Cracked Copies
Does a cracked or unlicensed copy actually work?
No. Without a valid licence the plugin does not enable at all. The one exception is a beta key that has reached its end date, and that only runs recovery-only mode, which hands things back and never trades. If a licence is revoked while a server is already running, the native core stops the money operations at its next background refresh, so listings, purchases and payouts no longer go through. There is no half-working cracked version to build a server on.
If my licence lapses, do I lose my data or my auctions?
No. Everything stays exactly where it is. Your data is encrypted with your installation key, not your licence, so it remains readable and intact. A paid licence whose update window has ended keeps working on the build you already have; only newer builds wait for a renewal. A licence that has been revoked stops the plugin as described on the Security FAQ. A beta key that has reached its end date does not stop it: the plugin switches to recovery-only mode, where trading stops, every listing and barter offer goes back to its owner, and players collect their items and money with /ah claim. Nothing is deleted or held hostage either way.
Will an invalid or expired licence corrupt or lock my database?
No. This is the clearest promise the plugin makes: a licence problem is never turned into a data problem. A revoked licence simply stops the plugin, and your database is untouched. When a beta key reaches its end date, the only changes are the ones that hand things back: listings and barter offers return to their owners as claims, ready to collect.
Can I try the plugin before committing?
During the beta the plugin is free, so you can run the real thing on a beta key. Without a valid key the plugin does not enable, so you always know exactly where you stand.
Does attempting to crack it put my server at risk?
No. The protections act on the plugin, not on the person running it. A cracked copy fails to function, and nothing lashes out at your server or its files.