GateLite - Content Restriction Paywall Plugin

GateLite is a simple content-restriction and membership-lite paywall plugin for WordPress. Gate a whole post or page, or just part of one, behind "must be logged in" or "must have at least this role," without dragging in a full membership platform you don't need.

Restrict a whole post or page in one checkbox right from its own editor screen, or gate just part of a page with a `` shortcode while the rest stays public. GateLite implements a real role hierarchy: set the minimum to Editor and both Editors and Administrators see the content, not just an exact role match, a detail most homegrown solutions get wrong. A configurable message and call-to-action button can be set once site-wide and overridden per post, including its own button text and link, and a lock icon in the Posts and Pages list tables shows what's restricted at a glance, including partial shortcode gates. Visitors who are signed in but lack the required role get a distinct, honest message instead of being looped back through the login form, and an automatic "Create an account" link appears on the gate when your site has open registration enabled. Three color settings with a live preview let the gate match your site without touching CSS.

Full membership plugins bring checkout flows, subscription billing, and a learning curve you don't need if all you want is "this post is for logged-in users" or "this section is for editors only." GateLite does exactly that, correctly, without the overhead of a platform you're not using. It checks who's allowed in, it doesn't create accounts or take payment, so it's the right fit for a site that already has a role-provisioning mechanism (WooCommerce Memberships, another membership plugin, manual admin assignment, or open self-registration) and just wants a clean, correct "minimum role" content wall on top of that.

WP Admin: admin / DemoAdmin2026! - plus two extra demo accounts that show the role-gating feature itself: Subscriber account emma.torres / DemoMember2026! (unlocks subscriber-gated posts), and Editor account james.oduya / DemoEditor2026! (unlocks editor-gated content, e.g. the wholesale pricing page).

Features

- Restrict a whole post or page from its own editor screen, one checkbox - Gate just part of a page with a `` shortcode, the rest of the page stays public - Real role hierarchy: minimum role of Editor lets both Editors and Administrators through, not just an exact match - Configurable message and call-to-action button, set site-wide and overridable per post (including its own button text/link) - Lock icon in the Posts and Pages list tables shows what's restricted at a glance, including partial (shortcode) gates - Distinct, honest message for signed-in visitors who lack the required role, instead of looping them through login - Automatic "Create an account" link on the gate when open registration is enabled - Three color settings (accent, highlight, panel background) with a live preview on the settings screen - No payment processing bundled in, pairs with whatever already assigns roles on your site

Requirements

WordPress 6.0 or later, PHP 8.0 or later.

Instructions

1. Upload the `gatelite` folder to `/wp-content/plugins/`, or upload the zip through Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin. 2. Activate the plugin. 3. Go to Settings > GateLite to set the default message, minimum role, and button text/link, these are the site-wide defaults. 4. Open any post or page and use the "GateLite" box in the sidebar: check "Restrict this content," optionally pick a minimum role and custom message, otherwise the site-wide defaults apply. 5. To gate only part of a page, wrap the protected text in a shortcode: `members-only text` (requires login) or `...` (requires at least that role). 6. Check the Posts and Pages list tables for the lock icon to see restricted items at a glance.