How to create and apply standard paywalls

Paywalls let you highlight the value of your paid subscription while controlling which readers can access your content. You can restrict an entire post to paying subscribers, or place a paywall break at a specific point in your content so free readers see a preview before being prompted to upgrade.

Publications with paid subscriptions enabled have a default paywall. You can customize that default and create additional paywalls to use in different posts or contexts.

For metered access, which gives free readers a set number of posts before the paywall appears, see How to set up metered paywall access.

Publications with paid subscriptions enabled will have a default paywall in their account. You can customize this default paywall and also create other custom paywall options to use at different parts in your posts. 

1. From the left panel in your account, go to Subscriptions > Paywalls. The paywalls page will open on the Standard paywalls tab. 
   
   
   
2. To create a new custom paywall, click + New paywall. To customize the default paywall or any existing paywall, click the three-dot menu next to it and select Edit.
3. A form will open with a live preview on the left and customization options on the right.
   
   

Paywall Customizations

• Smart fill from Paid Subscription Tier: Simply click and select a tier, to autofill your tier’s benefits.
• Name (required): Provide a name for your paywall. This is for internal use only and will not be visible to readers.
• Image (optional): Hover over the image to reveal icons for replacing or deleting it. A square image is recommended.
• Title (required): Enter a prominent title for your paywall — this will be the first thing readers notice.
• Description (required): Include a brief message guiding readers on the next action.
• Button (required): The button text defaults to "Upgrade," but you can customize it by replacing the default copy.
• Benefits (optional): Enter a Benefits Header to be seen in the paywall and then add the benefits one at a time. Once added, you can drag and drop the benefits into a different order on the left, or click the x on the right to delete a benefit from the list. 
• Offer (optional): If you have any Paid Subscription Offers set up, select one to apply. When a reader clicks the paywall button, they will be directed to the upgrade page for that offer, with any associated discount or trial period pre-applied. Note that the offer selection only controls which upgrade page the reader lands on, it does not affect where they are redirected after completing payment.

• Styles (optional): Click on the Styles tab to adjust the Background Color, Text Color, Button Background Color, Button Text Color, and the Shadow around the paywall popup. You can also disable the image from showing on the paywall by toggling the Show Image option off.
  
  

  
   
  Tech Note: If you are making a new paywall, the button to complete your customization will say Create. If you are editing an existing one, it will say Save.

4. When satisfied with the paywall, click Save (or Create). The paywall will appear in your list under the Paywalls tab.

From the Paywalls tab, click the three-dot menu next to any paywall to Edit, Delete, Duplicate, or Set as Default.

Use this approach to restrict access to the full web version of a post to paying subscribers only.

1. From a publication with paid subscriptions enabled, open an existing post or create a new draft.
2. At the top of the Post Builder, navigate from the Compose page to the Audience page.
3. Under Web Audience, click into the Default audiences field and select one of your paid subscriber tiers or choose All Paid Subscribers.
   
   
   
4. Use the dropdown to decide which paywall will display to your free subscribers. 
   
   
   
5. Your selection will appear alongside your default paywall. To remove a selection, click the X. Changes sync automatically.

You can also click Manage tiers and plans to go directly to your paid subscription settings. 

1. Open an existing post or create a new draft. On the Compose page, write your content.
2. When ready to add a paywall break, click at the point in your post where you want it to appear. Type a forward slash ( / ) to open the Slash menu and then type Paywall Break to find the option. Click to insert it.
   
   
3. Use the dropdown to choose between your available paywalls.  Or, if you wish, click on + Create a paywall to create a new paywall option. Select the one you want readers to see at that point. Changes sync automatically.
   
   
   
4. The paywall will display in the post and trigger for free subscribers as they scroll past the designated section.

If your paywall isn't behaving as expected, the topics below cover the most common issues and how to resolve them.

If your paywall appears in email but not on the web version of a post, check your Web Audience settings:

1. Open the post in the Post Builder and click the Audience tab.
2. Under Web audience, confirm the audience field is set to a paid tier or All Paid Subscribers — not All subscribers or a free tier.
3. On the Compose tab, confirm a Paywall Break has been inserted at the correct location in the post and a paywall is selected from the dropdown.

Paywall text updates are live within a few seconds of saving. If you've saved your changes and the updated text isn't appearing, open the post URL in a private or incognito browser window to rule out a locally cached version in your browser.

To confirm your updates are saved correctly:

1. From the left panel, go to Subscriptions > Paywalls.
2. Click the 3 dots menu next to your paywall and select Edit.
3. Confirm the text in the preview pane matches your intended changes, then click Save.

If a subscriber completes payment but continues to see the paywall, this is typically a login or session issue. Direct the subscriber to log in using the link in their payment confirmation email, or by visiting your publication's login page. Once logged in, their paid access should reflect correctly.

After a reader completes a paid subscription upgrade, they are redirected to your publication's homepage by default. To send readers to a specific URL instead (such as a thank-you page or exclusive content) configure the Redirect URL after purchase field in your tier settings:

1. From the left panel, go to Subscriptions > Tiers.
2. Click the 3 dots menu next to the tier and select Edit.
3. In Step 3: Advanced settings, enter your preferred destination in the Redirect URL field.
4. Save the tier.