How much does LockMargin cost? LockMargin Standard costs $49 one-time. No subscription, no account, no price hike in 18 months.
I tested this on my own invoices for 6 months before I felt comfortable charging for it. Try the workflow free, or own the full stack with one payment.
Early Access opens September 2026 — reserve your license now.
$49 one-time · No subscription · No account required · Your data stays yours forever
Try it
For freelancers testing the workflow.
Own it
For freelancers running their business on it.
Pay once for v1.x — you own your license permanently. v2.x upgrades at 50% off.
Not a subscription. Not a hosted account. Not a rental.
You buy the software. Your data stays local. Your files remain yours.
I used to pay for this too. $19/month for two years to store my own invoices on someone else's server. That's the model we're replacing.
| Feature | LockMargin | FreshBooks | QuickBooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data location | Local — your hard drive | Cloud | Cloud |
| Payment | One-time | Monthly subscription | Monthly subscription |
| Account required | No | Yes | Yes |
| Offline-first | Yes — fully offline | No | Limited |
| Encryption | AES-256-GCM (your keychain) | Server-side | Server-side |
| Client limits | 5 (Start) / Unlimited (Standard) | Plan limits | Plan limits |
| Open format | SQLite / JSON / CSV | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Works without internet | Yes | No | Limited |
The difference is not technical. It's philosophical. One model treats your data as an asset you lease. The other treats it as property you own.
LockMargin has no transaction markup. Your payment processor may charge its own fees.
Yes. You pay once for LockMargin v1.x and own your license permanently. No subscription, no renewals. Major upgrades (v2.x) are offered at a 50% discount for Standard users.
Unlimited clients, projects, and invoices. Full PDF/CSV export, quotes, recurring invoices, Stripe Payment Links, time tracking, expenses, 26 financial reports, auto-backups, and priority email support.
Yes. Start is free to try — up to 5 clients, 5 projects per 30 days, unlimited invoices, PDF preview.
Standard unlocks full CSV, PDF, and JSON export with one click. Start includes PDF preview. Your data belongs to you — no vendor lock-in, no export fees.
Your data stays on your computer forever. Export anytime to standard formats. No account to delete, no subscription to cancel, no data held hostage.
AES-256-GCM with Argon2id key derivation. Keys are stored in your system keychain (Windows Credential Manager), never in the database or on disk. Sensitive fields are encrypted at the field level.
Yes. 30-day money-back guarantee. If LockMargin isn't right for you, email support@lockmargin.com within 30 days for a full refund.
If LockMargin disappeared tomorrow:
If the answer is yes, you own your workflow.
AES-256-GCM · Argon2id · open SQLite/JSON/CSV format
I'd rather you find out here than after purchase.
Probably right for you if:
Probably wrong for you if:
Windows only for Early Access; macOS and Linux coming soon.
If the second list sounds like you, LockMargin is not your tool — and that's fine.
No subscription · No account required · Your data stays yours forever