Everything you need to know about Paywalless.
Paywalless is a non-custodial payment protocol built on the Base blockchain (Ethereum Layer 2). It lets anyone sell digital content — files, links, access passes — by creating a simple payment link. Buyers pay with USDC stablecoin and get instant access. No accounts required on either side.
Selling is simple:
Your content stays on your own infrastructure. Paywalless only stores an encrypted reference to your URL.
When you click a Paywalless payment link, you'll see the product title and price. Click "Pay with Coinbase" to connect your wallet and approve the USDC payment. Once the transaction confirms on-chain (usually a few seconds), an "Access Content" button appears that takes you directly to the seller's content.
USDC (USD Coin) is a regulated stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the US dollar. 1 USDC always equals $1. It's issued by Circle and is one of the most widely used stablecoins in crypto. Paywalless uses USDC so that prices are stable and predictable — no volatility like with ETH or BTC.
Base is an Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain built by Coinbase. It offers fast transactions (typically under 2 seconds) with very low gas fees (often less than $0.01). Base inherits the security of Ethereum while being significantly cheaper and faster. Paywalless runs on Base to keep costs low for both buyers and sellers.
Paywalless is designed with security at every layer:
That said, you are responsible for the security of your own wallet and private keys. Never share your seed phrase or private keys with anyone.
Paywalless charges a 5% protocol fee per transaction. This is deducted automatically at the smart contract level — the seller receives 95% and the protocol receives 5%. There are no hidden fees, monthly charges, or minimum payouts.
Buyers also pay a small gas fee to submit the transaction on Base. Gas fees on Base are typically under $0.01.
No. Paywalless has no accounts, no sign-ups, no usernames, and no passwords. Your blockchain wallet address is your identity. Sellers need any wallet with a Base address. Buyers can use the Coinbase Smart Wallet that runs directly in the browser — no app install or browser extension required.
Sellers can use any wallet that provides a Base (Ethereum) address — MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, the Base app, hardware wallets like Ledger, or any EVM-compatible wallet.
Buyers use the Coinbase Smart Wallet, which is embedded directly in the payment page. It uses passkey/biometric authentication (fingerprint or face), so there's nothing to install and no browser extension needed.
Blockchain transactions are final and irreversible once confirmed. If a transaction fails or reverts (e.g., due to insufficient funds or gas), no payment is made and no USDC leaves your wallet (though you may still pay a small gas fee for the failed transaction).
If your transaction succeeds but you're having trouble accessing the content, try clicking the "Access Content" button again — it works for every click within your access window. If the seller's content is unavailable, that is the seller's responsibility.
No. All purchases are final. Paywalless is a non-custodial protocol — we never hold funds and cannot reverse blockchain transactions. There is no chargeback or refund mechanism. Disputes about content quality or delivery are between the buyer and seller. Please verify that you want to make a purchase before confirming the transaction.
You can sell any digital content you have the legal right to distribute — ebooks, courses, tutorials, templates, music, videos, software, access links, membership passes, and more. Your content stays on your own hosting; Paywalless only stores an encrypted link to it.
You may not sell: illegal content, CSAM, stolen or pirated material, malware, phishing tools, or anything that violates applicable law. See our Terms of Service for the full list of prohibited uses.