PaywallProject vs Steady

PaywallProject is a WordPress paywall and membership service for local news publishers. Its metered paywall lets publishers set free-article limits by day, week, or month, with rules for different sections or post types. The meter tracks anonymous and free registered visitors by IP address, including after cookies are cleared or a private window is opened. A dashboard covers digital and print subscriptions and donations. Publishers can also create segmented newsletters in WordPress, manage ad inventory with Ads Glue, and use a WooCommerce integration to offer payment options beyond one processor. E-editions provide archived, searchable page-flip issues without a separate reader login, while an AI-powered calendar collects regional events. WordPress is the supported CMS; listed platforms are Android, iOS, and web. Hosting is included with the fully managed service, and the FAQ says BigScoots monitors sites every 60 seconds. The listed Free plan costs $10 a month; Standard costs $995 a month. The site also lists paid service from $299/mo and optional add-ons.

Steady is a web and API platform for independent media makers, including magazines, newsletters, podcasts and video channels. It helps creators publish newsletters and memberships and earn directly from audiences. Newsletter sending is free without audience limits or escalating costs. Memberships use recurring billing, with monthly or annual charges, and Steady takes a 10% commission on membership revenue once earning begins; payment-provider fees and VAT also apply. The service supports full-site content gating, flexible paywalls, embedded buttons and supporter prompts. Newsletter tools can welcome readers automatically, resurface selected work and re-engage quiet subscribers. Externally hosted podcasts can be gated by membership tier and distributed through Spotify or private RSS. Steady Code adds website layers and embeds regardless of a site’s CMS. Creator income is transferred in lump sums, and failed payments are retried automatically. The Free plan is free. Custom domains are not supported.