Trial and license
The 40-day trial
The trial starts the first time you launch NabuSQL. It runs for 40 days, includes every feature, and needs no account. A banner in the app shows how many days remain.
When the trial expires, NabuSQL asks for a license key and stops opening connections until one is entered.
Buying a license
The license is a one-time purchase with a perpetual license — no subscription, and all updates are free. Help → Buy License… opens the purchase page, or go to nabusql.nabu.work directly.
After payment you receive an e-mail with your license key.
Activating
- Open Help → Activate License.
- Enter the e-mail address you purchased with and the license key from the e-mail.
- Click Activate.
Activation is completely offline. NabuSQL verifies the key's Ed25519 signature locally — no request leaves your machine, and the app works on an air-gapped computer.
Machine binding
A license is tied to one computer through a Machine ID derived from that machine's hardware. The activation dialog shows the ID with a Copy Machine ID button next to it.
If you change computers or replace major hardware, the existing key will no longer validate. Send your Machine ID and purchase e-mail to support and the license will be re-issued — see Support and troubleshooting.
Checking your license
Help → License Status shows the current state:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Licensed | Activated and valid |
| Trial — n days remaining | Trial running |
| Expired / Invalid | Trial ran out, or the key does not match this machine |
What is included
Every license includes every feature, Knowledge Lab among them. Knowledge Lab additionally needs the LARQL add-on binary, which is a separate download — the license does not gate it.
The license file itself is stored as license.json in the application-data directory.