It may seem like buying a lifetime license is a pretty good deal, and in some cases, that may be true. However, that great lifetime licensing deal isn't always what you think it is, and you might have bought something completely different.
What is a perpetual license?
Purchasing a perpetual license involves a one-time purchase of an application or service. Once you do this, you will have lifetime access.
Many of these tools also have monthly subscriptions. However, if you plan on using them for the long term, you'll get much better value with a perpetual license (albeit with an upfront fee).
In addition to having lifetime access to the app, you will also receive free future updates. This is a great way to save money on online subscriptions.
What is a lifetime license?
When you purchase a lifetime license, like a perpetual license, you pay a one-time fee to access the product or service. The rules vary depending on the tool you use, but in general, you'll need to reach the minimum threshold for your device.
Sometimes a lifetime license is valid for the specific version of the software you purchased. However, you may have to pay for future licenses.
Does a lifetime license really last for life?
Lifetime licenses can be a bit confusing as their terms and conditions vary. Some companies use the terms “permanent” and “lifetime” interchangeably, but you may have to pay for updates with other companies.
Sometimes, companies will also change their policies, making things difficult. So whether you're buying video editing software or something else, you should always double-check the terms and conditions you're about to sign up for.
Further complicating matters are the “lifetime licenses” sold by license key reselling websites. While these sites may claim to offer a full, irrevocable, lifetime license for a service, these license key reselling sites typically cannot guarantee these elements. Whether those claims are completely fake or partly true, they cannot support a lifetime license for a service they have nothing to do with. They only offer a license – nothing more.
Depending on how the key seller obtained the license, you could even see your license and worse, your linked account banned from the service entirely. The websites that sell them may also contain malware or steal your banking information when you try to make a purchase.
It's easy to think that a lifetime license means you'll never have to pay for a product or service again, but this isn't always the case. You must check whether you will need to pay for future upgrades; this is not always true.
