Buy Once. Own Forever.
No subscriptions. No cloud fees. Your data stays on your machine.
Free
$0
For freelancers who just need the basics.
- 5 clients
- 3 projects
- 5 invoices/month
- PDF preview only (no export)
- Basic Command Palette (5 actions)
- Community support
Standard
$49
One-time. For serious freelancers.
- Unlimited clients, projects, invoices
- Full PDF / CSV export
- AES-256-GCM encryption
- Full Command Palette (21 actions)
- 8 KPI analytics (RHR, Runway, Tax Shield)
- Email sending + Google Calendar sync
- Auto-backups + soft delete
- 48h email support
Professional
$79
One-time. For power users.
- Everything in Standard, plus:
- Stripe Payment Links (1-click client payments)
- Recurring invoices
- Proposals → Invoice conversion
- Client Portal Export
- Audit log + Stealth / Privacy Mode
- 24h priority email support
- Early access to new features
✓ 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked.
✓ Free updates for current major version. Major upgrades at 50% off.
✓ Built with Rust. Secured with AES-256-GCM.
See your savings
FreshBooks costs ~$276/year. QuickBooks ~$360/year.
LockMargin: $49 one-time. Save up to $2,651 over 3 years vs QuickBooks.
View full comparison ↓LockMargin vs The Competition
| Feature | LockMargin | FreshBooks | QuickBooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Location | Local (your hard drive) | Cloud | Cloud |
| Subscription | One-time payment | Monthly ($15–$50/mo) | Monthly ($30–$200/mo) |
| Offline-First | Yes — fully offline | No | Limited |
| Encryption | AES-256-GCM (keychain) | AES-256 (server-side) | AES-256 (server-side) |
| Unlimited Clients | Yes — all tiers | No (plan limits) | No (plan limits) |
| Recurring Engine | Reactive (no cron) | Yes | Yes |
| Open Source Available | Self-contained app | No | No |
How Much Will You Save?
Compare LockMargin to popular cloud invoicing tools over time.
Savings calculated as: (competitor monthly × 12 × years) − LockMargin one-time price. Does not include potential price increases from competitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it really one-time payment?
Yes. LockMargin has no subscription. You pay once and own the software forever. All future updates within the major version are included.
How does LockMargin compare to FreshBooks?
LockMargin costs $49 once, FreshBooks costs $19/month ($228/year). Over 3 years, you save $635. See the full LockMargin vs FreshBooks comparison.
What about QuickBooks?
QuickBooks costs $30/month ($360/year) and is built for accountants. LockMargin is $49 once, built for freelancers. Over 3 years, you save $1,031. See the full LockMargin vs QuickBooks comparison.
Is it better than Wave?
Wave is "free" but charges 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. At $10,000/year invoiced, that's $320/year in fees. LockMargin is $49 once, no transaction fees. See the full LockMargin vs Wave comparison.
How does encryption work?
AES-256-GCM with PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256 key derivation (100,000 iterations). Encryption keys are stored in your system keychain (Windows Credential Manager), never in the database or on disk. Sensitive fields in clients and payment transactions are encrypted at the field level.
Can I migrate my data?
Yes. LockMargin supports CSV export for clients, projects, invoices, and expenses. Backups can be created and restored at any time. Data portability (JSON/YAML export/import) is planned for a future sprint.
What happens if I need support?
Standard tier includes priority support. Free tier users get community support via the LockMargin help center and documentation. All tiers have access to the knowledge base and command palette help system.
Can I upgrade from Free to Standard?
Yes. You can purchase a license key for the Standard or Professional tier at any time. Your data remains intact — just unlock the additional features.