Comparison · Free alternative

The free KeyAuth alternative
for license keys & HWID locking

PWF Auth gives you license keys, hardware-ID and multi-device binding, user accounts, sessions with an instant remote kill-switch, and over-the-air updates — behind one REST API, and 100% free.

Free forever No credit card HWID multi-device Official .NET NuGet Direct KeyAuth import

A free backend for licensing & auth

PWF Auth is a hosted service that handles the parts every paid app needs — issuing and validating license keys, locking them to devices, authenticating users, and shipping updates — so you don't have to build or pay for auth infrastructure. If you're evaluating KeyAuth, Cryptolens, or Keygen for a VB.NET, C#, C++, Python, Electron, or Unity app, PWF Auth is the free option built for the same job.

PWF Auth vs KeyAuth

Both do license keys, HWID locking, and user accounts. Here's where PWF Auth is different.

Capability PWF Auth KeyAuth
Price100% free, all features, foreverFree tier with limits + paid plans
License keys (expiry, ban, extend)YesYes
HWID / device lockingYesYes
Multiple devices per key (tracked)Yes, per-device trackingVaries by plan
User accounts + social loginYes (Google, Telegram)Yes
Session heartbeat + instant kill-switchYesPartial
OTA app updates / releasesYesYes
Encrypted API envelope (AES + HMAC)YesVaries
Official .NET NuGet packageYes (PWFAuth)Community examples
One-file SDKs (Py, C#, VB, C++, JS)Yes, generatedExamples
Direct CSV / KeyAuth importYes, KeyAuth preset
Self-hostingOn the roadmapSource components available

Comparison reflects PWF Auth's own capabilities and publicly available information about KeyAuth as of August 2026. Third-party features and pricing change — always verify current details on the vendor's own site.

Why developers pick PWF Auth

The reasons teams move over from a paid or limited licensing service.

Actually free

Every feature, unlimited, forever — no per-seat pricing, no per-request billing, no feature paywall. Ship your app without a licensing bill.

First-class .NET

An official PWFAuth NuGet package for .NET Framework 4.6.2+, VB.NET WinForms, and modern .NET — plus one-file SDKs for Python, C#, C++, and JavaScript.

Painless migration

A dedicated KeyAuth CSV import preset moves your existing keys over in minutes. No lock-in — export your data anytime.

Hardened by default

Encrypted API envelope (AES-256-CBC + HMAC), HWID multi-device binding, and an instant remote kill-switch that stops a revoked client within seconds.

Moving from KeyAuth is a CSV import

Three steps to bring your licenses over.

1

Export your keys

Export your existing license keys to CSV from your current system.

2

Import with the KeyAuth preset

In the PWF Auth dashboard, open your app's License Keys page, choose Import, and pick the KeyAuth preset — column mapping is handled for you.

3

Drop in the SDK

Add the PWFAuth NuGet package (or a generated one-file SDK), point it at your app, and validate keys on launch.

KeyAuth alternative — FAQ

The questions developers ask before switching.

Yes. PWF Auth is 100% free — every feature, unlimited, forever. No credit card, no trial timer, and no paid "Pro" tier. It is in public beta and run by its own developers.
Yes. PWF Auth covers the same core need — license keys, HWID locking, and user authentication for desktop and game software — and ships an official .NET NuGet package (PWFAuth) that works with .NET Framework 4.6.2+, VB.NET WinForms, and modern .NET, plus a documented REST API.
Yes. The dashboard has a bulk CSV importer with a dedicated KeyAuth preset, so you can move your keys over without rebuilding your data by hand. Export from your current system and import in a couple of clicks.
Yes. Each license can be bound to a single machine or to several machines via a max-devices limit, and every bound device is tracked independently. Users request a HWID reset from inside your app and you approve it from the dashboard.
Cryptolens and Keygen are both solid licensing services with mature APIs; Keygen even offers a self-hostable Community Edition. PWF Auth's differentiators are that it is completely free with no per-seat or per-request pricing, ships an official .NET NuGet package and one-file SDKs, encrypts its API envelope (AES-256-CBC + HMAC), and offers direct CSV migration. Evaluate each against your own requirements.
Not yet — PWF Auth is currently a hosted (cloud) service, and self-hosting is on the roadmap. If you have a serious self-hosting requirement, email [email protected].

Try the free alternative

Create a free account, generate your first keys, and integrate in an afternoon.