Windows code signingwithout the headaches
Sign Windows builds through Azure Trusted Signing. Set up in minutes, not days. No certificates, no tokens, no hassle.
Windows Terminal — multi-file signing with parallel workers
Built on Azure Trusted Signing
You keep Microsoft-run signing infrastructure under the hood. Qwick Cert supplies the self-serve UX on top.
Digest-only transit
The CLI computes the digest locally and sends only the hash. Your binary and Azure credentials stay off the wire.
Works in terminal, CI, and AI
Sign from `qwick sign`, a GitHub Action on any runner OS, or an MCP-enabled coding agent. No Windows SDK required — cross-compile on Linux and sign in the same job.
Team controls included
Audit history, approvals, and signing policies are part of the product instead of an afterthought glued onto Azure.
AI-Native Signing
Tell your coding agent to sign the release
AI is not a side feature here. Qwick Cert exposes signing, diagnostics, setup status, policy checks, and org operations through MCP so AI-first developers can ship without dropping into a separate console every time.
Natural-language signing
Prompt your agent to find the build output, sign the right files, and verify the signatures before release.
Troubleshooting in-context
When signing breaks, the agent can inspect auth, policy, session state, and setup issues instead of leaving you with a generic failure.
Setup and CI by prompt
Use one prompt to create an API key, generate a workflow, or validate that your release pipeline is correctly wired.
Why Teams Switch
Compare the real cost of code signing
Traditional certificate authorities charge hundreds per year, cap your signatures, and ship hardware tokens. DIY Azure saves on certs but burns hours on setup. Qwick Cert gives you both — Microsoft HSM infrastructure with a self-serve developer experience.
Traditional CAs DigiCert, Sectigo, etc. | DIY Azure Trusted Signing direct | Qwick Cert Azure + self-serve UX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cost | $420–580/yr + token fees | $9.99/mo (Azure) + your time | Free tier, then $99/yr Pro |
| Signature limits | 1,000 per unit (buy more) | 5,000/mo included | No platform cap — Azure limits apply |
| Setup time | Days (validation + token shipping) | Hours (portal + RBAC + SDK) | Minutes (guided wizard) |
| Certificate management | Annual renewal, revocation risk | Auto-rotating 72-hour certs | Fully managed by Azure |
| Private key storage | Hardware token or cloud HSM ($) | Azure HSM (you configure) | Server-side, never exposed |
| Developer workflow | signtool + manual steps | Azure SDK + custom scripts | CLI, GitHub Action, or AI agent |
| CI/CD integration | Custom scripting required | Windows runner required | GitHub Action on any OS + API |
| AI-native signing | Not available | Not available | Built-in MCP for coding agents |
| Team controls | Per-token access only | Azure RBAC (complex) | Roles, policies, and approvals |
| Audit trail | Manual logging | Azure Monitor (extra cost) | Built-in per-signature history |
Prices reflect publicly listed rates. Traditional CA pricing based on OV/EV code signing certificates. Azure Trusted Signing billed separately through your Azure subscription.
Security
Built to keep secrets off your machines
Your binary never leaves your machine
The CLI computes a SHA-256 digest locally and sends only the 32-byte hash. Your source code and executables stay where they are.
Azure keys never touch your machine
Private keys live inside FIPS 140-2 Level 3 HSMs managed by Microsoft. No PFX files, no hardware tokens, nothing to lose or leak.
Every signature is tracked automatically
User identity, file hash, timestamp, and IP are recorded server-side on every signing event. The audit trail is enforced, not opt-in.
How It Works
Self-serve setup, then one release path everywhere
The goal is not just signing once. It is having a repeatable flow your terminal, pipeline, and AI tools can all share without rethinking the trust model each time.
Connect Azure once
Create your account, paste your Azure tenant ID, and follow the guided wizard. We configure the service principal, RBAC roles, and signing profile so you don't have to read portal docs.
Pick your interface
Use the CLI locally, drop a GitHub Action into your pipeline, or let an MCP-enabled coding agent handle it. The signing flow, audit trail, and policies stay the same regardless.
Sign every release
Run one command or one prompt. The digest is computed locally, signed server-side, and verified automatically. Every signature is logged to your org's audit trail.
Here is what Step 03 looks like
Pricing
Self-serve pricing with Azure made explicit
You always pay Microsoft directly for Azure Trusted Signing, then Qwick Cert for the self-serve layer on top. The plan cards show both the platform price and the Azure cost so there is no pricing guesswork.
All paid plans billed annually. Azure Trusted Signing billed separately by Microsoft at $9.99/mo.
+ Azure Trusted Signing billed by Microsoft
$9.99/mo on your Microsoft bill
- 3 signatures a year *
- 1 team member
- 1 concurrent signing
- MCP server (AI)
- Batch signing
- API keys
- CI/CD integrations
- Audit logs
- Signing history export
- Priority support
- Role-based access
- Signing policies
- Shared signing profiles
+ Azure Trusted Signing billed by Microsoft
$9.99/mo on your Microsoft bill
- No platform cap
- 1 team member
- 5 concurrent signings
- MCP server (AI)
- Batch signing
- API keys
- CI/CD integrations
- Audit logs
- Signing history export
- Priority support
- Role-based access
- Signing policies
- Shared signing profiles
+ Azure Trusted Signing billed by Microsoft
$9.99/mo on your Microsoft bill
- No platform cap
- 10 team members
- 20 concurrent signings
- MCP server (AI)
- Batch signing
- API keys
- CI/CD integrations
- Audit logs
- Signing history export
- Priority support
- Role-based access
- Signing policies
- Shared signing profiles
* Free tier quota resets annually on January 1. Azure Trusted Signing is required on all plans and billed separately by Microsoft. Qwick Cert does not cap signatures on paid plans, but throughput still depends on your Azure SKU and quota.
Enterprise
For organizations that need volume signing, strict compliance, and dedicated infrastructure.
FAQ
Questions self-serve buyers usually ask
How is this different from buying a DigiCert or Sectigo certificate?
Traditional CAs sell you a certificate file and a hardware token, then charge per year and per signature block. You manage renewal, token logistics, and key storage. Qwick Cert uses Azure Trusted Signing under the hood — Microsoft manages the certificates, rotates them automatically, and stores keys in FIPS 140-2 Level 3 HSMs. You never touch a certificate file, token, or private key.
Do I still need to buy a code signing certificate?
No. Azure Trusted Signing handles certificate issuance, rotation, and revocation automatically. There is no certificate to purchase, renew, or distribute. Qwick Cert sits on top of that infrastructure so you get the signing without the certificate management.
What does Microsoft charge on top of Qwick Cert?
Azure Trusted Signing costs $9.99/month (Basic) through your Azure subscription and includes 5,000 signatures. That is billed by Microsoft, separate from Qwick Cert. Combined with Qwick Cert Pro, your total cost is a fraction of a traditional CA certificate.
Are there per-signature limits?
Qwick Cert does not impose its own signature cap on Pro. Your limit comes from Azure Trusted Signing — the Basic tier includes 5,000/month, with additional signatures at $0.005 each. Traditional CAs like DigiCert KeyLocker cap you at 1,000 signatures per unit and charge for more.
Can I use this in CI/CD right away?
Yes. Create an API key in the dashboard and use the first-party GitHub Action or the CLI in any pipeline. The action works on any runner OS — Ubuntu, macOS, or Windows — so you can sign from the same job that builds your binaries. No Windows SDK, no hardware tokens, no certificate files to manage.
What files can I sign?
Anything that supports Authenticode: `.exe`, `.dll`, `.sys`, `.msi`, `.msix`, `.appx`, `.cab`, `.cat`, and other Windows-signable formats. The signatures are standard Authenticode, indistinguishable from signtool.exe output.
Will my signatures build SmartScreen reputation?
Yes. Signatures produced through Qwick Cert are standard Authenticode signatures backed by Microsoft-issued certificates. SmartScreen reputation builds the same way it does with any other valid Authenticode signature.
Start Shipping
Get Windows signing working before your next release goes out
Create the account, connect Azure once, and let your team or your AI workflow handle signing without the usual portal chaos.
No credit card required, free tier includes 3 signatures/year, and enterprise can layer in later