Why we built License Shield

Here is a story that happens every day: a developer builds an app for a client. They spend weeks on it — late nights, weekends, the whole thing. The client pays the initial fee. Then the client disappears. Months later, the developer discovers their app is still running, still making money for the client, but the developer has not seen another payment.

The problem nobody talks about

Freelance developers and agencies face a common challenge: there is no reliable way to enforce software licenses for custom-built applications. Contracts are hard to enforce. Clients can simply copy the code to another server. And chasing unpaid invoices is a full-time job nobody signed up for.

We talked to over 100 developers around the world. More than 70% of them had been burned by a client who stopped paying but kept using their software. The total revenue lost was staggering.

What License Shield does for you

License Shield is a developer protection system built into DigitalAura. You embed a tiny SDK in your application — a few lines of code — and DigitalAura handles the rest. If your client stops paying, the license system can lock the app, switch it to read-only mode, disable specific features, or apply usage caps. You choose what happens.

License modes

• Full Lock — the app is completely inaccessible
• Read-Only — users can view data but cannot modify anything
• Feature Gate — specific premium features are disabled
• Usage Cap — the app works up to a limit (e.g., 100 invoices/month)
• Grace Period — a warning banner appears, app works for X days
• Custom — you define your own feature map

Split payments: you both get paid automatically

Here is where it gets interesting. With License Shield, you can set up split payments through Paystack. Your client pays one bill — their hosting cost plus your license fee. DigitalAura automatically splits the payment: hosting goes to DigitalAura, your license fee goes to you, minus a 10% platform fee. No invoices. No chasing. You get paid every time your client pays.

Built-in protections for clients too

We did not build License Shield to be a weapon. There are anti-abuse protections built in: a minimum 3-day grace period is enforced (you cannot lock someone out instantly), client data is never deleted by the license system, there is a dispute resolution process that freezes any locks, and developers must give 30 days notice before changing prices.

How to get started

If you build apps for clients, License Shield is already available in your DigitalAura dashboard. Install the SDK for your framework — we support TypeScript (Express, NestJS, Next.js), Python (Django, Flask), PHP (Laravel), and Go. Set your pricing, share the referral link with your client, and start getting paid automatically.

npm install @nolbase/license-sdk

// In your Express app:
import { DigitalAuraLicense } from '@nolbase/license-sdk';

const license = new DigitalAuraLicense({
  appId: 'your-app-id',
  apiKey: process.env.NOLBASE_LICENSE_KEY,
});

app.use(license.middleware());

Your work has value. License Shield makes sure you get paid for it.