LockXLS User Reviews
Outstanding
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"Problem Appears to be fixed"
Version: LockXLS 4.6.3
Pros
- Does what is says
- Many professional featuresCons
- No Mac support
- No support for earlier than Office 2007Summary
I have been using LockXLS for some time now with several issues that their support team took on immediately and fixed including product enhancements.
When I heard of the ability to break their encryption I confirm the issue with WhiteHatXL by send him a file to break and return it to me unlocked. He did so. Since then I contacted the LockXLS team and they went to work to fix the issue, and I have since sent many emails to WhiteHatXL to confirm the fix and he has disappeared. Many think WhiteHatXL is from a competitor's team, just bashing LockXLS for his own gains.
For most of us that need our IP protected when developing products in Excel, it is critical that the product works as advertised. If it is broken WhiteHatXL and George779 they need to prove it! -
"LockXLS to George779"
Version: LockXLS 4.6.3
Pros
This is response to george779
Cons
nothing found - see customer's reviews
Summary
George, or who uses this nick, you've retyped old review, which describes already resolved issue. This is proven by our customers - you can see their reviews below. Your efforts are senseless. You can retype same report once again using another nickname, but more and more customers give up another products like DoneEx and switch to LockXLS.
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"Workbook copy protection doesn't work!"
Version: LockXLS 4.6.3
Pros
Average user cannot see formulas in cells and vba code in protected workbook
Cons
The current version has the same fake workbook copy protection as all previous versions.
Summary
By courtesy of WhiteHatXL, I reproduce the part of his review dedicated to LockXLS.
PROS: The tool is programmed in C++. In protected solution, everything works like in original workbook. Average user cannot see formulas in cells and vba code in protected workbook. Protects xla files. Lots of features.
CONS: The product uses unmodified, original workbooks in protected solutions and relies on hackers' methods to take customer away from seeing the content of the workbook (Hooks Excel windows and blocks Excel's COM objects methods calls). The tool is trying to stub all Excel's security breaches, which is impossible with an unmodified, original workbook.
When a protected solution has been started on an end customer computer, the spreadsheet becomes as unprotected as newborn baby.
5 lines of C code recover the original workbook from the protected solution, doesn't matter whether it's xls or exe file.
To prove the vulnerability of LockXLS solutions, just e-mail a protected solution to WhiteHatXL at yahoo dot com , the original workbook will be returned.
SUMMARY: Fake. This product is not for a workbook protection.
BTW, The current version has the same fake workbook copy protection as all previous versions. -
"The best Excel workbook protection software"
Version: LockXLS 4.6.1
Pros
strong workbook protection
many useful features which simplifies distribution of the workbooks
very helpful support teamCons
at this moment there is nothing to say
Summary
Before purchase I've made a lot of tests, and must confirm - LockXLS protection works perfectly. I've sent locked workbook to the WhiteHatXL - person who claims that he can recover original workbook, but receive nothing. Looks like LockXLS team quickly fix all issues described on the mrexcel.com forum. Also, my suggestions were included into the nearest release and in a week I got the feature, needed to distribute my workbooks. LockXLS team was very helpful. I've tested several spreadsheet protection tools and LockXLS is the best. I don't regret that I've purchased it.
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"LockXLS protection is compromised"
Version: LockXLS 4.5.7
Pros
There were a lot, but all of them are wiped by compromised protection.
Cons
LockXLS protection doesn't work. Anybody can recover an original workbook from such 'protected' solution.
Summary
I have been looking for some workbook copy protection software and found many good words that were said here about LockXLS in previous reviews.
I was about to purchase this software, but then I have stumbled on this MrExcel.com forum thread: http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/showthread.php?t=232464
The person with nick name WhiteHatXL declares that he can recover an original workbook from any solution protected by LockXLS. I thought this was a fake or joke and have sent him a test workbook protected with LockXLS, and i've got my original workbook back! No protection at all!! Only my .xlsm file with everything available-with formulas and vba code!
Now everybody who believes LockXLS and uses this 'protection' puts their intellectual property to great risk.
I think that LockXLS guys do know about weakness of their protection, and if they do then this is a fraud because they sell for almost $300 -- a product which does nothing. -
"Great way to protect your work in Excel"
Version: LockXLS 4.5.7
Pros
- Turns your Excel Software into a program
- Now Excel Worksheet and Workbook Protection really is secure
- Good enough to allow you to sell your work
- No more piracy of your work
- Excellent Customer SupportCons
- Only works with Windows (no Mac support)
- Only works with Excel 2007 and aboveSummary
I have developed a software tool that uses Excel that my partners and I were going to sell, but like all Excel templates once a copy it out all someone needs to do is send it to someone else and it is easily distributed. So we tried LockXLS and are thrilled! Now anyone with this software can build Excel products and actually get paid to distribute them without the worry of piracy.
I have been using the product for about 6 months with great results. It is a complicated to setup how you want your software to act after you have encrypted it because of all the LockXLS features, so you really need to read over the instructions and examples closely. To help with this issue, their customer support has been great. The main person I have worked with is Alex and he seems to work day and night 24/7 and always has my answer.
Excel protection feature to protect cells and workbooks was very easy to break, but with LockXLS the user does not even get the opportunity to try to unlock cells.
The only con I have run into is many of my customers have not migrated to Office 2007 or have Macs which this software does not support. Hope they can fix this issue. -
"Best solution to protect or ditribute your Excel files."
Version: LockXLS 4.5.7
Pros
- more features and lower-priced than its competitors
- provides a professional way to distribute your .xls files with installation wizard
- LockXLS runtime can be embedded in the file
- very frequent and free updates
- excellent technical supportCons
- sorry, nothing to argue...
Summary
I use LockXLS to embed .xla add-ins into .exe files. By this way, developing and distributing files is very convenient. The result looks professional since many options can be set such as: splash screen when your file is launched, .chm help file can be embedded, LockXLS runtime methods can be accessed within VBA code to control the limitations (remaining trial period, ...). Also, the runtime has not to be installed on the client's computer. This allows to distribute your files in big companies where users often don't have administration rights on their computer.
I use this software from 6 months now, I am by no way affiliated with the developing company, and I don't regret a single moment to have purchased it. -
"Excellent way to make our Excel applications protected"
Version: LockXLS 4.4
Pros
Not crackable (I think)
Requires no changes to the spreadsheet coding
A lot of different options of protection - as xls (requires a runtime module) or convert to exe (runtime included)
VERY fast support, and new versions incorporating proposed ideasCons
The need of the runtime module installed to run protected xls
Summary
The built-in protection in Excel wasn't safe enough (surprise!), so we needed to do something. The main option was to go to a dll-solution, but that would require extensive re-programming and more competence. So after a lucky search, LockXLS turned up. Which protects our intellectual property hidden in the worksheets and macros in a perfect way.
We are just using the "time-out" possibility, so whenever we want, the spreadsheet or xla stops working on all installed computers. There are possibilities of have licensing as well, but we haven't needed it. -
"LockXLS is the best solution for spreadsheet protection"
Version: LockXLS 4.1.7
Pros
LockXLS allows us to create Professional, Functional and Fully Protected End-User Applications of Excel Workbooks but with many additional options such as time limited licensing, various options to lock the application to a specific computer etc.
Cons
Now I like all features in LockXLS.
Summary
I think LockXLS is an invaluable tool for anyone who wants to protect their Excel spreadsheets. The program is simple to understand and very easy to use. LockXLS has made our spreadsheets more secure and more user-friendly. Now, we can even offer our clients fully-functional trial copies, or even "rentals" of our programs. LockXLS also make the registration and activation of our spreadsheets much faster and easier for us and for our clients. I was also surprised by how well they respond to their customers needs. Their support team is very helpful and they always listen to my suggestions. Actually, I can see many of my suggestions now on the new version of the LockXLS. Well, I'm very glad to help make this great program even better. In my opinion, LockXLS is by far the best solution for spreadsheet protection.
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