Chart: duration keys add up each time you buy a new one, a lifetime key is paid once, and past the crossing point the lifetime key costs less
Each new duration key adds to what you’ve paid. A lifetime key is paid once. Where the two lines cross depends on each menu’s prices, shown live below.

What a lifetime key really means

“Lifetime” means the lifetime of the product, not yours. You pay once and the key keeps working for as long as the developer keeps the menu going, usually with updates included: most product pages list future updates in what you get.

When a developer stops, the menu stops too. 2Take1, Infamous, Fragment, Hares and LabCore were all discontinued by their developers. Their pages stay up with alternatives, and we no longer sell them.

A lifetime key is also a license for one player. Cherax, for example, doesn’t allow account sharing on any tier.

What a duration key means

A duration key runs for a set time: 1 day, 7 days, 14 days, 30 days, 3 months, 1 year and so on, depending on the product. Your remaining time is tied to your key. When it runs out, you buy the same product again and get a fresh key.

The time starts counting when you first activate the key, not when you buy it. Until then, the key doesn’t expire, so you can buy it ahead of time.

How to read our plan names

  • No duration in the name means lifetime. X-Force Essential, Cherax Standard and Premium, Stand Basic, Regular and Ultimate, Raiden Standard and Scooby Premium are all lifetime keys.
  • “BE” means BattlEye. A plan like Midnight’s 30 Days BE or Nexoria’s 1 Month BE is made to run with the BattlEye anti-cheat on.
  • “Upgrade” means you need the lower tier first. An upgrade key moves a license you already own to a higher tier (see below).
  • Some names add an edition or a tier. Ethereal’s “Legacy, Lifetime” and “Enhanced, Lifetime” are separate keys for each edition of GTA V, and Atlas sells a “Standard Lifetime” key next to its VIP plans.

Doing the maths, with live prices

Here is what it costs to cover the same stretch of time with duration keys, next to the lifetime price. Every price is live, in your currency. Each cell adds up the keys you’d buy, using the longest duration plan that fits: for Lexis, six months means two 3 month keys, and where the longest plan is 30 days, a year means twelve of them (360 days).

Menu1 month3 months6 months1 yearLifetime
Lexis (GTA V)1 month€ 25.803 months€ 60.206 months€ 120.40 (2 × 3 months)1 year€ 240.80 (4 × 3 months)Lifetime€ 120.00
Jupiter (GTA V)1 month€ 25.00 (30 days)3 months€ 50.00 (90 days)6 months€ 100.00 (2 × 90 days)1 year€ 200.00 (4 × 90 days)Lifetime€ 120.00
Jupiter CS21 month€ 5.003 months€ 15.00 (3 × 1 month)6 months€ 30.00 (6 × 1 month)1 year€ 60.00 (12 × 1 month)Lifetime€ 20.00
Rift (RDR2)1 month€ 17.50 (30 days)3 months€ 52.50 (3 × 30 days)6 months€ 105.00 (6 × 30 days)1 year€ 210.00 (12 × 30 days)Lifetime€ 32.50
Predator CS21 month€ 5.003 months€ 12.006 months€ 24.001 year€ 48.00LifetimeNot offered

How to read it: find the first column where the duration keys cost more than the lifetime key. If you expect to use the menu for longer than that, the lifetime key is the cheaper choice, as long as the developer keeps supporting the menu. On some menus that point comes quickly, on others it takes longer: that’s why it’s worth checking for the menu you want.

Short keys (1 day, 1 week) are left out of the table. They’re made for trying a menu, and you’ll find them on each product page.

Some products are sold one way only. Cherax Standard (€ 23.50) and Premium, and every Stand tier, are lifetime only, so there’s nothing to compare: you pay once. Cherax Prime, Predator CS2, MemeSense and Kernaim Rust are sold by duration only, like most of the cheats we sell for CS2, Rust and Apex Legends.

When each one makes sense

  • To try a menu: a short key. You’re new to a cheat, you want to check it runs well on your PC, or you only want it for a few days. It also limits what you risk: only unused keys can be refunded, so a short key is the low-cost way to find out.
  • For a while: monthly or longer keys. You play in bursts, you like to switch between cheats, or you’re not sure how long you’ll keep playing the game. They’re also the only choice when no lifetime key is offered.
  • For the long run: a lifetime key. You already know and like the menu, you’ll use it past the point where it pays off, and the developer has a track record. Cherax, for example, has been developed since 2019.

Upgrade keys: start low, move up later

A few menus sell upgrade keys, so you can start on a lower tier and move up later without buying the higher tier from scratch. An upgrade key only works on an account that already holds the lower tier: the Cherax upgrade, for example, only redeems on an account that holds Standard, and it’s a lifetime key like Standard and Premium.

Upgrade pathIn two steps (lower tier + upgrade)Higher tier bought outright
Cherax Standard to Premium€ 47.00€ 46.00
Stand Basic to Regular€ 24.00€ 24.50
Stand Regular to Ultimate€ 49.00€ 48.00
Stand Basic to Ultimate€ 49.00€ 48.00
Scooby Premium to Premium Plus€ 28.65€ 28.90

Compare the two columns to see what the flexibility costs today. If you already know you want the higher tier, buying it outright is simpler. If you’re not sure, the lower tier lets you start for less.

Before you buy a lifetime key

  1. The right edition. For GTA V, make sure the key covers your edition. Raiden uses one key for Legacy and Enhanced, while Ethereal sells a separate lifetime key for each.
  2. The developer’s track record and status. Look at how long the menu has been around, and check the Product Status page.
  3. One PC or several. Some keys are locked to one PC. Cherax Standard and Premium aren’t, Cherax Prime is, and a Stand key is for one PC. If the product page doesn’t say, ask us.
  4. Updates. Check the product page’s list of what you get: most say future updates are included.
  5. An official seller. Some developers only support keys from their approved resellers. EldroMods is on the official list for Cherax, among others.

A lifetime key doesn’t protect your account. It’s a license for the cheat, not for your game account. Any cheat or mod menu can get your account banned, whichever plan you choose, and nobody can honestly promise otherwise.

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Frequently asked questions

Does a lifetime key really last forever?

It lasts for as long as the developer supports the product. When a developer stops, the menu stops too: 2Take1 and Infamous are recent examples. Lifetime means one payment for the life of the product, with updates included on most product pages.

When does the time on a monthly key start?

When you first activate the key, not when you buy it. Until then, the key doesn’t expire. After that, your remaining time is tied to your key.

How do I renew a monthly key?

Buy the same product again and you’ll receive a fresh key. Check the product’s status before you renew.

Can I upgrade my key later?

Only on menus that sell upgrade keys, like Cherax, Stand and Scooby. An upgrade key works only on an account that already holds the lower tier. For other menus, buy the plan you want directly.

Is a 3 month key cheaper than three 1 month keys?

Usually, but it depends on the menu and on today’s prices. Each product page lists every plan with its live price, so add them up before you choose.