Licensing Guide

Complete guide to AirShare's licensing system, including Free tier, Pro features, and license management.

License Tiers

Free Tier

AirShare is free to use with the following features:

Features

• ✅ Cross-platform file sharing
• ✅ Automatic device discovery
• ✅ Unlimited number of devices
• ✅ Transfer history (7 days retention)
• ✅ All languages supported
• ✅ Dark mode and themes
• ✅ Native notifications
• ✅ Automatic updates

Pro Tier

Upgrade to Pro for enhanced features:

Pro Features

• ✅ Unlimited transfer history retention - keep all transfer records
• ✅ Priority support - email support with faster response
• ✅ Early access - test new features before release
• ✅ Lifetime updates - all future updates included

Pro Options

Pro (1-Year)

• Annual subscription
• Manual renewal required (does not auto-renew)
• All Pro features for 12 months
• More affordable upfront

Pro (Lifetime)

• One-time purchase
• Lifetime access
• Never expires
• Best long-term value

Pricing

Visit our website for current pricing: airsharehq.github.io

Volume Discounts

Need licenses for your team or organization?

• 5-10 devices: 10% discount
• 11-25 devices: 20% discount
• 26+ devices: 30% discount

Contact sales@airshare.com for volume pricing.

Educational Discount

Students and educators get 50% off:

• Requires valid .edu email address
• Available for individual licenses only
• Contact support@airshare.com to apply

License Activation

Purchasing a License

1. Visit airsharehq.github.io
2. Choose your license type:
   • Pro (1-Year)
   • Pro (Lifetime)
3. Complete purchase
4. Receive license key via email

Activating Your License

Once you have your license key:

1. Open AirShare
2. Go to Settings → License
3. Click "Enter License Key"
4. Paste your license key
5. Click "Activate"

License Key Format

License keys look like this:

AIRSHARE-PRO-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX

• 4 groups of 4 characters
• Case-insensitive
• Copy-paste the entire key
• Don't add spaces or line breaks

Activation Issues

"Invalid License Key"

Possible causes:

1. Typo in key
   • Copy-paste the entire key from email
   • Don't type manually
   • Remove any accidental spaces
2. Key already activated
   • Each key works on one device only
   • Deactivate on other device first
   • Or purchase additional license
3. Expired key (1-year licenses)
   • Check expiration date in purchase email
   • Renew or upgrade to lifetime
4. No internet connection
   • License activation requires internet
   • Connect to internet temporarily
   • Only needed for activation, not regular use

Still having issues? Contact support@airshare.com with:

• Your license key
• Error message
• Operating system

Managing Your License

Viewing License Information

Check your license status:

1. Settings → License
2. View:
   • License type: Free, Pro (1-Year), or Pro (Lifetime)
   • Licensed to: Name on license
   • Activation date: When you activated
   • Expiration date: For 1-year licenses
   • Device ID: Unique identifier for this device

Deactivating a License

To move your license to another device:

1. Settings → License
2. Click "Deactivate License"
3. Confirm deactivation
4. License is freed for use on another device
5. This device reverts to Free tier

Transferring a License

To use your license on a different device:

1. On old device: Deactivate the license
2. Install AirShare on new device
3. On new device: Activate with your license key

Your license can be transferred unlimited times, but only one device can be activated at once.

License Renewal

1-Year License Expiration

When your 1-year Pro license expires:

1. 30 days before: Renewal reminder email
2. 7 days before: Final reminder
3. On expiration:
   • Revert to Free tier
   • Transfer history retention becomes 7 days (instead of unlimited)
   • All other features still work
   • History is preserved
   • No data is lost

Renewing

To renew your 1-year license:

Manual Renewal Only

• Visit airsharehq.github.io
• Purchase new 1-year license (repeat the purchase process)
• Or upgrade to Lifetime
• Activate new key when ready

Note: Licenses do not auto-renew - you must manually purchase and activate a new license.

Upgrading

From Free to Pro

Purchase a license anytime:

1. Visit website and purchase
2. Receive license key
3. Activate in Settings → License
4. Instantly unlock Pro features

From 1-Year to Lifetime

Already have a 1-year license? Upgrade to lifetime:

1. Email support@airshare.com with:
   • Your current license key
   • Proof of purchase
   • Request for upgrade pricing
2. Receive discounted upgrade offer
3. Pay difference between tiers
4. Receive new lifetime license key

Upgrade discount: Credit for remaining time on 1-year license

Multiple Devices

Purchasing for Multiple Devices

Each device needs its own license:

Option 1: Individual Licenses

• Purchase separate licenses
• One key per device
• Manage independently

Option 2: Bulk Licenses

• Purchase multiple licenses at once
• Volume discounts available (5+ devices)
• All keys sent in one email

License Management Dashboard (Coming Soon)

Future feature for managing multiple licenses:

• View all your licenses
• See which devices are activated
• Deactivate remotely
• Transfer licenses easily

Refund Policy

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Not satisfied? Get a full refund within 30 days:

1. Email support@airshare.com within 30 days of purchase
2. Include:
   • License key
   • Reason for refund (optional, helps us improve)
   • Proof of purchase
3. Receive refund within 5-7 business days

Conditions:

• First-time purchases only
• Within 30 days of purchase
• License must not have been abused

Partial Refunds

For 1-year licenses, partial refunds for unused time:

• Cancel within 30-60 days: 50% refund
• Cancel after 60 days: No refund (but license continues until expiration)

License Verification

How License Checks Work

During activation:

1. License key sent to activation server (HTTPS)
2. Server validates key
3. Returns license details
4. License stored locally (encrypted)

After activation:

• No internet required for daily use
• License verified locally
• Periodic check (every 30 days) for validity
• Works offline indefinitely if already activated

Privacy: Only license key and device ID are sent. No usage data or personal information.

Business & Enterprise

Team Licenses

For businesses and teams:

Included:

• Volume discounts (5+ devices)
• Bulk license keys
• Invoice billing
• Purchase orders accepted
• Priority support
• Deployment assistance

Contact: sales@airshare.com

Custom Plans

Need custom licensing?

We offer:

• Custom terms
• On-premise license server
• Offline activation
• Annual billing
• SLA agreements

Contact: enterprise@airshare.com

Open Source & Free Software

Why Not Fully Free?

AirShare is open source but not "free as in beer" for Pro features:

Free tier: Generous limits for personal use
Pro tier: Sustainable development funding

Why:

• ✅ Funds ongoing development
• ✅ Pays for infrastructure (update servers, license server)
• ✅ Enables full-time development
• ✅ No ads or tracking needed
• ✅ Better long-term support

Source Code

Despite paid Pro tier, AirShare is fully open source:

• License: Proprietary (see LICENSE file)
• Source: github.com/airsharehq/airshare
• Audit: You can verify there's no tracking or telemetry
• Contribute: Bug fixes and features welcome

You can:

• ✅ View and audit source code
• ✅ Report bugs and issues
• ✅ Contribute improvements
• ✅ Build from source for personal use

You cannot:

• ❌ Distribute modified versions
• ❌ Bypass license checks
• ❌ Use commercially without license

License FAQ

Can I share my license with someone else?

No. Licenses are:

• Non-transferable between people
• Valid for one device per license
• Personal or business use only

What happens if I reinstall AirShare?

Your license persists through reinstalls:

• License info stored separately from app
• Reinstalling doesn't affect license
• May need to reactivate if you cleared app data

Can I use my license on a virtual machine?

Yes, but:

• VM counts as a separate device
• Needs its own license
• Can't share license between host and VM

Does my license work on all platforms?

Yes! One license works on:

• ✅ Any operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux)
• ✅ But only on one device at a time

What if I lose my license key?

Email support@airshare.com with:

• Email used for purchase
• Approximate purchase date
• Any order/receipt numbers

We'll resend your license key.

Can I deactivate and reactivate repeatedly?

Yes! No limit on transfers between devices, but:

• Only one device active at a time
• Don't abuse (automation detection)

Next Steps

Ready to upgrade to Pro?