Comparison
The Cryptolens alternative
Licence keys that lock to your customer's PC, a kill switch that closes your app within seconds, resellers with their own portal, updates and a Telegram bot. Start free with every feature open, and your customers keep the keys they already bought
- Start free
- Keys locked to a PC
- Kill switch every 30 s
- Bring your keys
What PWF Auth is
A licence server for desktop programs you sell. You make keys in the panel, your program signs in with the key the customer typed, the key locks to that PC, and every running copy checks in every 30 seconds. Ban, pause or end a key and the app closes on its next check-in. Every request and reply is encrypted, and every reply is signed by the server and checked inside your app
Seven lines in your app
C# with the PWFAuth NuGet package. Python (pwfauth), C++ work the same way, and the SDK generator writes a client for VB.NET, JavaScript, Java, Kotlin, Android, PHP and Dart
var client = new PwfClient(AppSecret);
client.SessionEnded += (s, e) => Application.Exit(); // banned, paused, expired: the app closes
PwfResponse login = await client.LoginAsync(licenseKey);
if (!login.Success) { ShowError(login.Message); return; }
client.StartHeartbeat(); // checks in every 30 seconds
PWF Auth vs Cryptolens
| Capability | PWF Auth | Cryptolens |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Start free, every feature open today | Paid plans |
| Hosting | Run for you, nothing to set up | Cloud service |
| Licence keys with an expiry | Days, months or lifetime | Yes |
| Lock a key to machines | Up to 100 PCs per key; moves approved by you or self-service | Machine codes |
| Live check-ins with a kill switch | Every 30 s; a ban closes the app | See its docs |
| Username and password accounts | With sign-up, keys added to accounts | See its docs |
| Client libraries | C#, VB.NET, Python, C++, plus a generator | .NET and other languages |
| Extra data per key | Texts per key, slides per app | Data objects |
| Resellers with their own portal | Credits, own prices, own portal | See its docs |
| Bot for your buyers | A Telegram bot per app | See its docs |
PWF Auth's column is what it does today. Cryptolens's column is limited to widely known, public facts as of October 2026; plans and features change, so check Cryptolens's own site for its current offer. Cryptolens is a trademark of its owner; PWF Auth is not affiliated with it
Why developers pick PWF Auth
- Every feature open todayKeys, customer accounts, resellers, updates, texts and the Telegram bot are open to every account today. Paid plans will come later, and you will hear about them well in advance
- A kill switch that really closes the appEvery copy checks in every 30 seconds. Refund, chargeback or a key posted in a group: ban it and the app closes on that PC, with your own message
- Replies nobody can fakeRequests and replies are encrypted with AES-256 and HMAC, and every reply carries the server's RSA signature, checked inside your app. An emulated server is refused
- Resellers with their own portalGive resellers credits and their own prices; they make keys in their own portal, and you see every sale
- Telegram, built inApprove sign-ins from your phone, get alerts, and give each app its own bot where buyers claim keys and your team manages them
- Ready for your languageNuGet PWFAuth for C# and VB.NET, pwfauth on PyPI, a C++ client, and an SDK generator for JavaScript, Java, Kotlin, Android, PHP and Dart
Moving over from Cryptolens
Your customers keep the keys they bought. Most apps move in an afternoon
- Create your appMake an account, add your application and copy its secret
- Bring your keysIn Licences → Import, paste the keys your customers already have, one per line, in any format. Pick their length and how many PCs each may use; each key starts on its next sign-in
- Swap the libraryReplace the Cryptolens calls with
LoginAsync(key)andStartHeartbeat(), and close the app inSessionEnded. See Getting started. - Ship the updatePublish the new build in Updates and make it required, so older builds ask for it
Cryptolens alternative: questions
How much does PWF Auth cost?
Nothing to start. Licence keys, customer accounts, resellers, updates, texts and slides and the Telegram bot are open to every account today. Paid plans will come later, and you will hear about them well in advance
Can my customers keep their Cryptolens keys?
Yes. Import them in Licences, one per line, in any format. Each key gets the length and number of PCs you choose and locks to the PC that signs in with it next
Do I have to change my program?
Yes, the licence calls: replace the Cryptolens library with PWF Auth's. It is usually a few lines: sign in with the key, start the heartbeat and close the app when the session ends
Which languages does PWF Auth support?
C# and VB.NET with the PWFAuth NuGet package, Python with the pwfauth package and C++ with its client. The SDK generator in the panel writes a ready client for JavaScript, Java, Kotlin, Android, PHP and Dart too
What happens when I ban a key while the app is open?
The app checks in every 30 seconds. The next check-in is refused, the SDK raises the session-ended event and your app closes with your message
Can one key run on several machines?
Only if you allow it: a key locks to the first PC and you can allow up to 100 per key. A customer who changes PC asks for a reset from your app, and you approve it or let it happen on its own
Does it work without internet?
PWF Auth checks keys online: the app signs in when it starts and checks in every 30 seconds, keeps running through three missed check-ins, then closes. It is made for programs that run online
Try it with your app today
Start free: your first app and its keys in a few minutes. Questions? Ask us on Telegram