Docs / Reference

License Keys

Every Pro license comes with a license key in the format BS-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX. Activate it in the app to unlock Pro features.

Activating in the App

After purchasing a Pro license, you'll receive a license key. To activate it:

  1. Open BetterStage and open the License pane from the sidebar footer of Settings.
  2. Paste your license key into the activation field.
  3. Click Activate. Pro features unlock immediately.

Redeeming a Giveaway or Gifted Key

If you received a giveaway or gifted license key, you can link it to your account on the website before activating in the app.

  1. Open the claim link you received, or go to your Dashboard and click Redeem Key.
  2. Sign in (or create an account) if prompted.
  3. Paste the key and click Link to My Account. The key is now bound to your account.
  4. Open the BetterStage app and activate the key in the License pane (open it from the sidebar footer of Settings) as described above.

If someone shared a direct claim link with you, the key will be pre-filled automatically when you open it.

Replacing a Refunded License

If a license is refunded, you can paste a new key on the License page in Settings without discarding Stages, windows, or Saved Workspaces.

Device Management

Each license key has a device limit. Current lifetime Pro tiers cover 1, 3, or 5 Macs depending on the tier you choose. Every Mac where you activate the key counts as one device.

  • View your active devices on the Dashboard.
  • If you own multiple active licenses on the same account, each license key keeps its own independent device allowance. Limits do not stack or pool across keys.
  • To free up a slot, remove a device assigned to that license key from the dashboard. The deactivated Mac will lose Pro features after its next verification.
  • If you hit the device limit during activation, the app shows your active devices and lets you deactivate one to make room.

Offline Access

BetterStage periodically verifies your license in the background. Eligible Pro receipts for trial, recurring, lifetime, and giveaway entitlements provide one fixed 48-hour offline grace period, capped by the entitlement's own expiry.

Any remaining grace survives an app restart or a Mac restart. A restart does not refresh the signed deadline; only a successful online verification can issue a later one.

Daily Pro preview

Free users on eligible Macs can try Pro features for 15 minutes once every 24 hours. Choose Try Pro for 15 minutes when the offer appears for a Pro feature. A visible countdown shows the remaining time; another preview becomes available 24 hours after the previous preview started. This is separate from the full free trial and does not grant paid AI credits.

You stay on the Free tier outside the preview; a Pro license provides uninterrupted access. AI Staging still needs your own provider setup or a separate BetterStage AI plan. See the step-by-step preview guide.

Free Trial

Eligible Macs can start a 7-day free trial without a credit card. Previous trials do not reset when you reinstall or change accounts. Pro features are available during the trial; managed AI credits are separate.

When the trial expires, free-tier features (3 stages, snap zones) remain available. Upgrade anytime to restore full Pro access.