---
title: License and purchase
description: How NexCMP licensing works — getting a license key, binding it to a domain, reseller domains, update entitlement, and what happens when a license lapses.
url: https://nexcmp.com/docs/getting-started/license-and-purchase/
applies_to: NexCMP 1.6.1
updated: 2026-11-02
---

# License and purchase

> **Where in the admin:** System › Admin › License & updates (`/license`)

NexCMP is activated with a **license key** that you manage in your [NexCMP account](https://nexcmp.com/licenses). Editions and current prices are listed on [nexcmp.com/pricing](https://nexcmp.com/pricing); this page explains how the license behaves once you have one.

## Get a license

1. Create an account at [nexcmp.com](https://nexcmp.com/register) and verify your e-mail.
2. Choose an edition:
   - **NexCMP Free** — for network operators with their own ASN and a subnet registered in their own name. Send an application at [nexcmp.com/deploy](https://nexcmp.com/deploy) (company, ASN, subnet, panel domain). Your account e-mail must be on the company domain that the public registry (WHOIS) lists for the ASN or the subnet. Each application is reviewed; you get an e-mail when it is decided, and the license key appears only after approval.
   - **NexCMP Source** — a one-time upgrade, no ASN needed. See [nexcmp.com/pricing](https://nexcmp.com/pricing).
3. Open your license page. It shows the **license key** (format `NXC-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX`), the **main domain**, and a ready-made install command.

::: warning Keep the key private
The license key activates an installation. Treat it like a password: do not paste it into tickets, chats or screenshots.
:::

## What a license contains

| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Main domain | The hostname your portal runs on. The key is bound to it at activation. |
| Reseller domains | Extra hostnames served as white-label portals — see [Resellers](https://nexcmp.com/docs/customers/resellers/). |
| Updates until | Date up to which you receive **updates and bug fixes**. A Free license starts with **1 year** from the day it is approved; renew it for $99 per year on your license page. Security fixes are always delivered, even after this date. |
| Status | `active`, or suspended / expired / revoked. |

## When the free year ends

The software **keeps running** when the "Updates until" date passes: customers, services and billing are not affected. You stop receiving new feature releases and bug-fix updates (security fixes still arrive). Renew for $99 per year on your license page at [nexcmp.com/licenses](https://nexcmp.com/licenses) to continue; the renewal adds 12 months to the current end date. NexCMP Free includes bug fixes only — no technical support and no apps.

## What NexCMP Source adds

A Source license is a one-time $1,999 upgrade of your license: the full source code, all NexCMP apps (Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome / Edge / Brave and Firefox) built and branded for you, and 30 working days with an expert engineer — free migration from VMware, WHMCS or another panel, or a full A-to-Z setup. New source releases are included for 12 months; renewing them afterwards ($99 per year) is optional, and the source you downloaded is yours to keep. See the [Source license terms](https://nexcmp.com/legal/source-license/).

## How the installation checks its license

- On install the server activates the key for your domain and receives a **signed token**.
- The token is renewed automatically every **24 hours**. It stays valid for **14 days**, so a short Internet outage is harmless.
- All releases and tokens are verified with an Ed25519 signature built into the program; a tampered download is rejected.

Check the state any time in the admin console or with `sudo nexcmp status`.

## If the license is not valid

When the token expires, or the license is suspended or the domain no longer matches:

- customers **cannot create new services** and the admin console shows a banner;
- services that are already running, **billing and existing customers are not affected**;
- fix the cause (reconnect the server to the Internet, renew at [nexcmp.com/licenses](https://nexcmp.com/licenses)) and click **Check now** in License & updates.

## Moving to a new server or domain

Activate on the new server with the same key and the registered domain (see [Installation](https://nexcmp.com/docs/getting-started/installation/)). To change the registered domain, do it on your license page at [nexcmp.com/licenses](https://nexcmp.com/licenses) first, then re-run the installer with the new `--domain`.