License activation
Activate your HiveNest license.
HiveNest works without a license for 1 active rule. Purchase a license, paste the key into WordPress, and unlimited active rules unlock.
Get a license key
Licenses are purchased on the PracticalStack pricing page: Single Site ($10/year, 1 site) or Unlimited Sites ($60/year). Your key arrives in the HNST-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX format.
No license is needed to try HiveNest — every install includes 1 active rule. A license unlocks unlimited active rules.
Activate in WordPress
- 1.Copy your key in the HNST-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX format.
- 2.In WordPress Admin, open HiveNest → License.
- 3.Paste the key into the license field.
- 4.Click Activate License.
- 5.Wait for the status to read “License active”.
Activation registers this site's URL with your license and stores the plan, rule limit, and site limit in WordPress. HiveNest keeps working while you set this up — rules are never disabled just because no license is present.
Check status
The Check Status button refreshes your license info from PracticalStack and updates the “Last checked” timestamp. If the API is temporarily unreachable, HiveNest keeps your cached status and shows a warning instead — a network blip never downgrades a working license. Use Check Status after purchasing or upgrading so the plugin picks up your new plan and limits.
Moving sites? Deactivate first
Before moving HiveNest to another site or domain, click Deactivate License on the old site. This frees the activation slot on a 1-site license so the new site can activate. Your key stays saved locally, and deactivating never deletes the license itself.
Status messages
License active
The key is valid and this site holds an activation slot. Plan, rule limit, and site limit are stored locally so HiveNest keeps working even if the license server is briefly unreachable.
License invalid
The key was not found or has been disabled. Re-copy the key from your purchase confirmation, or contact PracticalStack support if you believe this is a mistake.
Site limit reached
The license is already active on its maximum number of sites (1 for Single Site licenses). Deactivate the license on the old site first, then activate here.
Could not connect to PracticalStack
The plugin could not reach the license API. Your cached status is kept — nothing is lost. Try again later, and check that the site can make outbound HTTPS requests.
License deactivated
You deactivated this site. The key stays saved in WordPress, so clicking Activate License with an empty input re-activates it in one step.
Local and dev sites
Local and staging installs can activate normally as long as they can reach the PracticalStack API over the internet. Production installs should always talk to the production PracticalStack API — the License screen shows which license server the plugin is using at the bottom of the page. Remember that a Single Site license covers one site at a time, so a dev site and a production site cannot both hold the activation — deactivate one first, or use an Unlimited Sites license.
Troubleshooting
“No license was found for that key”
The key was mistyped or copied partially. Keys look like HNST-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX. Re-copy it from your purchase confirmation, or contact support to have it re-sent.
“Site limit reached”
Single Site licenses cover one site. Open HiveNest → License on the site that currently holds the activation and click Deactivate License, then activate on the new site. If the old site is gone, contact us and we can release the slot — or upgrade to Unlimited Sites.
“Could not connect to PracticalStack”
This is a network problem, not a license problem. Your last known status stays cached. Confirm the site has internet access and no firewall or security plugin is blocking outbound requests, then click Check Status.
I lost my license key
Check your purchase confirmation email first. If you cannot find it, contact PracticalStack support and we will re-send your key.
I upgraded my plan but the plugin still shows old limits
The plugin caches license info locally. Open WP Admin → HiveNest → License and click Check Status to pull your new plan and limits.