EA Activation Limits & Broker Locks Guide

Why limits matter more than the key itself

A license key without constraints is a password that never expires and never maxes out. **EA activation limits** define how many live accounts (or terminals) may run the EA simultaneously. **Broker lock license** rules tie those activations to named brokers — essential for prop-firm compliance, regional deals, or white-label partners.

Together with **license expiry dates**, these settings translate your commercial terms into automated enforcement. Support stops arguing about "I only use one PC" when logs show twelve account activations across five brokers.

Setting activation limits

Start from how honest customers actually trade:

- **Retail scalpers**: 1–2 activations (live + demo or VPS backup)
- **Swing traders**: 2–3 activations (home + VPS)
- **Commercial / fund licenses**: negotiable higher seats with audit logging

When a customer exceeds the limit, the **MT5 license key generator** (or MT4 equivalent) should reject the new activation with a clear message — not crash the terminal. Offer a self-service deactivate in your customer portal so users can free a seat when they change VPS providers.

Document your policy on demo accounts. Some developers count demo toward limits; others allow unlimited demo with the same key. Consistency matters more than which option you pick.

Preventing key sharing

Limits alone do not stop sequential sharing (user A activates, deactivates, sends key to user B). Combine limits with:

- Minimum time between activation swaps
- Email verification on first activation
- Build binding so leaked binaries are revocable

These tactics **prevent EA cracking** fallout from becoming unlimited seat sharing.

Configuring broker locks

**Broker lock license** settings map allowed broker company strings (as reported by the terminal) to each key or product tier. Common use cases:

1. **Prop firm bundles** — EA works only on Firm X and Firm Y servers
2. **Regional exclusivity** — distributor sells broker-specific keys in LATAM
3. **Risk control** — you do not support brokers with incompatible execution models

Use partial matching carefully. Broker names vary slightly between server instances. Test against real demo accounts at each allowed broker before publishing rules.

When a user on the wrong broker activates, fail fast in `OnInit` with a support link — not silent no-trading that looks like a strategy bug.

Expiry dates and renewals

**License expiry dates** support subscriptions, lease models, and time-limited trials. Expiry can be hard (EA stops) or soft (warnings for seven days). Subscription EAs should revalidate daily so expired keys cannot run offline indefinitely.

Align expiry timezone to UTC in your backend to avoid "it worked yesterday" disputes. Renewal flows should preserve activation history so returning customers do not burn seats re-registering accounts.

Practical setup workflow

1. Create product in your licensing dashboard.
2. Define default activation count per plan tier on pricing.
3. Add optional broker allowlist fields for SKUs that need them.
4. Set expiry template (lifetime, 1 year, monthly subscription).
5. Generate keys for orders — manual, API, or marketplace webhook.
6. Monitor activation dashboard weekly for outliers.

For enterprise deals, export CSV of activations by key for compliance audits.

Support scenarios

| Customer request | Recommended response |
| --- | --- |
| New VPS | Deactivate old seat, activate new — within limit |
| Changed broker | Update broker lock list if contract allows, or sell broker upgrade |
| Expired sub | Renew key period; EA resumes on next online check |

Train support to read activation logs before resetting keys blindly — resets without investigation reward serial sharers.

Advanced: per-account vs per-machine binding

Some vendors bind to machine fingerprint via VPS MAC or terminal data folder ID. This is stronger but angers legitimate users who migrate hardware. **EA activation limits** at account level are the usual retail balance. Reserve machine binding for high-value B2B contracts with written agreements.

Getting limits, locks, and expiry right upfront reduces piracy and refund churn more than any post-hoc crack hunt.