Licensing
HandyCafe release builds require a verified HandyCafe account before local server setup or staff sign-in. Your plan determines the number of simultaneous client PC and console connections that the server accepts. It also controls access to plan-specific features.
License Activation
- Launch HandyCafe Server.
- HandyCafe checks for an account license already activated on this server.
- Enter your email and password on the Sign in screen when no activated account license exists.
- Select Create one for free when you need an account. Enter only your email address.
- Open the secure registration link from the email. Create your password and complete registration in the browser.
- Return to HandyCafe Server and sign in with the new account.
- HandyCafe creates or selects the cafe license for the account and activates it on the server.
- Create the first local Admin account when the server has no Admin. Otherwise the Admin or Cashier login screen appears.
New verified accounts receive the Free plan automatically. A plan-neutral HC- license key is still used internally. The key does not contain the current plan name and remains the same identity when the plan changes. GA users do not need to enter or copy that key.
Release builds no longer offer a trial plan. If an older installation still has a signed trial record, HandyCafe keeps the verified account activation and presents it as Free Version while cloud migration completes. The application does not ask for the account password again on every launch.
The account activation screen is the first mandatory release step. The local First Setup Wizard and Admin or Cashier login screen are not loaded until account activation succeeds. The release account screen cannot be skipped through a demo preview.
Select Forgot Password? below the password field to request a reset link. HandyCafe always shows the same confirmation after submission. This prevents the screen from revealing whether the email is registered.
Free Plan
The Free plan does not expire. It requires a working internet connection and includes these limits:
| Capability | Free plan behavior |
|---|---|
| Client PCs | Up to 2 simultaneous connections |
| Consoles | Up to 2 simultaneous connections |
| Staff | 1 owner and 1 active cashier. Custom and manager roles are unavailable. |
| Remote Desktop | 2 sessions per UTC day. One session at a time. A reconnect within 3 minutes continues the same session. |
| Screenshots | 2 new captures per UTC day across full-screen, window and mobile capture paths |
| Members | Unlimited |
| Individual tickets | Unlimited |
| Bulk tickets | Bulk creation, import and printing require Genesis |
| Reports | Standard reports are available. The advanced Report Builder requires Genesis. |
| Database safety | Local backup, export, restore and integrity checks are available |
| Database maintenance | Vacuum, Analyze, Optimize, scheduled maintenance and old-log cleanup require Genesis |
| Client QR code | Always visible on idle and online screens |
HandyCafe shows FREE VERSION in the top bar while Free is active. A dismissible Free Version card appears once when the application starts. The About page also identifies Free Version and its 2 PC and 2 active console limits without a trial countdown or expiration date.
The Free plan requires an authenticated HandyCafe Cloud Live Link at all times. The server sends a WebSocket heartbeat every 30 seconds. Three missed heartbeat windows, about 90 seconds, stop operational use. Existing PC and console sessions close. New sessions, Remote Desktop, screenshots and other write operations remain blocked until the authenticated Live Link reconnects.
The signed 10-minute online lease remains a second verification layer. Restoring only general internet access is not enough. The authenticated Cloud Live Link must reconnect and the signed lease must still be valid. License and purchase controls, logs, local backup, export and recovery tools remain accessible while operational use is locked.
Daily Remote Desktop and screenshot limits are cloud-authoritative. A failed capture does not consume the allowance. Opening or saving an existing screenshot does not consume the allowance. Paid Genesis plans have unlimited local Remote Desktop and screenshots.
When a paid plan expires, is cancelled or has a failed payment, the cafe moves to Free instead of losing access to its records. Connections and console sessions above the Free limits stop immediately. A revoked or security-disabled license closes all client and console access.
Fixed-Term Genesis Plans
A Genesis plan may be assigned directly to a cafe for a fixed term without a recurring payment subscription. The HandyCafe Dashboard shows this as the cafe's current plan on Dashboard, My Plan and Billing. It shows the fixed end date instead of a renewal date.
A fixed-term plan has no automatic renewal or Stripe cancellation. Subscription cancellation, reactivation and self-service plan switching controls remain unavailable for that plan. Contact HandyCafe support when the assigned plan needs to change before its end date.
Legacy Annual Plan Transition
An active annual Legacy purchase made before July 1, 2026 can move to Genesis without losing the paid Legacy period. HandyCafe verifies the successful Legacy payment before offering the transition. A stored price or subscription identifier alone is not accepted as payment proof. HandyCafe selects the smallest Genesis package that covers the Legacy client limit. Genesis access opens immediately. The included access ends at the existing Legacy period end timestamp.
Open My Plan and find the eligible Legacy license. Select Move to Genesis and review the confirmation. The confirmation shows a zero charge today. It also shows the exact annual Genesis amount and the first payment date. Stripe verifies and saves the card. HandyCafe then schedules the new yearly Genesis subscription to start when the paid Legacy period ends. This transition does not create a trial.
The existing Legacy renewal is disabled only after the future Genesis subscription schedule is created successfully. A failed setup restores the prior Legacy renewal setting. HandyCafe also reconciles an interrupted setup before allowing another checkout. This prevents a billing gap, an invisible future charge or two active renewals.
Select Cancel scheduled renewal to stop the future Genesis charge. The included Genesis access continues through the paid Legacy end date. The cafe moves to Free after that date. A failed first Genesis payment also moves the cafe to Free. Records remain available under the Free plan limits.
PayPal Legacy renewals require support assistance before self-service transition. HandyCafe does not schedule a second recurring charge while an existing PayPal renewal may still be active.
Account Settings
Open Settings, then select Account to manage the HandyCafe account linked to the server. The page shows the contact person and email, cafe, country, current plan, PC allowance, active console allowance and online requirement. Active Cloud and Cafeteria packages appear as separate cards in the Add-ons section below the plan. Select Dashboard to open the linked HandyCafe Dashboard in the system browser.
For an automatically renewing Stripe subscription, the page labels the actual billing period boundary as the renewal date. If automatic renewal is inactive, it shows that renewal is inactive and displays the license access end date instead. The access end date can be later than the billing period boundary because HandyCafe includes a short reconciliation buffer for delayed payment webhooks. Administrator-granted Cloud or Cafeteria access appears as an active package without inventing a renewal date.
Select Refresh to request the latest signed account and plan status. Select Upgrade to Genesis or Manage plan to open the existing plan selection and secure checkout flow.
Only the local Admin cashier can select Sign out. HandyCafe asks for confirmation before removing the account from the server. Signing out disconnects Cloud Live Link and the cafeteria relay, clears the shared cloud credential and returns the server to the mandatory HandyCafe account sign-in screen. A broken or read-only license can still be cleared from the blocking recovery screen when local Admin sign-in is not available.
License States
| State | Description |
|---|---|
| missing_key | No license key has been entered |
| inactive | Key entered but not yet validated |
| active | License is valid and operational |
| offline_grace | A paid server cannot reach the licensing service but remains inside its configured grace period |
| offline_locked | Grace period expired. Server is locked until connectivity is restored. |
| online_required | The Free plan has no recent authenticated Cloud Live Link heartbeat or cannot renew its signed online lease |
| expired | License has passed its expiration date |
| revoked | License has been revoked by the licensing authority |
| over_limit | More clients are connected than the license allows |
PC Limit
Your license specifies the maximum number of simultaneous client PC and console connections.
- When the limit is reached, new client connections are rejected.
- Starting a third console session on Free is rejected even when more consoles were registered before Free was activated.
- The server displays a localized limit notification. It does not expose an internal error code.
- Free supports 2 connected PCs and 2 connected consoles at a time.
If you need more PCs, upgrade your license through the HandyCafe website.
Read-Only Mode
When the PC limit is set to 0 (or when the license is in certain restricted states), the server enters read-only mode:
- You can view all data and reports
- You cannot start new sessions
- You cannot make changes to settings that affect client operations
- The Admin Panel displays a license overlay indicating the restriction
Internet and Offline Behavior
Paid plans use the configured offline grace period. The default is 48 hours. If the server cannot reach the licensing service:
- The license enters offline_grace state.
- You have until the configured grace deadline to restore internet connectivity.
- During the grace period, all features work normally.
- After the deadline, the license enters offline_locked state and the server is restricted.
Free does not use the paid offline grace period. It must maintain the authenticated Cloud Live Link. A short 90-second missed-heartbeat window tolerates brief network jitter. The signed 10-minute online lease provides a second verification layer.
HandyCafe Server accepts Cloud license state only when the response has a valid HandyCafe signature bound to the current installation and request. Unsigned, altered, stale, replayed or other-install responses are rejected. Operational access remains locked until a valid response arrives.
Tip: Ensure your server PC has a stable internet connection that permits secure WebSocket traffic to HandyCafe Cloud. The heartbeat uses minimal bandwidth.
License Overlay
The license overlay also provides the one-time startup summary for Free Version. When there is a license issue, the same overlay presents the required action. This overlay:
- Shows the current license status
- Displays the PC limit
- Displays the active console limit
- Provides instructions for resolving the issue
- Blocks operational use when the license requires action