5. License Types

5.1. Introduction

This documentation is only apply to Pyarmor 8.0 plus.

Pyarmor is published as shareware, free trial version never expires, but there are some limitations:

  1. Can not obfuscate big scritps [1]
  2. Can not use feature mix-str [2] to obfuscate string constant in scripts
  3. Can not use RFT Mode [3], BCC Mode [4]
  4. Can not be used for any commercial product without permission
  5. Can not be used to provide obfuscation service in any form

These limitations can be unlocked by different License Types except last one.

5.2. License types

Pyarmor has 3 kind of licenses:

Pyarmor Basic

Basic license could unlock big script [1] and mix-str [2] feature.

It requires internet connection to verify license

Pyarmor Pro

Pro license could unlock big script [1] and mix-str [2] feature.

Pro license also unlocks BCC Mode [4] and RFT Mode [3]

It requires internet connection to verify license

Pyarmor Group
Group license unlocks all limitions and doesn’t require internet.

Internet connection is only used to verify Pyarmor License in the build machine to generate the obfuscated scripts.

For the obfuscated scripts run in the customer’s device, Pyarmor has no any limitions, it’s totally controlled by users. Pyarmor only cares about build machine.

Each license has an unique number, the format is pyarmor-vax-xxxxxx, which x stands for a digital.

Each product requires one License No. So any product in global also has an unique number in Pyarmor world.

If user has many products, many license are required.

One product in Pyarmor world means a product name and everything that makes up this name.

It includes all the devices to develop, build, debug, test product.

It also includes product current version, history versions and all the future versions.

One product may has several variants, each variant name is composed of product name plus feature name. As long as the proportion of the variable part is far less than that of the common part, they’re considered as “one product”.

Pyarmor License could be installed in many machines and devices which belong to licensed product. But there is limitation to be used at the same time.

In 24 hours only less than 100 devices can use one same Pyarmor License. Pyarmor License be used means use any feature of Pyarmor in one machine. Running obfuscated scripts generated by Pyarmor is not considered as Pyarmor License be used.

In details read EULA of Pyarmor

What’s one product

First of all, if not for sale, all the Python scripts are belong to one product.

Pyarmor is one product, it includes Pyarmor basic, Pyarmor pro, and Pyarmor group. It also include pyarmor-webui which provides graphics interface for pyarmor. Besides, the order system of Pyarmor is a django app running in cloud-server. This django app also belongs to one product Pyarmor. The laptop used to develop Pyarmor, the PCs used to test Pyarmor, the cloud-server to serve order system of Pyarmor, all of them belong to one product Pyarmor.

Microsoft Office is not one product, because each product in Microsoft Office is functional independence. For example, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel belong to Microsoft Office, but they’re totally different.

Microsoft Word is one product, and Micorsoft Word 2003，Word 2007 etc. are belong to one product Microsoft word.

5.2.1. License features

Table-1. License Features
Features Trial Basic Pro Group Remark
Basic Obfuscation Y Y Y Y [5]
Expired Script Y Y Y Y [6]
Bind Device Y Y Y Y [7]
JIT Protection Y Y Y Y [8]
Assert Protection Y Y Y Y [9]
Themedia Protection Y Y Y Y [10]
Big Script No Y Y Y  
Mix Str No Y Y Y  
RFT MODE No No Y Y  
BCC MODE No No Y Y  

notes

[1](1, 2, 3) Big Script means file size exceeds a cerntain value.
[2](1, 2, 3) Mix Str: obfscating string constant in script
[3](1, 2) RFT Mode: renaming function/class/method/variable in Python scripts
[4](1, 2) BCC Mode: Transforming some Python functions in scripts to c functions, compile them to machine instructions directly
[5]Basic Obfuscation: obfuscating the scripts by default options
[6]Expired Script: obfuscated scripts has expired date
[7]Bind Device: obfuscated scripts only run in specified devices
[8]JIT Protection: processing some sentensive data by runtime generated binary code
[9]Assert Protection: preventing others from hacking obfuscated scripts
[10]Themedia Protection: using Themedia to protect Widnows dlls

5.3. Purchasing license

Open shopping cart in any web browser:

If you have Pyarmor 8.0+ installed, this command also could open shopping cart:

$ pyarmor reg --buy

In the shopping cart, select License Type and complete the payment online.

Please fill regname with personal or company name when placing order.

Table-2. License Prices
License Type Net Price($) Remark
Basic 52  
Pro 89  
Group 158  

An activation file named pyarmor-regcode-xxxx.txt will be sent by email immediately after payment is completed successfully.

Following the guide in activation file to take the purchased license effects. Or check Register Pyarmor

There are no additional license fees, apart from the cost of the license. And it only needs to be paid once, not periodically

5.3.1. Refund policy

If activation file isn’t used, and purchasing date is in 30 days, refund is accepted. Please

  1. Email to Ordersupport@mycommerce.com with order information and ask for refund.
  2. Or click FindMyOrder page to submit refund request

Out of 30 days, or activation file has been used, refund request will be rejected.

5.4. Upgrading old license

Not all the old license could be upgraded to latest version.

The old license could be upgraded to Pyarmor Basic freely only if it matchs these conditions:

  • Following new EULA of Pyarmor
  • The license no. starts with pyarmor-vax-
  • The original activation file pyarmor-regcode-xxxx.txt is used not more than 100 times
  • No error returns by license server

If failed to upgrade the old license, please purchase new license to use Pyarmor latest version.

Upgrading to Pyarmor Pro needs extra fees.

Table-3. Upgrade fee from old license
License Type Upgrading fee($) Remark
Basic 0 following new EULA and match some conditions
Pro 50  
Group N/A  

5.4.1. Upgrading to Pyarmor-Basic

First find the activation file pyarmor-regcode-xxxx.txt, which is sent to registration email when purchasing the license.

Next upgrade to Pyarmor 8.0+, according to new EULA of Pyarmor, each license is only for one product.

Assume this license will be used to obfuscate product Robot Studio, run this command:

$ pyarmor reg -u -p "Robot Studio" pyarmor-regcode-xxxx.txt

Check the upgraded license information:

$ pyarmor -v

If old license is used by many products (mainly old personal license), only one product could be used after upgrading. For the others, it need purchase new license.

5.4.2. Upgrading to Pyarmor-Pro

Open shopping cart in any web browser:

If you have Pyarmor 8.0+ installed, this command also could open shopping cart:

$ pyarmor reg --buy

In the shopping cart, select Pyarmor-upgrade and complete the payment online.

A file named pyarmor-regcode-to-pro.txt will be sent by email immediately after payment is completed successfully.

Following the guide in this file to take the purchased license effects.