Find your fit
Glossary
Also known as: paywall, metered paywall, hard paywall
A content paywall is a digital gate that restricts access to online content until a visitor pays or subscribes. It lets creators and publishers charge for articles, videos, files, or whole libraries, turning free readers into paying members while still showing previews to attract new buyers.
When a visitor reaches gated content, the paywall checks whether they have an active payment or subscription. If they do, the content unlocks; if not, they see a preview, teaser, or checkout prompt instead. The check usually happens on the server so the protected file or video is never delivered to someone who hasn't paid — a client-side hide alone would be trivial to bypass.
A hard paywall blocks everything behind it, ideal for premium libraries. A soft paywall lets visitors sample some content before asking them to pay. A metered paywall allows a set number of free views per period — common with news sites — then prompts a subscription. The right model depends on whether your goal is conversion volume or protecting scarce, high-value work.
Paywalls let you earn directly from the people who value your work instead of relying on ads or sponsorships. They create predictable income, reward your most engaged audience, and keep your best material from being freely scraped. Because previews stay public, a paywall can grow your audience and your revenue at the same time.
Why Lockrooms
Lockrooms is a content paywall for any file type: drop in videos, PDFs, audio, or images, set a free preview, and gate the rest behind a subscription, per-folder tier, or one-time purchase. You keep about 95% and get paid weekly.
Keep reading
Gated content is online content that requires an action — paying, subscribing, signing up, or being a member — before a visitor can access it. The gate can ask for money or simply contact details. Creators and marketers use gating to monetize work, capture leads, and reserve their most valuable material for a qualified audience.
Read definitionA membership site is a website where people pay a recurring fee for ongoing access to exclusive content, community, or services. Members log in to a private area that non-members can't see. It turns one-off sales into predictable recurring revenue and builds a long-term relationship with an audience.
Read definitionSubscription content is digital content delivered to subscribers who pay a recurring fee for ongoing access. Instead of buying items individually, members pay monthly or yearly to unlock a library or feed for as long as they subscribe. It gives creators predictable income and gives fans continuous access to exclusive work.
Read definitionFAQ
It is a lock on your online content that only opens after someone pays or subscribes. Until then they see a preview or a prompt to buy.
A well-built paywall enforces access on the server and serves protected files only to paying users, so it can't be bypassed by hiding elements in the browser or disabling JavaScript.
Not if you keep free previews public. A preview attracts new visitors and converts the most interested ones, so a soft or metered paywall can grow both audience and revenue.
Upload any file, organize it like a drive, and charge for access like a membership. Free to start — keep 95%, paid weekly.