The free Keygen alternative
a licensing API that stays free
One REST API for license keys, hardware-ID and multi-device binding, user accounts, sessions with an instant remote kill-switch, and over-the-air update delivery — with no usage tier to outgrow.
A licensing API with no usage ceiling
Keygen is a well-built, developer-first licensing and distribution API with a self-hostable edition — a genuinely good product. PWF Auth targets the same job for teams whose deciding factor is cost: license issuing and validation, machine binding, user auth, and update delivery, free at every volume. If you like Keygen's shape but not the idea of a bill that tracks your growth, this is the comparison you're here for.
PWF Auth vs Keygen
Both are REST-first licensing APIs. Here is where they differ — including the row where Keygen is ahead.
| Capability | PWF Auth | Keygen |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 100% free, all features, forever | Paid plans; free tier for evaluation |
| Cost as your volume grows | Stays free | Scales with plan/usage |
| REST API | Yes, fully documented | Yes |
| License keys (expiry, ban, extend) | Yes | Yes |
| HWID / machine activation | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple devices per key (tracked) | Yes, per-device tracking | Yes |
| Self-hosting | On the roadmap | Yes, self-hostable edition |
| User accounts + social login | Yes (Google, Telegram) | See vendor |
| Session heartbeat + instant kill-switch | Yes, revoked clients stop in seconds | See vendor |
| OTA app updates / releases | Yes, built in | Yes, distribution API |
| Encrypted API envelope (AES + HMAC) | Yes | Signed responses |
| Official .NET package | Yes (PWFAuth on NuGet) | Community libraries |
| One-file SDKs (Py, C#, VB, C++, JS) | Yes, generated in-dashboard | Examples |
| CSV import / export, no lock-in | Yes, both directions | See vendor |
Comparison reflects PWF Auth's own capabilities and publicly available information about Keygen 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.
No tier to outgrow
Every feature, unlimited, forever. No per-activation billing, no request quota, no plan upgrade the month a product does well.
REST-first
A documented HTTP API with an optional AES-256-CBC + HMAC-SHA256 encrypted envelope. Call it from Node, Go, Rust, PHP, Electron, Unity — anything that speaks HTTP. See the API reference.
Official .NET package
PWFAuth on NuGet targets netstandard2.0 and net8.0, so .NET Framework 4.6.2+, VB.NET WinForms, and modern .NET all work from the same package.
Updates in the box
Publish versioned builds per app and let clients check and download them through the same API — no separate distribution service to wire up.
Moving from Keygen
Three steps, no rebuild.
Export your licenses
Pull your existing licenses out to CSV from your current system.
Import in bulk
In PWF Auth, open your app's License Keys page and choose Import. Map your columns once and the whole file lands in a single pass.
Point the client at PWF Auth
Add the PWFAuth NuGet package, a generated one-file SDK, or call the REST API directly — then validate on launch and send heartbeats.
Keygen alternative — FAQ
The questions developers ask before switching.
Try the free alternative
Create a free account, generate your first keys, and integrate in an afternoon.
Also compare: PWF Auth vs KeyAuth · PWF Auth vs Cryptolens · License keys for .NET