Gates

Gates

Gates are the core of OnePaywall — they define what readers see when they hit a content wall.

A gate is a paywall configuration. It controls:

Which URLs are gated — defined by trigger rules (URL patterns, domain, path prefix)
What readers see — a sequence of steps (subscription offer, ad, lead capture, etc.)
Who gets through — readers with an active subscription, an article unlock, or a completed ad view

Gate anatomy

Gate
├── Triggers       → which URLs activate this gate
├── Steps          → what the reader sees (in order)
│   ├── Step 1: Subscription offer
│   ├── Step 2: Ad (fallback if reader won't subscribe)
│   └── Step 3: Lead capture (final fallback)
└── Free pages     → URLs exempt from this gate

Gate list

Go to Dashboard → Gates to see all your gates. Each gate shows:

Name — your internal label
Domain — the site this gate applies to
Active subscribers acquired through this gate
Conversion rate — % of gate impressions that resulted in access

Creating a gate

Click New gate to open the gate builder. You'll configure triggers and steps. See Create a gate for a step-by-step walkthrough.

One gate per page

A URL can only match one gate. If multiple gate triggers match a URL, the most specific match wins (exact path > prefix > domain-wide).

Embed Snippet Reference

Full reference for the OnePaywall embed script — attributes, behavior, and troubleshooting.

Create a Gate

Step-by-step guide to building your first paywall gate in OnePaywall.

On this page

Gate anatomy Gate list Creating a gate One gate per page