How to deliver license keys automatically on Shopify
July 25, 2026 · AfterKit team
If you sell software, plugins, game codes or any product redeemed with a code, the delivery problem is different from files: every buyer must get a unique key, exactly once, instantly — and refunds have to take the key back.
What good key delivery requires
- A managed pool. Paste your inventory once; the app assigns the next available key per order. No spreadsheets, no copy-paste at 2am.
- Duplicate detection at import. The classic disaster is one code pasted twice and sold twice. Import should reject duplicates before they enter the pool.
- Atomic assignment. Two orders in the same second must never receive the same key. This is a database guarantee, not a hope.
- Low-stock alerts. Running dry mid-promotion turns a sale day into a support fire. You want an email before the pool empties.
- Revocation on refund. A refunded order's key should be pulled back automatically and marked revoked.
The AfterKit setup, end to end
- Create a key pool and paste your codes — the import preview shows exactly what will be added and flags duplicates.
- Attach the pool to a Shopify product (or a specific variant — variants can carry different pools).
- Done. Each paid order gets the next key, encrypted at rest, shown in the buyer's branded hub with a copy button — and in stock terms, you'll get a low-stock email before it matters.
Out of stock? Orders wait as pending instead of failing, and the moment you restock, waiting buyers get their keys and an email automatically.
Beyond single codes
Plenty of "key" products are really logins — a portal URL, username and password, sometimes a PIN. Delivering those as one string in an email is how support tickets are born. AfterKit delivers structured credential sets with labeled fields and per-field copy buttons — here's the full setup.
AfterKit does all of this out of the box. Digital downloads, keys, logins and a buyer community — free plan forever, no order limits.
Install AfterKitCommon questions
Can I see which buyer got which key?
Yes — assignments are tracked per order, so support questions like "my key doesn't work" take seconds, and refunds revoke exactly the right key.
Are keys visible in the delivery email?
By default keys live in the hub behind a secure link, not in email bodies — safer for you, and the email still gets buyers there in one click.
What plans support key pools?
Every plan, including Free (one pool). Paid plans add unlimited pools.