Trial and license activation

BeePanel works only with a trial or an activated license. Setup asks for one of them before it finishes; there is no free mode to skip this step. Later, the License page activates a purchased key, for example to replace the trial or to move from Standard to Pro.

Before you start

Internet access from the server to licensing.beepanel.io. See Network and ports.
For the trial: an email address that has never been used for a BeePanel account or purchase.
For a license: the license key, ten letters and digits. Sign in to the customer portal with Portal sign-in at the top of this site, open Licenses, then the license; the key is under License key.
After setup: a user with the Administration permission.

Activating a license key during setup

On the Licensing step, open Enter existing license key.
Enter the License key. Letter case does not matter.
Optionally fill in Display label (optional) with a name that helps you recognize this server in the portal. Do not put sensitive or operational data in it.
Choose Activate. When BeePanel shows A valid entitlement is installed., choose Continue.

Starting the trial during setup

The trial is the full Pro edition for 15 days. One account gets one trial, and a server that already had a trial cannot start another.

On the Licensing step, open Start 15-day Pro trial.
Enter your Email address and choose Start trial.
Open the email you receive and complete the activation in the portal: it sets your portal password and confirms the address. Do this within 24 hours.
Return to setup and choose Retrieve trial outcome. When BeePanel shows A valid entitlement is installed., choose Continue.

The 15 days start when you confirm the email, not when you retrieve the outcome, so retrieve it soon after confirming. BeePanel does not check the outcome on its own.

While the email is unconfirmed, Resend verification email sends it again and Change email address sends it to another address. Neither moves the 24-hour deadline or lengthens the trial.

Activating a license key later

Open Management > License and use Activate a license key with the same fields as in setup. The same form covers every case:

replacing the trial with a purchased license, before or after the trial ends;
moving from Standard to Pro with a Pro license key;
reconnecting this server to its license after reinstalling BeePanel on the same machine.

A Pro activation turns Pro features on at once. Call history starts once its source is set up, or resumes at once if it was set up before, for example during the trial; see Call history source.

After activation BeePanel never shows the license key again. If you need it, it stays in the portal.

Checking the result

Management > License shows the edition and Licensed features are active., or during the trial the trial's end time. Active capabilities lists what the edition includes.
beepanel license on the server prints the same state; see Command line.

Common problems

That license key was not accepted. Check it and try again.

The key is wrong or belongs to no license. Copy it again from the portal.

No activation slot is available for this machine. Release the old installation or move the license from the portal.

The license is already active on another server. Release it there or in the portal first; see Moving a license to another server.

This installation is not eligible for a trial.

The email address already belongs to a BeePanel account, or this server already had a trial. Use an address never used with BeePanel, or activate a purchased license. When the refusal comes after Retrieve trial outcome, setup says This installation is not eligible for another trial. You can still activate a purchased license.; your verified portal account can still buy one.

BeePanel could not reach the licensing service. The installed entitlement is unchanged.

The server cannot reach licensing.beepanel.io. Check its internet access, DNS, and firewall, then try again.

Too many attempts. Wait for the cooldown, then try again.

Wait a while, up to an hour, then repeat the same request.

A previous licensing request is still pending with different details. Retry with the original details; BeePanel will safely continue that exact request without creating a second operation.

An earlier request did not get an answer. Repeat it with the same key or email address; to send the trial to another address, use Change email address instead.

The requested resource was not found.

After Retrieve trial outcome, this means the email was not confirmed within 24 hours and the request expired. Reload the page; the email field returns. Start the trial again; the same address can be used.