License & Activation
How hstPanel licensing works — key format, plan limits, activation steps, and what to do if something goes wrong.
On this page
Overview
hstPanel uses a one-time license key tied to your server. Install is always free — the panel won't unlock until a valid license is entered. There are no subscriptions, no renewals, and no per-account fees.
Install first, pay once. Run the installer on a fresh server and the panel appears immediately. You'll see the license activation screen. Enter your key to unlock the full panel.
Plans & Limits
All plans run the same software — limits are enforced by the license key type.
| Plan | Servers | Domains | White-Label | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | 1 | Up to 5 | — | $99 one-time |
| Pro | 1 | Unlimited | — | $299 one-time |
| Agency | 1 | Unlimited | ✓ | $849 one-time |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | ✓ | $1,499 one-time |
Solo plan: Adding a 6th domain when you have 5 active will show an upgrade prompt. Existing domains are not removed — you just can't add more until you upgrade or remove one.
License Key Format
Every hstPanel license key follows this format:
HST-{PLAN}-{PAYLOAD}-{SIGNATURE}
Examples:
HST-SOLO-0DA263B6-8C27113C ← Solo plan
HST-PRO1-A1B2C3D4-E5F6G7H8 ← Pro plan
HST-AGCY-11223344-AABBCCDD ← Agency plan
HST-UNLM-DEADBEEF-12345678 ← Unlimited planPlan codes in the key:
SOLO— Solo plan (5 domain limit)PRO1— Pro plan (unlimited domains, 1 server)AGCY— Agency plan (unlimited domains, white-label)UNLM— Unlimited plan (unlimited everything)
The signature is an HMAC-SHA256 checksum of the plan code and payload. Keys cannot be forged or modified — any alteration makes the signature invalid.
Activating Your License
Purchase your license
Visit hstpanel.net/#pricing and select your plan. You'll receive your license key by email after checkout.
Open your panel
Navigate to https://your-server-ip:8443. If hstPanel is installed but unlicensed, you'll see the activation screen automatically.
Enter your key
Paste your license key in the format HST-PLAN-XXXXXXXX-YYYYYYYY and click Activate License. The key is tied to your server's IP on first activation.
Panel unlocks
Once activated, the full panel is immediately available. Your plan badge appears in the sidebar. No restart required.
One key, one server IP. After the first activation, your license key is tied to that server's IP address. Attempting to activate the same key on a different IP will fail unless you first deactivate it (see below).
Transferring to Another Server
If you're migrating to a new server or your IP changed, you'll need to deactivate the existing activation first.
Contact support to deactivate
Email support@cyrixsoftware.com with your license key and old server IP. We'll release the key so you can activate it on your new server. Transfers are free and take up to 24 hours on business days.
Unlimited plan: The Unlimited plan has no IP restriction — you can activate it on as many servers as you need without any deactivation step.
License FAQ
What happens if I lose my license key?
Email us at support@cyrixsoftware.com with your purchase email and we'll resend it. Keep a backup of your key somewhere safe (password manager, etc.).
Can I upgrade from Solo to Pro?
Yes — purchase a Pro (or higher) license and activate it. Once you activate the new key, your old Solo key is superseded. Domain limits are lifted immediately upon activation of the higher-tier key.
Does my license expire?
No. hstPanel licenses are perpetual — they never expire and there are no renewal fees. You own the license forever, including all patch updates within the v3.x release line.
Are major version upgrades (v4.x) included?
Not automatically. Major version licenses will be sold separately, but existing customers receive a significant upgrade discount. Your v3.x license always works for all v3.x releases.
Can I use one license for a staging and production server?
Solo, Pro, and Agency licenses are single-server only. If you need staging + production, either purchase two licenses or upgrade to Unlimited which has no server cap.
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