Leaky Paywall + Stripe — WordPress-native metered paywall
For a small to mid-size publisher already on WordPress, Leaky Paywall + Stripe is the shortest path to a working metered paywall without enterprise contracts.
Pricing summary
From $99/month
0.5–0.8% on top of standard Stripe fees. You handle taxes.
Estimated monthly cost
| Stage | Leaky Paywall | Stripe Billing | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 (starting) | From $99 | Free | ~$99 |
| $5k MTR | $99 | ~$40 | ~$139 |
| $25k MTR | $99 | ~$200 | ~$299 |
| $100k MTR | $99 | ~$800 | ~$899 |
Estimates exclude payment processing fees and App Store / Google Play platform cuts. MTR = monthly tracked revenue.
Why this stack
- ✓Drop-in WordPress plugin — no rebuild
- ✓Metering, registration walls, gift subscriptions
- ✓Predictable monthly cost (no % of revenue)
Tradeoffs
- —WordPress-only — not for custom CMS
- —Less sophisticated experimentation than Piano or Poool
Who this is for
Stage:Just getting started · Growing — past first revenue
Priorities:Simplicity & speed to launch · Lowest fees
Best fit for paid content teams that value simplicity & speed to launch and lowest fees.
Setup order
- 01
Install the Leaky Paywall plugin on your WordPress site
Activate the plugin and walk through the initial configuration wizard for meter limits, paywall messaging, and post types to protect.
Open docs → - 02
Connect Stripe Billing for payments
Create your Stripe Billing account, generate API keys, and paste them into the plugin settings.
Open docs → - 03
Define subscription plans and meter rules
Set price points, trial behavior, and how many free articles a visitor sees before hitting the wall.
- 04
Test the paywall and go live
Use a private window to confirm metering, registration walls, and checkout work, then enable the plugin in production.
Alternatives to this stack
More advanced metering and A/B testing.
From ~€99/mo
Enterprise-grade once you have real scale.
Quote-based
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