LicenseSpring provides licensing infrastructure purpose-built for the constraints of embedded systems and IoT devices, including lightweight footprint, compatibility with non-standard operating environments including RTOS and ARM-based processors, and robust offline support for deployments where connectivity is unreliable, intermittent, or nonexistent.
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Developer-first APIs & SDKsEmbedded and IoT platforms require licensing models that work under real-world constraints, including limited connectivity, distributed device fleets, and environments where software-only protection may not be sufficient. LicenseSpring supports multiple licensing models designed for these conditions.
Industrial IoT controllers and PLCs
Connected hardware products
Embedded software systems with fixed device identities
Device fingerprinting and hardware ID binding
Secure device activation tracking
Local license checks with no ongoing connectivity requirement
Industrial facilities with multiple deployed devices sharing a license pool
Manufacturing and automation environments with internal networks
Any deployment where per-device licensing is impractical at scale
On-premises floating license server deployment
Local license check-in / check-out with no internet dependency
Concurrent instance control across device fleets
High availability clustering for critical environments
Industrial control systems and high-value manufacturing equipment
Defense, government, and regulated environments
Any deployment where software-only binding is insufficient
Hardware key authentication as the unique persistent device identifier
Cryptographic license validation tied to physical key presence
Compatible with LicenseSpring SDKs and the floating license server
Self-provisioned using off-the-shelf YubiKeys
Connected IoT platforms where software features are delivered and updated on a recurring basis
Hardware vendors offering tiered service plans with different feature sets or update entitlements per subscription level
Industrial software deployed on intermittently connected devices where time-based access control is commercially appropriate
Vendors transitioning from perpetual hardware-software bundles toward recurring revenue models without requiring devices to maintain a persistent cloud connection
Automatic license expiration and renewal tracking
Subscription tier management
Local license validation after activation (no ongoing connectivity required)
IoT platforms where usage varies significantly between deployments or customers
Industrial and embedded systems that process variable volumes of data, events, or compute cycles
Vendors moving from fixed-price hardware-software bundles toward usage-aligned commercial models
Usage metering tied to specific device operations or events
Local consumption caching for offline and intermittently connected environments
Sync with LicenseSpring platform when connectivity is restored
Configurable soft and hard consumption limits with overage rules
Automatic usage period resets on a defined schedule
IoT platforms with modular feature sets sold at different price points
Hardware vendors that ship a single firmware image and unlock capabilities per customer entitlement
Industrial equipment where premium functions (advanced analytics, remote diagnostics, additional I/O support) are sold separately from the base product
Enable or disable individual features per device license without redeployment or firmware changes
Independent expiry dates per feature, allowing time-limited capability unlocks or promotional access
Consumption-based metering at the feature level for usage-variable operations
Enforced locally via the LicenseSpring SDK, with no cloud connectivity required at runtime
Industrial and embedded vendors running structured proof-of-concept evaluations at customer sites
Hardware manufacturers offering evaluation units with time-limited software access
Vendors providing feature-restricted demo modes on deployed devices before purchase
Automated trial generation via SDK or Management API
Fixed expiration date or activation-based trial period starting from first device activation
Feature-restricted evaluation mode that demonstrates value without exposing full production capabilities
Seamless conversion to a full production license with no firmware change or device reinstallation required
Long-lifecycle industrial systems, PLCs, and embedded controllers where software must remain operational for 10 to 20 years or more
Defense and government procurement where perpetual ownership is a contractual requirement
Hardware-software bundles sold as a one-time capital purchase
Licenses that never expire, enforced locally with no cloud dependency at runtime
Configurable maintenance windows that gate access to firmware updates and new feature versions independently of license validity
Compatible with hardware key licensing for the strongest possible device binding in perpetual deployments
Supports hybrid models that layer optional subscription-based maintenance renewals on top of a perpetual base license
Connectivity in embedded and IoT environments ranges from intermittent to nonexistent. LicenseSpring supports three distinct activation and validation models to match the actual connectivity constraints of each deployment, and once a license is activated by any method, the SDK can be configured to perform all subsequent checks locally.
Standard offline activation is handled through license file exchange. The end user receives a license, the SDK activates it offline and generates a local license file that binds the license to the device. Entitlement updates are delivered by sending a refreshed license file to the device — no internet connection required at the device end.
Consumption values (data processed, feature usage, etc.) are synced back to the platform when the license is deactivated offline, ensuring accurate usage tracking even in disconnected environments.
Devices with occasional connectivity for license file exchange
Deployments where data can leave the device network
Field equipment that returns to a connected environment periodically
Air-gapped activation addresses a stricter constraint common in manufacturing, automotive, defense, and space applications: data is permitted to enter the isolated network, but nothing is permitted to leave it. Standard file-based offline activation cannot satisfy this requirement, because the deactivation file would need to exit the network.
LicenseSpring's air-gapped activation uses a code exchange model instead of file exchange. The software ships with license policy files embedded. Activation is completed through a sequence of initialization, activation, and confirmation codes passed between the air-gapped portal and the SDK without any files leaving the secure network. The entire process can be facilitated via QR codes to reduce manual transcription errors.
Manufacturing facilities and automotive production environments
Defense, military, and government classified installations
Space and critical infrastructure systems
Any environment where outbound data transfer is prohibited
Regardless of how a license was initially activated (online, offline, or air-gapped) the LicenseSpring SDK can be configured to perform all subsequent license checks locally. Devices validate their license against the local license file rather than connecting to any external server, making ongoing operation fully independent of network availability.
For multi-device sites where individual device licensing is impractical, a floating license server can be provisioned on-site. Devices register with the local server to check out licenses so they can operate without any internet dependency. The server manages the pool of concurrent licenses across all registered devices on the network.
Industrial facilities with dozens or hundreds of deployed devices
Manufacturing sites with internal networks but no external internet access
Any environment where site-level licensing is more practical than per-device management
Licensing infrastructure designed for desktop or cloud environments doesn't translate directly to embedded and IoT contexts. LicenseSpring is built with the specific constraints of embedded deployment in mind.
IoT and embedded vendors must protect both software and device intellectual property from cloning, unauthorized deployment, and license abuse in environments where physical access to devices is common and traditional software-only protection may be insufficient.
Self-provisioned hardware key licensing (physical key required for activation)
Hardware binding and device fingerprinting
Device cloning and unauthorized replication prevention
Secure license validation with local checks
Remote license revocation
Audit-ready activation and usage reporting
Many IoT platforms combine embedded device software with cloud analytics, remote monitoring, or SaaS management layers. LicenseSpring manages licensing across device-level software and cloud-based services from a single platform, so entitlements stay consistent across the entire product stack.
Examples
Connected industrial machines with licensed software modules and cloud dashboards
IoT hardware with cloud analytics platforms and usage-based billing
Edge AI devices with subscription-enabled feature tiers
Smart infrastructure systems with remote monitoring and management services
LicenseSpring is built for engineering teams that need reliable licensing infrastructure for embedded systems and IoT devices.
The LicenseSpring Vendor Platform gives vendors centralized control over licensing operations across deployed device fleets, including products, entitlements, activations, hardware keys, and customer accounts managed from one place.
Create and manage products, features, and licensing tiers
Issue and manage license keys, including hardware key-bound licenses
Monitor device activations and usage across the fleet
Reset devices or revoke licenses remotely
Manage customers and device fleet assignments
LicenseSpring serves vendors across a range of industries where embedded and IoT deployment is central to the product.
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