Excel workbook protection and licensing

Protect your Excel formulas and VBA, control access with activation keys, and distribute or sell your workbook as a Windows application. Your customers open an EXE and keep working in Microsoft Excel.

Free Trial Buy XLS Padlock

One-time license · 1 year of updates included · Royalty-free distribution
Online activation on your own server · Microsoft Excel for Windows required · Since 2013

New XLS Padlock 2026.3 is here October 2, 2026

Ship a secure application EXE instead of your Excel source file (XLS, XLSX, XLSM, or XLSB).

Your workbook. Still in Excel.

Customers open your EXE and work in Microsoft Excel, with the restrictions you choose. You keep the original workbook.

This is the protected Markbook demo running in Excel. A local installation of Microsoft Excel for Windows is required.

Try the protected workbook demo

What customers say

All reviews

"I sell a commercial application using XLS Padlock as my Excel protector and compiler. I have had no issues, find it very simple and effective to use, with some really good features."

Kevin A.

Customer since 2018

"I love this application and my product would not exist without it. There are other similar products out there but they have subscription and commission models that cost a small fortune at scale."

STAR TREK Trekkie Tracker

Customer since 2021

From spreadsheet to licensed application

Compile locally with XLS Padlock, choose your licensing rules, and deliver the protected application. You keep the original workbook, the keys, and the customer relationship.

Protect

Hide what is inside your workbook

Keep your original workbook private. Protect selected formulas, compile sensitive VBA, and choose which Excel actions to allow.
- Excel compiler
  Wrap XLS, XLSX, XLSM, or XLSB into a stand-alone Windows EXE for Excel 2007 to 2024 and 365.
- Formula protection
  Hide formulas per cell while keeping them functional.
- VBA compiler
  Compile VBA subs to bytecode so the original source disappears from the workbook.
Result: Encrypt + VBA bytecode
License

Activate, lock, expire

Issue activation keys with computer or usage limits. You can also require a USB stick or dongle to run your application.
- Online activation
  Validate keys online against your own PHP server (kit included), or hand them out manually.
- Key generator
  Generate activation keys with computer or expiration limits.
- Dongle and expiration
  Bind execution to a dongle or a generic USB stick, or expire after a date, a number of days, or a run count.
Result: Hardware lock + expiration
Ship

Build the installer, sell on your store

Send customers your EXE, or package it with Paquet Builder. They launch it to open the protected workbook in Excel.
- Signed installer
  Create a Windows setup with Paquet Builder and sign it with your certificate (PFX or Azure code signing).
- WooCommerce store
  Connect the free integration kit to your store for automated key delivery, one-time or recurring.
Result: Sales-Model.exe

Explore all features

Built for the Excel workbooks you share

Your workbook may hold years of specialist knowledge. XLS Padlock helps you distribute that work as a licensed product, whether it is a calculation model, an automated business tool, or a commercial template.

Financial models and calculators

Share pricing tools, forecasting models, and specialist calculators while the formulas behind them stay private. Customers enter their own data and use the workbook in Excel.

An Excel cell in a compiled XLS Padlock workbook, the formula bar showing the protected call =PLEvalFormD instead of the original formula while the sheet keeps computing. — Inside the compiled EXE, the formula bar shows a protected call like =PLEvalFormD, never the original logic.

See how the protection works

Business tools built with VBA

Distribute a reporting, data processing, or day-to-day business tool as an application. Compile selected VBA procedures to bytecode and control access with activation keys.

Distribute your workbook as an EXE

Workbooks you sell

Sell from your own website and issue licenses on your terms: hardware-locked keys or time-limited access, delivered manually or by online activation. The free WooCommerce kit automates key delivery.

Sell workbooks with recurring billing

Before you get started

A few practical answers about Excel, distribution, and your XLS Padlock license.

Read all frequently asked questions

Do my customers still need Microsoft Excel?

Yes. The protected application uses Microsoft Excel installed on the customer's Windows computer. It packages and protects your workbook; it does not replace Excel. Customers launch your EXE to open the workbook and use the features you allow.

Can I distribute or sell my compiled workbooks?

Yes. A purchased XLS Padlock license includes royalty-free distribution of your compiled workbooks. Generate activation keys yourself, or connect your own store to the free WooCommerce integration kit for automated licensing.

Is XLS Padlock a one-time purchase?

Yes. Your perpetual license includes one year of updates. Renewing maintenance is optional: you can keep using the versions you received. See the license and upgrade conditions for details.

Can I test it with my own Excel workbook?

Yes. Download the free trial to test your workbook before buying. Trial applications display a reminder, expire after a few days, and are for evaluation only. A purchased license is required for distribution. Try our protected workbook demo to see the customer experience.

Test it with your own workbook

Download the free trial, compile your workbook, and open it the way your customers will. Trial applications show a reminder and expire after a few days.