In short
- Dongles bind software to a piece of hardware, which is why they're hard to crack, and why customers hate them.
- Modern computers already contain the same kind of secure hardware: the TPM 2.0 chip (Windows 11 requires one).
- Sealing the licence to the TPM gives dongle-grade binding with nothing to post, plug in or lose.
- Moving to a new computer is a new licence, issued in seconds, or a resale to someone else.
Why dongles stuck around
A USB dongle holds a key the software needs and can't be copied, so it works offline and resists cracking far better than a licence key. That's why engineering, audio and industrial software kept them for decades, despite the cost.
What they cost everyone
- Hardware and shipping for every licence, and support when one is lost, broken or stuck in customs.
- A spare USB port, on laptops that have fewer every year.
- Drivers that lag behind operating system updates.
- Software that stops when someone borrows the key.
The chip that's already there
The TPM 2.0 is a security chip built into the motherboard of most computers made in the last several years. Like a dongle, it holds keys that can be used but never read out. Pramaan seals each licence to a key made inside that chip, so the protected part of the app opens only on that computer: the same hardware binding as a dongle, delivered as a file. See node-locked licences.
Changing computers
A dongle moves with its owner; a chip doesn't. Instead, the publisher issues a licence for the new computer from their console, or the customer resells the old licence on Pramaan Marketplace, where it's sealed to the buyer's machine.
Questions
What can replace a USB licence dongle?
The TPM 2.0 security chip already inside most computers. Pramaan seals each licence to a key in that chip, giving the same hardware binding with nothing to ship.
Does it work offline like a dongle?
Yes. The licence and its proof are checked on the computer itself, with no connection needed.
What if a computer has no TPM?
Most computers from the last several years have one, and Windows 11 requires it. Without one, Pramaan can fall back to a software key, which it reports as not hardware-backed.
Related guides
- Node-Locked vs Floating Licenses ExplainedNode-locked (device-locked) and floating (concurrent) licenses compared: how each works, when to use which, and how hardware binding beats a hardware ID check.
- License Server Alternatives: No Server to RunWhy licence servers fail customers, what replaces them, and how licences that carry their own proof work offline, with no server for you or them to host.
- How to Protect Software From Piracy (2026 Guide)Practical ways to stop software piracy: why licence keys and checks get cracked, how hardware-bound licences and leak tracing work, and what works offline.
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