GetPaid > Restrict Paid Content

Restrict premium content without installing a full membership plugin

If you sell digital products with GetPaid and want to offer exclusive content to customers who have already bought something, the usual workaround is to install a full membership plugin, with all the complexity that entails. Restrict Paid Content solves this problem directly: it adds to GetPaid the ability to lock any part of a page or post based on what the customer has purchased or spent, without leaving the GetPaid ecosystem or setting up membership tiers.

How it works

The addon is controlled from a block called "GP > Restrict Paid Content", which you insert in the WordPress block editor (shortcodes are also supported for the classic editor). Inside that block you place the content you want to protect as child elements. You then define the access rule: that the user has purchased a specific product, that they have not purchased it (inverse rule), or that they have spent a minimum amount in your store. GetPaid automatically checks each visitor's purchase history and shows or hides the content accordingly.

Time-based restrictions

One of the plugin's most useful features is the ability to limit access to purchases made within a specific timeframe: minutes, hours, days, months or years. This lets you create temporary access windows, ideal for content that expires or for granting renewable access only while a subscription or purchase remains valid within the set period.

Customizable messages and buttons

When a user doesn't meet the requirements to view the content, instead of a generic notice you can display a custom message with login, registration or purchase buttons. These buttons can be placed above, below or inline with the text, and if you have UsersWP installed, login and registration automatically open in a modal (lightbox) window instead of redirecting to another page. You can also show an excerpt of the restricted content as a preview, useful for encouraging the purchase.

Use cases

• Course creators: lock premium lessons behind the purchase of a specific product, with time-limited access if needed.
• Lightweight membership sites: reward your top-spending customers with exclusive content, without building a full tier system.
• Digital publishers: sell access to premium articles, guides or resources with scheduled expiration.
• Product bundles: offer additional content only to those who purchase certain product combinations.
• Subscription services: grant access based on recent purchases within a specific time window.

Integration with GetPaid

Restrict Paid Content doesn't replace or compete with GetPaid's standard workflow: it integrates with it. It doesn't require setting up additional user roles or complex permission tables, since all the restriction logic relies on the purchase data GetPaid already manages. This simplifies maintenance and reduces the risk of conflicts with other extensions in the same ecosystem.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a membership plugin to use this extension?
No. Restrict Paid Content works independently on top of GetPaid and uses your customers' purchase data directly, without needing an external membership system.

Can I restrict content for only a limited time after purchase?
Yes, the plugin lets you set up time-based restrictions, defining access in minutes, hours, days, months or years from the moment of purchase.

What happens if the user hasn't purchased the required product?
They'll see a customizable message instead of the content, with login, registration or purchase buttons, depending on their situation.

Does it work with the WordPress classic editor?
Yes, in addition to the block for the block editor, the plugin supports shortcodes for those using the classic editor.

Can content be restricted based on the customer's total spending instead of a specific purchase?
Yes, one of the available rules lets you set a cumulative total spending threshold as an access condition.