Licence

Last updated: 9 September 2026

SnugStage is free and open-source software. This page explains what that means, and separately, the commercial terms that apply when you buy a Pro key.

1. Software licence (GPLv2 or later)

SnugStage — the Joomla component, its bundled task plugin, and the live-site banner plugin — is released under the GNU General Public License, version 2 or later (GPLv2+), the same licence Joomla itself uses. This is what makes SnugStage eligible for listing on the Joomla Extensions Directory. Full terms are in the licence text linked above; nothing on this page limits or extends what that licence already grants.

Pro features are unlocked at runtime by verifying your licence key against our licensing server (see below) — a standard commercial-extension pattern, and fully compliant with JED's no-encryption requirement.

2. Free vs. Pro — what a purchase actually buys

The GPL covers the code. It doesn't cover support, updates, or which features are unlocked — those are ours to offer commercially, same as any other GPL-licensed Joomla extension sold on JED. Here's what each tier includes:

PlanPriceLicenceIncluded updates
Free £0 Never expires Ongoing, while the Free plan is offered
Pro — Annual £69/yr Valid for 12 months, renewable 12 months, matches licence term
Pro — Perpetual £189 one-time Never expires 12 months from purchase, renewable separately (see below)
Perpetual licences and updates, explained plainly: a Perpetual purchase means the licence itself never expires — every unlocked feature keeps working, indefinitely, with no ongoing subscription. What it does not mean is free new-version updates forever: like most perpetual-licence software, a Perpetual purchase includes 12 months of new-version updates from the date of purchase. After that, SnugStage keeps working exactly as it did, but you'll need to renew your update term to receive further version updates. We'll email you as that date approaches.

Every new install also gets a one-time, no-card-required 14-day trial with every Pro feature unlocked, so you can evaluate before buying.

3. Licence keys and activation

  • A licence key activates against one domain the first time it's used, and stays bound to that domain.
  • Free-tier keys are effectively permanent and don't require renewal.
  • We reserve the right to revoke a key found to be shared, resold, or used in a manner inconsistent with these terms; if that happens for a paid key in good standing, we'll always try to reach you by email first.

4. Refunds

If SnugStage doesn't work for you, contact us within 14 days of purchase at and we'll refund you in full, no questions asked. This is in addition to, and does not affect, any statutory rights you may have as a consumer under UK distance-selling law.

5. Support

Support is provided on a reasonable-effort basis via and our support forum. Pro customers receive priority support; Free-tier support is community and best-effort.

6. No warranty

As with all GPL software, SnugStage is provided "as is," without warranty of any kind, to the fullest extent permitted by law. See the full GPLv2 licence text for the complete terms governing the software itself.