> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.beyondwords.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Access tiers

> Customize the player experience based on the visitor's access tier.

## Overview

Use access tiers to align the player experience with your paywall or membership model, so visitors only hear or see the content they're entitled to. For example, you can offer ad-free videos to subscribers and limit how much audio anonymous users can play.

By default, there are three possible access tiers:

* `anonymous`**:** For non-logged-in visitors
* `registered`**:** For logged-in users
* `subscribed`**:** For paying, logged-in users

You can control content access, whether ads are enabled, and the intro/outro experience for each of these tiers. If your plan supports it, you can create additional access tiers to support more configurations.

<Card title="Coming soon: Paywall integrations" icon="block-brick">
  You will soon be able to integrate BeyondWords directly with paywall providers like Piano, Poool, and others to automatically determine audio and video access for different audiences.
</Card>

## Set up access tiers

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to access tiers settings">
    Go to **Settings → Distribution → Player → Access tiers** in your project dashboard.

    Then, click **•••** alongside the access tier you want to edit.

    <Tip>
      Want to create a new access tier? [Contact support](mailto:support@beyondwords.io).
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set access tier criteria">
    Edit the following fields as required: 

    * **Name**: The name for this access tier, used for reference only. Please note that this will not change the slug.
    * **Content access**: Control how much content is available for this audience:
      * **Title only**: Access is limited to the title.
      * **Preview**: Access includes the title and first segment.
      * **Full content**: Access includes all content.
    * **Play ads**: Play ads before, during, or after content playback.
    * **Intro audio**: Add audio that plays before content begins.
    * **Outro audio**: Add audio that plays after content ends.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy the slug and save changes ">
    Copy the **Slug** field then click **Save changes**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Update the player embed code">
    In your player embed code, add an `accessTier` parameter and set its value based on the current user's status on your site:

    ```html theme={null}
    <script async defer
      src="https://proxy.beyondwords.io/npm/@beyondwords/player@latest/dist/umd.js"
      onload="new BeyondWords.Player({
        target: this,
        projectId: YOUR_PROJECT_ID,
        contentId: 'YOUR_CONTENT_ID',
        accessTier: 'subscribed'
      })">
    </script>
    ```

    Your developer will need to ensure that  `'subscribed'` is dynamically replaced with whichever tier applies to the current user.

    Once your embed code is updated, the player will automatically apply the correct tier settings for each user. You can track engagement by access tier in [player analytics](/docs-and-guides/analytics/player).

    <Note>
      `accessTier` controls the player experience but is a client-side parameter — it cannot enforce access control on its own. For robust enforcement, native integrations with paywall providers are coming soon.
    </Note>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Example access tier settings

Here are some examples of how publishers can use access tiers to support different monetization and engagement strategies.

In this example, the publisher restricts anonymous visitors' content access and encourages them to register for full access:

|                | Anonymous        | Registered     |
| -------------- | ---------------- | -------------- |
| Content access | Preview only     | Full access    |
| Ads enabled    | No               | No             |
| Intro          | Registration CTA | -              |
| Outro          | Audio sting      | Engagement CTA |

In this example, non-subscribers get ad-supported content while subscribers benefit from an ad-free experience:

|                | Anonymous        | Registered     | Subscribed     |
| -------------- | ---------------- | -------------- | -------------- |
| Content access | Full access      | Full access    | Full access    |
| Ads enabled    | Yes              | Yes            | No             |
| Intro          | Brand sting      | Brand sting    | Brand sting    |
| Outro          | Registration CTA | Subscriber CTA | Engagement CTA |

## FAQs

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What order do ads, intros, and outros play in?">
    If  enabled for audio, the intro will play **before** the pre-roll ad, and the outro will play **after** the post-roll ad.  
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if I set an intro or outro at the project level?">
    The intro and outro configured in your project settings are used for listeners in the `anonymous` access tier.

    If your player does not specify an `accessTier`, the `anonymous` tier settings will apply, including any intro or outro configured in your project settings.

    If your player specifies a different access tier, the intro/outro configured for that tier will be used instead. If one is not  set for that tier, no intro/outro will play.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if I don't set an access tier?">
    If `accessTier` is omitted from your embed code, the player defaults to the `anonymous` tier settings, which have full access to content and ads by default. Any intro or outro configured in your project settings will  apply to the `anonymous` tier.

    Existing embeds will continue to work exactly as before without any changes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I track engagement by access tier?">
    Yes, you can track engagement by access tier in [player analytics](/docs-and-guides/analytics/player). Use the filter at the top to focus on metrics for any specific tier.

    Alternatively, use our [analytics integrations](/docs-and-guides/analytics/preferences) to review metrics in your chosen platform.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>