Make Recurring Income Selling Software or Services

The WooCommerce API Manager turns WooCommerce Products into an API Resource that can be accessed with an API Key (License Key). API Resources (products) can be software, a service, an iPhone or Android App, a membership, a subscription, or anything that can be accessed over the Internet. The most frequently used Product types are Simple, Variable, Simple Subscription, Variable Subscription, and Group. Subscription product types are created using the WooCommerce Subscriptions extension that allows for automated payment collection on the renewal anniversary. There is also support for API access expiration time limits for built-in WooCommerce products purchases that require manual purchase renewal.

How does it work? The customer buys a Product (API Resource) which will have an API Key with a defined number of activations, or unlimited activations. The customer uses the API Key to access the API Resource, which is controlled by WooCommerce API Manager. The API Resource remains accessible until it expires, if it has an expiration time. For even more advanced API Resource time management, the WooCommerce API Manager works seamlessly with WooCommerce Subscriptions.

Sell API Keys as a License for Software and Automated Updates

The WooCommerce API Manager secures your software with an API Key, by acting as a WooCommerce Software License Manager. When used for software, the API Key is similar to using a License Key. The API Key provides access to an API Resource. By using an API Key, client software has a full range of options to activate, deactivate, check the status of an activation, get information about updates, check for updates, get updates, and more. All software downloads use secure, expiring, URLs to insure only your customers have secure access to the software that was purchased. Software downloads can come from the WooCommerce store local server, Amazon S3, or a remote server.

To make selling API Keys for WordPress plugins and themes easier, the WooCommerce API Manager PHP Library for Plugins and Themes was developed as a PHP Library that can be dropped into a plugin and theme in less than 5 minutes for API Key authentication and software updates with the WooCommerce API Manager. Learn more about how to get a copy of the WooCommerce API Manager PHP Library for Plugins and Themes.

Amazon S3 File Download Support Built-in

File downloads are better served by Amazon S3, which is scalable world-wide, and is extremely affordable for any sized business. Setup your file as described in the documentation, copy and paste the Amazon S3 URL, and your file will be served securely by Amazon S3. Using Amazon S3 allows issues with local web server setup, web hosts, firewalls, WooCommerce file download changes, and other impediments to be completely avoided.

Flexible API Key Types to Match Store Workflow

There are three types of API Key types that provides a flexible API Key model for any store.

1. Master API Key: Great for customers who want to use a single API Key for everything. Can be used to activate any API Resource purchased with this single API Key. Providing a one-key solution to makes its use easier and more convenient for the customer, which improves satisfaction. Customer access to all API Resources can be turned off by the store owner using the Master API Key if required.
2. Product Order API Key: Great for store owners who want customers to use separate API Keys for each purchase. Can be used to activated a single API Resource from a single order. Can be used for more fine-grained control by the store owner, or by the customer who may choose to allow employees, or a friend, to use only that API Key.
3. Associated API Key: Just like the Product Order API Key, except you are in control of which products and orders it is associated with. Can be generated by another plugin, site, or imported, and stored in a custom table that is used by the WooCommerce API Manager when the API Key is associated with an API Resource. This allows store owners to use API Keys in a custom way.

WooCommerce API Manager Subscriptions

The WooCommerce API Manager has API Access Expiration, which is just another way of saying a time limit for an API Key that acts like a subscription. The customer buys a product, and can access that product (API Resource) until the API Access time limit expires, at which time the customer must renew the time limit by buying the product again. When the product is a WooCommerce Subscription, the store can automatically renew the subscription and email a receipt to the customer, or the customer can manually renew the subscription. A Variable WooCommerce Subscription allows a customer to upgrade/downgrade the subscription. All API Resources are managed using API Key activations. A product can have one or more activations available, and any of the API Key types mentioned above can be used to grant access to the API Resource. The choice to use the built in API Access Expiration, or WooCommerce Subscriptions, depends on the product, and store’s needs.