Leaky Paywall vs PayKickstart (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Leaky Paywall grades higher than PayKickstart: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Leaky Paywall grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Leaky Paywall
WordPress paywall and subscription plugin for publishers
Free plan
PayKickstart
Checkout, recurring billing and affiliate management for sellers
Free trial
Which one is for you
Pick Leaky Paywall if
- Fits if you publish on WordPress and want a metered paywall
- Works for a small publisher that can accept a revenue share while starting
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you're off WordPress, as it runs only inside it
- Pricey if you earn a lot, since the free edition takes 10% of new paid subscriptions
- Watch out: recurring plans, free trials, coupons and group subscriptions are Pro
- Watch out: payments go through Stripe, and Pro prices weren't readable
Pick PayKickstart if
- Fits if you sell courses or coaching with recurring billing and affiliates
- Works for sellers who prefer to keep their own payment processor
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want tax handled for you, as you set up tax profiles and it is not described as a merchant of record
- Watch out: prices could not be read, so check them before you start the trial
- Watch out: what happens after the 14-day trial depends on the plan you pick
How we grade them
| 2.4GPALeaky PaywallFair | 2.2GPAPayKickstartFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CThe plugin is free to install, with a 10% revenue share on new paid subscriptions. The vendor's site refused us, so Pro prices are unknown. | CPlan prices could not be read because the pricing page blocked automated access, so it sits in the middle until they are seen. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree with paywalls, a registration wall, unlimited levels and Stripe checkout. The 10% share is the cost. | CA free 14-day trial is listed; the pages read do not say whether a card is needed. No free plan. |
| Features | CMetered and hard paywalls, levels, a publisher dashboard and Stripe. But recurring subscriptions, free trials, coupons and group subscriptions are Pro. | CCheckout and upsells, subscription management, retention, affiliates and tax tools. It is not a merchant of record, and tax profiles are set up by you. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You install it on WordPress and connect Stripe. | CNo store rating on record. You build checkouts, funnels and tax profiles yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWordPress only, with Stripe, Mailchimp, HubSpot, Salesforce, WooCommerce and Zapier links. | BWeb with eight listed integrations, including Stripe, PayPal, QuickBooks Online, Xero and HubSpot. No desktop or phone app. |
| Best for | WordPress publishers adding a paywall | checkout, recurring billing and affiliates in one tool |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Leaky Paywall and PayKickstart. How we grade
Where they differ
- Leaky Paywall also covers paid newsletters and community.
- PayKickstart also covers invoicing, affiliate tracking, online store and digital downloads.
In commonWebPublic APIReports
At a glance
| Leaky Paywall | PayKickstart | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | Free to install and use, with a 10% revenue share on new paid subscriptions; includes List Builder registration wall and unlimited levels. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free 14-day trial, cancel at any time |
| Web | ||
| Made by | ZEEN101 | PayKickstart |
| Price read from | wordpress.org | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Leaky Paywall
- Prices for the paid plans could not be read: the vendor's site refused automated access, so only the free edition is listed.
- The free edition takes a 10% revenue share on new paid subscriptions; Pro reduces or removes it.
- Runs only inside WordPress, and paid subscriptions are processed through Stripe.
- Recurring subscriptions, free trials, coupons and group subscriptions are Pro features.
PayKickstart
- Plan prices could not be read: its pricing page blocked automated access, so none are listed here.
- Its help pages describe tax profiles you set up yourself, and none of the pages read call it a merchant of record.
- The home page offers a free 14-day trial; what happens after it depends on the plan chosen.
Key features
Leaky Paywall
- Metered and hard paywalls
- Choose metered, hard, or dynamic and hybrid paywalls, and restrict by post, category, tag, taxonomy, post type or content block.
- Registration wall
- List Builder prompts anonymous readers to register or log in, and registered readers can be exported or sent through Zapier.
- Subscription levels
- Create free, premium, annual or VIP levels, with Stripe checkout including Apple Pay and Google Pay.
- Publisher dashboard
- A dashboard inside WordPress shows revenue trends, new registrations, paid subscription activity and top content.
- Pro revenue tools
- Pro adds recurring subscriptions, free trials, coupons, group and IP-based subscriptions, and churn risk alerts.
- Extensions and integrations
- The listing names more than 50 extensions, including Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Zapier and WooCommerce.
PayKickstart
- Checkout and upsells
- Hosted checkout pages with one-click upsells, order bumps, coupons, exit intent offers and multi-currency support.
- Subscription management
- Recurring billing and subscription tools, including pausing subscriptions and carrying a trial period over an upgrade or downgrade.
- Revenue retention
- Dunning management, cancellation retention flows and cart abandonment recovery, plus ringless voicemail and SMS features.
- Affiliate management
- Lead and sales referral tracking, affiliate verification, affiliate coupon codes and a marketplace where affiliates find products to promote.
- Tax and accounting
- Invoices, sales and VAT tax profiles, an in-house EU VAT calculation and QuickBooks Online and Xero integrations.
- Payment processors
- Help pages cover connecting Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, Apple Pay, Google Pay, ACH and SEPA debit, and its own Connect payments.
Plans
Leaky Paywall
Free$0
Paywalls, unlimited subscription levels and Stripe checkout, with a 10% revenue share on paid subscriptions.
PayKickstart
Pricing could not be confirmed. See paykickstart.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Leaky Paywall or PayKickstart?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Leaky Paywall publishes no starting price, and PayKickstart has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Leaky Paywall or PayKickstart?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Leaky Paywall has a free plan. PayKickstart does not, though it has a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.