How to Vet a Software License Seller Before You Buy

How to vet a software license seller: before you pay for a Windows, Office or server license online, check seven things that take about five minutes: an invoice, a clearly named license type, what exactly you receive, a written warranty, a way to reach support, a company you can identify and reviews you can read. Below you will find each check, what a good answer looks like and the red flags to avoid. This guide is written by Licendeals, a software license seller, so you can apply the same checks to us.

IMPORTANT: the checks below work for any seller. None of them replaces reading the product page and the seller's terms before you pay, and none of them is legal advice.

1. Does the seller issue an invoice?

You need an invoice for your accounts, for your company's records and as proof of purchase if something goes wrong. A seller that cannot give you one for every order is a seller you cannot go back to.

• Good sign: the invoice is available from your order or your account, and it names the company that sold you the license.
• Red flag: payment by private transfer or chat only, with no order record and no invoice.

2. Does it say which license type you get and how it works?

"Windows 11 Pro key" can mean very different things. The license type tells you how the license activates, where you can use it and what covers it. The common types are RETAIL, CID, BIND, OEM, MAK, ACCOUNT and SUBSCRIPTION.

• Good sign: every product page names its license type and a page explains what each type means. Ours is How our licenses work.
• Red flag: only "genuine key" or "lifetime key" with no license type, no activation method and no limits.

3. Is it clear what you receive, and what you don't?

Before you pay, you should know whether you get a product key, an account to sign in to, or a code to redeem, and how it reaches you.

• Good sign: the product page says what is delivered (key, account or code), how (for example, by email) and what you still need to provide, such as the installer or an internet connection to activate.
• Red flag: a vague "software license" with no mention of the version, the edition or the number of PCs it covers.

4. Is the warranty written, with its conditions?

A promise in a chat message is not a warranty. Look for a page that says what is covered, for how long and what you must do to claim it.

• Good sign: a published warranty with a clear time limit to report a problem, and a line saying your statutory rights are not affected.
• Red flag: "guaranteed" with no conditions, or conditions that appear only after you pay.

For reference, our warranty page says you have 24 hours from the moment you reveal a license to activate it or, if it doesn't work, to tell us, and that your statutory rights are not affected.

5. Is there real support?

Activation problems usually show up when you install, not when you pay. Check that there is someone to ask before you buy.

• Good sign: several ways to reach the seller (email, form or chat) and a support address on the company's own domain.
• Red flag: only a free email address, or no contact details at all.

A simple test: write a question about the product before you buy and see how the seller answers.

6. Can you verify the company?

A real business is easy to identify. Look for its legal name, company number, registered address and, in the UK, its entry on Companies House, the public company register.

• Good sign: the legal name, company number and registered address appear in the website footer or on a contact page, and they match the public register of the country.
• Red flag: no company name anywhere, or details that do not match any registered business.

7. Are there reviews you can read?

Read what customers say, and look beyond the seller's own page: search for the seller's name on sites the seller does not control. Pay attention to how problems are described and how the seller answered them, not only to the star rating.

• Good sign: reviews that mention specific products and also describe problems and how they were solved.
• Red flag: only five-star reviews with identical wording.

What we do at Licendeals

Since we asked you to apply these checks to any seller, here is how they apply to us:

• Invoice: we issue an invoice for every order, which you can download from your account.
• License type: each product page shows its license type, and /license-types explains each one.
• What you receive: your license is delivered by email, and you can also find it in your account.
• Warranty: it is written and published on our warranty page, with its conditions.
• Support: 24/7 support.
• Company: Licendeals LTD is registered in England and Wales, company number 16822772 (see it on Companies House).
• Reviews: you can read customer reviews at /reviews.

Businesses that need several licenses can also request a formal quote, valid for 15 days.

Frequently asked questions