Platform

Paywalls

Paywalls allow customers to gate access to specific content behind a subscription, one-time payment, or other entitlement check. HotMic supports customer paywalls but does not collect money — payments are handled entirely by the customer's own payment infrastructure.

Paywall Types

  • Entry paywall — Triggered before a viewer can access a stream, VOD, or clip. Required for subscription, pay-per-view, or freemium models.
  • Time-based paywall — Triggered after a viewer has watched a configurable amount of content (e.g., a free preview window before payment is required).
  • Exit-intent prompt — Displayed when a viewer attempts to leave a stream, prompting a tip or one-time payment to support the creator or unlock additional content.

Each paywall type can be enabled independently or combined for the same piece of content (for example, a free preview followed by a subscription paywall).

Configuration

Paywalls are configured per organization. Customers can:

  • Define which content types (streams, VODs, clips, or recordings) require a paywall.
  • Set the timing and behavior of each paywall type.
  • Customize the paywall messaging, branding, and call-to-action.
  • Apply different paywall rules to different creators, sub-organizations, or content categories.

Payment Processing

The customer is the merchant of record. Transactions, paywall UI, subscription state, and all financial flows are handled by the customer's own payment infrastructure (subscription billing platform, in-app purchase system, or other payment provider), integrated through the SDK. HotMic only manages entitlement checks.

Entitlement Sync

Subscription and purchase state is synchronized with HotMic through the SDK and via Webhooks and APIs. This ensures that:

  • Returning viewers with an active subscription bypass the paywall automatically.
  • Cancellations and refunds are reflected immediately in HotMic.
  • Entitlement state is consistent across iOS, Android, and web.

Use Cases

  • Subscription content — Gate premium streams or VOD libraries behind a recurring subscription.
  • Pay-per-view events — Charge a one-time fee for access to a specific live broadcast or replay.
  • Freemium previews — Offer the first portion of a stream for free, then require payment to continue.
  • Tipping — Use the exit-intent prompt to invite viewers to support a creator.
  • Video Advertising — Often combined with paywalls in tiered monetization models (ad-supported free tier, ad-free paid tier).
  • Sponsorships — Sponsorships can run alongside or independent of paywalled content.
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