Publishing

Put an article behind a paywall

Choose whether an article is free, for any subscriber or for one plan, and see what readers without access get.

Updated 2 min read3 parts
On this page

Use a paywall for the work your subscribers pay for: in-depth analysis, recruiting news, exclusive interviews. Articles have three access levels, set in the article form under Who can read this?

LevelDescribed in the Studio asWho can read the full article
FreeEveryone, logged in or not.Anyone
Any paidAny user on an active paid plan.Any reader with an active subscription plan
Plan onlyOnly users on the plan you pick.Readers holding the plan you choose, whatever other plans they also hold

Set an article’s access

  1. 1
    Open the article

    Go to Studio → Content → Blog & Articles and open the article, or start a NEW POST.

  2. 2
    Choose the level

    In the sidebar, under Who can read this?, click Free, Any paid or Plan only.

  3. 3
    Pick the plan

    For Plan only, choose the plan in Which plan unlocks this post?

  4. 4
    Save

    Click PUBLISH POST or SAVE CHANGES. The Access column in the list shows the level, or the plan’s name with a padlock.

The Studio
The article sidebar with Who can read this? set to Plan only and a Season Pass plan chosen under Which plan unlocks this post?

What a reader without access gets

The article page still loads, so it can be shared and found. A reader who isn’t entitled sees the headline, excerpt, cover, category and tags, and the related content block. The body, the photo and video galleries, and the SEO title and description are never sent to their browser — there’s nothing hidden in the page to uncover.

ReaderWhat the prompt asks them to do
Not signed inSign in
Signed in with no active plan, on an Any paid articleSubscribe, from your pricing page
Signed in without the chosen plan, on a Plan only articleGet that plan — the pricing page opens with it highlighted
Over their plan’s device limitSign a device out
The Studio
A public article locked to one plan: headline, cover and tags visible, and the body replaced by a prompt naming the plan with a button to the pricing page.

Good to know

  • Staff accounts always get the full article, so you can check a locked piece without buying a plan.
  • If Studio → System → Settings → Content → Viewer Access requires an account for everything, even Free articles ask visitors to sign in.
  • Access is checked each time the article opens. When a reader’s plan runs out, the article locks again; when they renew, it opens.
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