Glossary/Reader revenue/Paywall
What is a paywall? Hard, metered and freemium models explained
The main paywall models, how each affects subscriptions and ad revenue, and how data makes a paywall smarter.
Written by Samhub with the help of AI·Updated 13 Oct 2026·3 min readA paywall limits access to some or all of a publisher’s content until the reader subscribes or pays.
Paywall models
| Model | How it works |
|---|---|
| Hard | All content needs a subscription |
| Metered | A set number of free articles, then pay |
| Freemium | Some articles free, premium articles locked |
| Dynamic | The offer changes with each reader’s behavior |
The balance with ad revenue
A stricter paywall can bring more subscriptions but fewer page views to sell ads on. Many publishers combine a paywall with a registration wall, so free readers become known readers with value to advertisers.
Use data to choose the offer
Know the reader
Frequency, topics and device.
Score likelihood to pay
Show the offer when it is most likely to work.
Test and learn
Price, timing and message.
16 pages for publishers, with a checklist for data, programmatic and direct sales.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your content and market. Many publishers move toward metered or dynamic models.
Not when set up with structured data that tells search engines the content is paywalled.
It can lower page views, but subscribers are valuable known readers for advertisers.
A paywall that adapts the offer to each reader, often using a propensity model.
Related terms
Paid access to a publisher’s digital content.
Asks readers to log in, for free, to keep reading.
The share of subscribers who cancel.
Readers who are signed in to your site or app.
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