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Installation

This guide will walk you through installing PaywallWP Pro on your WordPress website.

Requirements​

Before installing, ensure your server meets these minimum requirements:

RequirementMinimumRecommended
WordPress6.4+Latest
PHP8.0+8.2+
MySQL5.7+8.0+
SSL CertificateRequiredRequired
cURLRequiredRequired
SSL Required

An SSL certificate (HTTPS) is required for accepting payments. Both Stripe and PayPal require secure connections for payment processing.

Installation Methods​

  1. Download the paywallwp-pro.zip file from the download page
  2. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard
  3. Navigate to Plugins → Add New
  4. Click Upload Plugin at the top
  5. Choose the paywallwp-pro.zip file
  6. Click Install Now
  7. After installation completes, click Activate Plugin

Method 2: FTP Upload​

  1. Download and extract the paywallwp-pro.zip file
  2. Connect to your server via FTP/SFTP
  3. Upload the paywallwp-pro folder to /wp-content/plugins/
  4. Log in to WordPress admin
  5. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins
  6. Find "PaywallWP Pro" and click Activate

Post-Installation Setup​

After activation, you'll see the PaywallWP menu item in your WordPress admin sidebar. The plugin will guide you through initial setup:

1. Complete the Setup Wizard​

When you first access the plugin, a setup wizard will help you configure:

  • Payment gateway credentials
  • Basic settings
  • First subscription plan

2. Configure Webhooks​

Webhooks are essential for subscription management. Without them:

  • Subscriptions won't activate automatically
  • Renewals won't process
  • Cancellations won't sync

See the Webhooks Setup Guide for detailed instructions.

3. Create Pages​

The plugin automatically creates these pages during activation:

PageShortcodePurpose
Pricing[paywp_pricing]Display subscription plans
Account[paywp_account]Member dashboard
Login[paywp_login]Custom login/register form

You can customize or reassign these pages in PaywallWP → Pages.

Verifying Installation​

After installation, verify everything is working:

  1. Go to PaywallWP → Help → System
  2. Check that all status indicators show green checkmarks
  3. Verify PHP version is 8.0 or higher
  4. Confirm SSL is enabled
  5. Ensure REST API is enabled

Troubleshooting Installation​

Plugin Won't Activate​

Error: "Plugin could not be activated because it triggered a fatal error"

This usually indicates a PHP version issue:

  • Ensure PHP 8.0+ is active on your server
  • Contact your host to upgrade PHP if needed

Missing Menu Item​

If you don't see the PaywallWP menu:

  • Clear your browser cache
  • Check user permissions (requires admin access)
  • Deactivate and reactivate the plugin

White Screen After Activation​

This typically indicates a conflict:

  1. Access your site via FTP
  2. Rename the plugin folder to disable it
  3. Check the error log at /wp-content/debug.log
  4. Contact support with the error message

Next Steps​

Once installed, proceed to: