Lifetime vs. Perpetual License: What’s the Difference?

Summary

• Perpetual licenses offer lifetime access to applications with free updates.

• Lifetime licenses also provide one-time access, but you may need to pay for updates.

• Terms for lifetime licenses may change; always check for additional costs.

Getting a license for life seems like a pretty sweet deal, and in some cases, it can be. However, that fantastic lifetime license deal isn’t always what you think it is, and you may have bought something completely different.

What is a Perpetual License?

Purchasing a perpetual license involves a one-time purchase for an app or service. Once you’ve done this, you’ll get lifetime access.

Many of these tools also have monthly subscriptions. However, if you plan to use it long-term, you’ll get much better value for money with a perpetual license (despite the initial cost).

In addition to having lifetime access to the app, you also get future updates for free. This is a great way to save money on your online subscriptions.

What is a Lifetime License?

When you purchase a lifetime license, you will pay, like perpetual licenses, a one-time fee for access to a product or service. The rules vary depending on the device you use, but in general, you need to hit a minimum limit for your device.

Sometimes your lifetime license is valid for the specific version of the software you purchased. However, you may need to pay for future licenses.

Does a Lifetime License really last a lifetime?

Life licenses can be a bit confusing because their terms and conditions vary. Some companies use the terms “perpetual” and “lifetime” interchangeably, but you may need to pay for updates with others.

Sometimes companies also change their policies, making things difficult. So, yes, yes buy video editing software or anything else, you should always check the terms and conditions you are about to sign.

Further complicating the problem are “lifetime licenses” sold by license key reseller sites. While these may claim to offer a full, irrevocable, lifetime license to a service, these license key reseller sites cannot back up these claims. Whether the claims are completely false or partially true, there is no way they can advocate a lifetime license for a service they have nothing to do with. They only offer a license – nothing more.

Depending on how the key vendor acquired the license, you may also find your license and, worse, your linked account banned from the service altogether. The sites that sell them may also contain malware, or steal your banking information when you try to make a purchase.

It is very easy to think that your lifetime license means that you will never need to pay for a product or service again, but this is not always the case. You should check to see if you need to pay for updates later; this is not always universal.