Lifetime dealsBy Day Zero
What is a lifetime deal (LTD)? How software lifetime deals work
A lifetime deal (LTD) is a one-time payment for lifetime access to a software plan, instead of a monthly or yearly subscription. Here's what you get, what lifetime means and where they're sold.
In short
- A lifetime deal (LTD) is one payment for access to a defined software plan, with no subscription.
- Lifetime means for as long as the product is offered, not for the buyer's lifetime.
- Most LTDs are sold after launch on deal marketplaces. Pre-launch LTDs are sold by founders before the product is finished, usually for less.
- On Day Zero, each LTD is a numbered seat at $10–$150, and backers are charged only when the founder opens access.
A lifetime deal, or LTD, is a one-time payment for lifetime access to a software product. Instead of paying every month or every year, you pay once and keep the plan the deal describes. Founders sell them to raise money and win early users. Buyers get a tool for less than a few years of the subscription would cost.
How a lifetime deal works
- You pay once, at the price on the deal.
- You get a license code, or the plan is added to your account.
- You redeem the code on the product's site.
- You keep the plan for as long as the product is offered, with whatever updates the deal includes.
What lifetime means
Lifetime means the product's lifetime, not yours. If the company shuts the product down, the deal ends with it. That's the main risk of any lifetime deal, and why it matters who the founder is and how they run the product.
A good deal says exactly what's included: the plan, the main features, usage limits such as users, projects or credits, and whether future features are part of it.
Lifetime deal vs. subscription
| Lifetime deal | Subscription | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Once | Every month or year |
| What you get | A defined plan, for as long as the product is offered | The current plan, while you keep paying |
| Changing plans | Whatever the deal allows | Up or down, any time |
| If you stop using it | The money is already spent | You cancel and stop paying |
| If the product shuts down | Access ends | Access ends, and so do the payments |
| Best for | A tool you'll use for years | Trying something, or needs that change |
Why founders sell lifetime deals
A lifetime deal brings in cash and committed users without giving up equity, and a payment is stronger proof of demand than a signup. The cost is that lifetime users never pay again, so founders cap the number of deals and define the plan. More in should you sell a lifetime deal for your SaaS?
Where lifetime deals are sold
- Lifetime-deal marketplaces such as AppSumo and StackSocial, mostly for software that has already launched.
- Founders' own sites, often as a founding plan announced to their waitlist or followers.
- Launch-day offers on sites such as Product Hunt.
- Day Zero, for software before launch.
Pre-launch lifetime deals
A pre-launch lifetime deal is sold before the product is finished. It usually costs less, because you wait for the product and accept that it may change, and you get a say in what's built. On Day Zero each deal is a numbered founding seat at $10–$150. Campaigns are all or nothing, your card is saved when you pledge, and you're charged only when the founder opens access. Read are pre-launch lifetime deals safe? before you back one, and are lifetime deals worth it? to decide whether one is right for you.
Lifetime deal terms you'll see
- LTD: short for lifetime deal.
- Redeeming: entering your license code on the product's site to activate the plan.
- Tiers: some deals come in levels, with bigger plans for a higher price.
- Stacking: on some marketplaces you can buy several codes and combine them for a bigger plan. On Day Zero each person buys one deal per product.
- Founding seat: a lifetime deal sold to the first customers, often before launch.
Questions
Are lifetime deals really lifetime?
For as long as the product is offered. If the product shuts down, access ends. Read what the deal says about updates and limits before you buy.
Is a lifetime deal the same as a perpetual license?
They're close. A perpetual license usually means you can keep using one version of downloaded software. A lifetime deal usually gives you a plan on a hosted product, which keeps running for as long as the company runs it.
Can you get a refund on a lifetime deal?
It depends on the seller. On Day Zero you can cancel a pledge any time until you're charged, which happens when the founder opens access. After that the purchase is final, but you can resell the seat until you redeem it.