WooCommerce API Manager 3.7.4

Kestrel API Manager for WooCommerce​

Grow your recurring revenue with flexible licensing, subscription billing, and software delivery, all powered by your WooCommerce store.

Sell software licenses with WooCommerce​

Automatically generate and deliver license keys when a customer buys. Restrict access to your software or service unless a valid license is active. Works with any language. Drop-in PHP SDK available for WordPress developers.

Full license management API​

Easily handle license activation, deactivation, status checks, and license key validation. List purchased products, verify license status, and deliver updates through a robust REST API.

License-based subscriptions​

Support manual renewals or use Woo Subscriptions for automated recurring billing. Customers receive renewal emails at 30, 7, and 1 day before license expiration.

License upgrades and downgrades​

Allow customers to upgrade their license for more features or activations. Pro-rate changes and apply discounts when integrated with Woo Subscriptions.

Offer free products and license access​

Let customers download free software or claim paid products for free after purchase. Great for freemium models or bundling tools as perks.

Secure software updates​

Release updates with confidence, supporting one-click or auto-update flows. Deliver files from Amazon S3, a remote server, or your own site using secure expiring URLs.

Built for plugin and theme developers​

We provide a drop-in PHP library for WordPress plugin and theme licensing. Add license key checks and update delivery in minutes. You can use API Manager for any kind of software, but WordPress and WooCommerce devs seem to like us best.

Automated license renewals​

When paired with Constellation or WooCommerce Subscriptions, licenses renew automatically using your preferred billing gateway.

Enforce license activation​

Block access to your software or API until a license key is activated—protect your work and ensure only paying customers use your product.

Detailed API Manager feature list and highlights​

Full feature list – everything in our WooCommerce license and subscription system (expand for more)

1. Sell licensed software or services​

Turn any WooCommerce product into a license-protected digital product

• Issue license keys (API Keys) automatically on purchase
• Sell plugins, SaaS, mobile apps, APIs, or online services
• Use for one-time purchases or recurring subscriptions
• Restrict access until license is activated
• Support simple, variable, and subscription products

2. License key & activation management​

Full control over access, usage, and enforcement

• Create account level keys or per-product keys
• Set activation limits or allow unlimited use
• Enable license transfers and deactivations
• Block keys or revoke access instantly
• Manage keys via dashboard or REST API

3. Secure software updates​

Deliver updates from any server or storage

• Supports one-click and auto-updates for WordPress themes/plugins
• Deliver files via Amazon S3, local server, or remote URL
• All download URLs are secure and expiring
• We provide a drop-in PHP SDK for fast WordPress integration

4. Subscriptions & renewals​

Flexible access control with built-in or Woo Subscriptions support

• Manual or automated license renewal options
• License expiration and access limits per key
• Auto-renewals via Woo Subscriptions and your payment gateway
• Pro-rated upgrade/downgrade support with Woo Subscriptions
• Email reminders sent before license expiration (30/7/1 days)

5. Dashboard & admin tools​

Control licensing from your WooCommerce admin

• API Resource listings on order and product screens
• View and manage activations per order
• Customer dashboard shows license keys and downloads
• SmartCache speeds up API responses and scales under load
• Built-in debug logs and dev tools

6. Developer-friendly API​

Robust REST API with full docs and flexibility

• Activate/deactivate/check status with API
• List purchases, validate keys, manage access
• Custom API key types and external system integration
• Built-in compatibility with WP object caching
• Hooks, filters, and REST endpoints for any use case

Built for developers. Trusted by WooCommerce merchants.

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Blazing-fast API performance at any scale​

The Kestrel API Manager is built to perform under pressure. Our SmartCache system reduces server load and ensures consistently fast API responses, even with thousands of license keys and activations in play. By intelligently caching queries and refreshing data only when needed, the API Manager stays responsive and efficient, no matter how many products you’re selling or how often customers check for updates.

Flexible license key options to match your business​

Choose how license keys behave in your store. Account-level keys give each customer a single license that grows with their purchases. Product-level keys issue a unique key for every licensed product.
Whether you want to simplify the experience for customers or tightly control who gets access to what, Kestrel API Manager gives you the flexibility to do whatever your business needs.

Account-level license keys
One license key per customer that unlocks access to all eligible purchases.

• Perfect for bundles or long-term customers
• Reduces support by consolidating activations
• Easily revoke or limit access to all products at once

Product-level license keys
Generate separate license keys per product or per order, tied to individual purchases.

• Ideal for developers selling multiple tools or tiers
• Let customers assign keys to different users or teams
• Supports fine-grained activation limits and license expiry per item

Custom or external license keys
Need something custom? You can generate and manage license keys programmatically.

• Import license keys from another system
• Connect to external apps via plugin or script
• Store and validate licenses however you need using our REST API

How are my software licensing subscriptions handled?​

Kestrel API Manager lets you control how long a license key (API Key) stays active. You can set an expiration date for access, essentially creating a time-limited subscription.

There are two ways to handle renewals:

• Built-in license expiration: Customers buy a product and can access it until the license expires. They’ll be notified when expiry is coming up and need to purchase again to keep access.
• WooCommerce Subscriptions or Constellation integration: Subscriptions renew automatically, and customers get a receipt by email. You can also offer upgrades and downgrades using Variable Subscriptions.

Each product can include one or more license activations, and any license key type (account-level, product-level, or custom) can be used.