive notifications and detailed compliance reports.

This feature helps organizations avoid overspending on software entitlements and stay on top of licensing agreements. For developers, Snow License Manager offers automated software inventory capabilities. It eliminates the need for manual tracking and guesswork.

This feature eases the software management process and provides a comprehensive view of the software from the developers’ perspective.

Key features of Snow License Manager:

• Provides a unified and consolidated view of all software assets across your network
• Centralized management of multiple software and devices
• Shows unused portions of your software so you can use them
• Keeps you on top of compliance by alternating if there are any potential violation
• Provides insights into vendor contracts, maintenance agreements, and renewal dates
• Has a granular cost allocation system for accurate expense tracking

7. LicenseSpring Fulfillment

LicenseSpring Fulfillment is designed to simplify the process of generating license keys and subscription opportunities for Shopify apps. It focuses on providing authorization and piracy protection for Shopify applications.

This is originally developed by Chromatic Wave Software. Although it’s a new Shopify license managing tool, we sense it will have a good user base in the near future. After thorough exploration, we have come to understand that its features are super cool.

Key features of LicenseSpring Fulfillment:

• Fully integrated with Shopify Admin
• Offers user-based pricing, no monthly fees
• Has integrations with various Shopify apps
• Easy to configure validity period for app licenses
• Provides APIs for developers

8. Quick License Manager by Soraco

Quick License Manager by Soraco Technologies is a feature-rich software license management tool designed specifically for small enterprises. Its license keys are tied to individual computers and mobile devices.

Thus, this license manager ensures that only authorized users can access your software. With this facility, you can easily generate time-limited trial license keys so only potential customers can explore your software asset before making a purchase.

The tool also offers a fully automated workflow for subscription-based products, simplifying the license management process and creating seamless user experiences.

Key features of Quick License Manager by Soraco Technologies:

• Secure symmetric license keys
• Allows generating time-limited trial license keys
• Creates fully automated workflow for subscription-based products
• Easy to manage online and offline license activation
• Application analytics for data gathering

9. Reprise License Manager by Reprise Software

Reprise License Manager (RLM) is an enterprise-class license manager. It provides a user-friendly interface that simplifies the management of licenses. Users can navigate through the dashboard, generate reports, and make informed decisions about their licensing strategies.

It has seamless integration with numerous popular software applications. This integration enables a team to work efficiently while maintaining license compliance. This ensures that they can utilize the software tools they need without violating licensing agreements.

Key features of Reprise License Manager:

• User-friendly interface for license management
• Seamless integration with popular software
• License usage tracking for insights and optimization
• License compliance automation
• Effortless activation and deactivation of licenses
• Customizable license policies
• Automated notifications for license-related events.

10. License Dashboard

License Dashboard is a promising software asset management tool. It enables organizations to effectively manage their software licenses with its advanced license automation capabilities by which you can maximize your investments in software.

It provides insights into your license usage and identifies the portions of your purchased software that are still unused. Plus, it provides non-compliance alerts, so you don’t have to overpay. Like all the other tools described above, this one also has integrations with many useful tools and applications.

Key features of the License Dashboard:

• Advanced licensing automation for workflow management
• Optimization of software investments can save your software spending
• License usage tracking to optimize software investments
• Automated compliance checks to ensure you are following all agreements
• Renewal alerts to stay on top of license renewals

You can also check this comparison: 5 Best WordPress Software License Managers.

How to Choose the Best Software License Management Tool

By now, you have been introduced to numerous software license management tools. But which one to choose? Below, we have explained a set of factors you need to consider when choosing the best software license management tool to manage your digital asset.

1. Automate License Requests, Approvals, and Cancellations

Look for a tool that can automate the process of requesting new licenses, getting them approved, and canceling them when needed.

2. Legal Protections

Consider a license management solution that includes features to automatically uninstall or block unlicensed software, which can help prevent legal issues.

3. Integration Capabilities

Check if the software license management tool can smoothly integrate with your existing IT infrastructure, like ERP, asset management tools, and software deployment platforms.

4. Support and Updates

Find a software license management tool that offers reliable support and regular updates. It ensures that your digital assets remain effective and up-to-date.

5. Cost

Evaluate the cost of the license management solution. Compare it with the value it provides to your organization.

Final Notes

Choosing the right software license management tool is crucial for any organization to manage its digital assets and ensure compliance effectively but you need to follow the best practices as well. With a comprehensive license management tool, you can mitigate legal risks, avoid unnecessary expenses, and optimize your software licensing strategies.

The software license management tool you choose should be adaptable to your organization’s needs, integrate seamlessly with existing systems, and provide user-friendly features and functionalities. You will find all these criteria met with the tools covered above.

Let’s now explore and choose the tool from above that suits your needs, and don’t forget to let us know your decision in the comment box below.