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I'm looking for a word or expression for a short term license for an app. Users will pay for a license to use the software for a couple of hours or days. I have considered some words but none seem to be perfect. Here are the main ones, and reservations I have about using them:

License

This seems to be the "correct" one, but is usually associated with a perpetual license. And therefore "3 day license" seems a bit like a contradiction, and is also a bit wordy.

Code / ID

While this is how it's implemented, and appeals to me as a software developer, it doesn't seem to describe the actual "item" being sold.

Pass

While I think this conveys the idea correctly, it seems to be a little slangy.

Permit / Ticket

Refers to a nonexistent object. Also see "Code/ID" above.

Subscription

Usually means recurring.

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    Pass, permit and ticket work well.
    – Lawrence
    Oct 8, 2018 at 12:05

2 Answers 2

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Use token in the sense of something that gains you access to your software for limited use (somewhat like a subway token).

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  • Since a token is used and is subsequently not present, it would be troublesome later in the app's life for sentences such as "Your token still has 2 hours left". No? (Though if it weren’t for that I do admit it might sound good.)
    – ispiro
    Oct 8, 2018 at 17:29
  • Token is an overloaded term, but in a network, a token acts like a ticket; in a security system, a token is a card that typically has an expiration.
    – Gnawme
    Oct 8, 2018 at 19:25
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    +1 Excellent. Token is just the type of word to which a one-hour expiry could apply. (Using such a short period of time with the other words would be a little strange.) The more general word, which you used, is just access, to which any time period could also be applied. (You purchase access to something.)
    – Jason Bassford
    Oct 8, 2018 at 20:05
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In general, I agree with Lawrence's comment that pass would work quite well. If, however, you still feel that is a little too slangy, perhaps lease would work as well. I mean in the sense of "Etymology 6" on the wiktionary page--a license for a predefined period of time.

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