Originally published on the Keylight blog.
"Should I charge once or charge monthly?" is one of the first real decisions an indie app faces, and it is usually answered by copying whoever the founder admires rather than by what fits the product. Both models are legitimate. This post lays out when each one actually makes sense, the honest tradeoffs, and how Keylight models perpetual keys and renewing subscriptions so the licensing follows your pricing instead of constraining it.
The two models, defined
A one-time (perpetual) license is a single payment for a license that does not expire. The customer owns that version — and usually some agreed window of updates — forever. Think of the classic "buy version 3, use it as long as you like" desktop app.
A subscription license is a recurring payment for continued access. The license is valid while the customer keeps paying; stop paying and access ends or degrades. The recurring revenue funds ongoing development and any server-side costs the app carries.
