How to set up metered paywall access

A metered paywall gives free readers access to a set number of paid posts before prompting them to upgrade — rather than locking every paid post behind a hard paywall from the start. This lets readers experience your premium content firsthand, which tends to convert at a higher rate than a standard paywall alone. If you have both enabled, the metered paywall takes effect first, and your standard paywall appears once a reader's meter runs out.

This article covers how to set up metered paywall access, configure the post limit and timeframe, and customize the two reader-facing surfaces: the subscribe modal and the usage banner. For help with standard paywalls, see How to create and apply standard paywalls.

Each subscriber's progress through the meter is tracked independently, so the paywall appears at different times for different readers. A metered paywall presents different interfaces depending on the reader's status. There are 3 states to understand before configuring your metered paywall:

A visitor who isn't logged in sees a full-screen subscribe modal when they open a paid post. The modal offers two paths side-by-side: subscribe with their email for limited metered access, or upgrade now for full access. A 'Log in' link is included for existing subscribers.

A free subscriber who still has allowance remaining sees a usage banner pinned to the bottom of paid posts. The banner shows their progress (for example, 'You're reading 1 of 3 premium posts this month') and includes an Upgrade button. The reader can dismiss the banner with the close icon and still read the full post.

Once a free subscriber has used up their allowance, the usage banner disappears and your standard paywall appears in its place. This is the same paywall configured under Subscriptions > Paid Tiers > Paywalls. The metered system does not introduce a separate limit-reached modal.

1. From the left panel, go to Subscriptions.
2. Click the Paid Tiers tab.
3. Scroll down to the Paywalls section and locate Metered access. 
   
   
   
4. Click Set up metered access. A configuration modal will open with a preview on the canvas and your customization options on the right. 
5. Configure the post limit and timeframe (see the next section), then click Next. 
6. The Style settings will open. Customize the subscribe modal and usage banner (see below).
7. Click Publish. Your metered paywall will now apply to paid posts for subscribers on the selected tier.

These settings control how the meter behaves (step 5 above).

Enter the number of paid posts a free subscriber can access before the paywall appears.

Select the window in which the limit resets:

• Per day: Resets every day.
• Per week: Resets every 7 days.
• Per month: Resets at the start of each calendar month.
• Per year: Resets at the start of each calendar year.
• For all time: Lifetime cap, never resets.

Attach a Paid Subscription Offer so readers are routed to the Upgrade page with that offer preloaded. Click the arrow and select an offer from the dropdown. If no offers appear, you'll need to create one first before completing your metered paywall setup.

The subscribe modal is the full-screen modal shown to logged-out visitors when they open a paid post. You’ll configure it in the Style settings (step 6 above). Toggle on the Subscribe modal at the top of the preview, and the Content tab settings will open on the left. 

• Logo: Keep this toggled on if your brand is well known to your audience, it reinforces trust at the moment of conversion. Turn it off if your modal already feels visually heavy, or if your logo clashes with the background color.
• Header: The title is the first thing visitors read. Lead with what they'll gain. Use the Description to reinforce what subscribing free gets them, and include the {{post_limit}} and {{timeframe}} variables so the numbers stay in sync with your settings.
• Subscribe form: This is the free signup path. You can customize the email placeholder and subscribe button text.
• Upgrade: The upgrade button is your high-intent path — readers who click it skip the meter entirely.
• Benefits (optional): Turn this on if your paid tier has 3 to 5 concrete, distinct perks. Use the benefits header to frame the list, then add each benefit individually.
• Login: This section allows existing free or paid subscribers to log in and access your content.

From the Style tab for the subscribe modal, you can customize the following inputs:

• Logo height
• Background color
• Text color
• Shadow
• Button background color
• Button text color
• Input background color
• Input border color
• Placeholder text color
• Input text color
• Divider color

The usage banner is the sticky banner shown at the bottom of paid posts to free subscribers who are still under their limit. Toggle the canvas preview to the Usage banner at the top of the editor to configure it. 

The banner is more direct than the subscribe modal — the reader is already engaged with your content, so your job here is to create gentle urgency rather than re-sell the entire subscription.

• Title: To make the banner feel tailored rather than generic, use {{viewed_posts}}, {{post_limit}}, and {{timeframe}} together in your title copy so each reader sees their personal progress.
• Description: Keep this to one sentence with a single, clear promise.
• Button text: The button is the primary action, so it’s best to write copy that describes the outcome of clicking, not the act of clicking itself.

From the Style tab for the usage banner, you can customize the following inputs:

• Background color
• Text color
• Button background color
• Button text color
• Close icon color

The preview on the canvas of the Style settings shows how your metered paywall will appear to readers. A banner within the preview reminds you that the meter limit is dynamic, meaning each reader will see their own remaining allowance, not the static value shown in the preview.

How is meter usage tracked?
Usage is tracked per subscriber. When a free subscriber opens a paid post, it counts toward their allowance. The count is stored against their subscriber record and powers the {{viewed_posts}} variable in the usage banner.
What happens when the timeframe resets?
For per week, per month, and per year meters, the counter resets at the start of the next period. For all time meters, the counter never resets.
Can I have more than one metered paywall?
No, only one metered paywall can be active per account at a time.
Does the usage banner appear on every paid post?
The usage banner appears on paid posts for logged-in free subscribers who are still under their limit. Once the reader reaches the limit, they see your standard paywall instead. Readers can dismiss the banner using the close icon and still read the full post.
Do paid subscribers see the subscribe modal or usage banner?
No, logged-in paid subscribers see the full post with no paywall, modal, or banner. If a paid subscriber is logged out, they will see the subscribe modal, the same as any other logged-out visitor.
Can I see how close a specific subscriber is to their limit?
This isn't currently available, but is on our roadmap.
Can I turn the metered paywall off?
Yes. Once you've created a metered paywall, a toggle appears next to Metered access under Subscriptions > Paid Tiers > Paywalls. Toggle it off and the metered paywall will no longer appear on your website. You can toggle it back on at any time.