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

# Get Started with Monetization

> Turn on paid subscriptions and start earning from your newsletter with Stripe

LetterBucket lets you offer **paid subscriptions** to your readers: you set the prices, define what paying subscribers get, and place premium content behind a paywall. Payments are processed through your own **Stripe** account.

<Info>
  Monetization requires a **Growth** plan and is only available to the newsletter **Owner**. Other team members cannot access the Monetize section.
</Info>

## Activating monetization

1. Go to **Monetize** in the left sidebar.
2. On first visit you'll see the welcome screen. Click **Activate Monetization**.
3. You'll be redirected to **Stripe** to connect an account — follow Stripe's onboarding to verify your identity and payout details.
4. Once Stripe confirms the connection, the Monetize section unlocks with two areas: **Dashboard** and **Monetization Settings**.

<Note>
  If the connection with Stripe fails, you'll see a "Stripe could not connect" message with a **Try Again** button. If the problem persists, contact support.
</Note>

## Monetization Settings

Go to **Monetize → Monetization Settings** to configure how paid subscriptions work. The page is organized into sections:

### Payment Configuration

* **Stripe Account Connection** — shows your connection status. Click **Manage Stripe** to open your Stripe dashboard for payouts, account details, and payment history.
* **Enable Paid Subscriptions** — the master switch for the whole feature. When disabled, all your content reverts to free access.

<Warning>
  Turning off paid subscriptions makes all your paywalled content freely accessible. You'll be asked to confirm before the change is applied.
</Warning>

### Plans

Set the price and currency for your two subscription plans:

| Plan        | Description                                                                     |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Monthly** | Recurring monthly subscription                                                  |
| **Annual**  | 12 months of full access for the price of 10 — best value for long-term readers |

You can choose the currency for each plan from the supported currency list.

### Benefits

Write the benefit lines readers see when choosing a plan — one list for the **Free plan** and one for the **Paid plans** (shared between monthly and yearly). These appear on your subscription and pricing pages.

### Payment Processing and Currencies

* **Automatically Localize Prices** — when enabled, Stripe attempts to present prices in each subscriber's local currency based on current exchange rates. If localization isn't available for a subscriber, they're charged in the plan's original currency.

### Paywall

Control how the paywall behaves on your posts:

* **Free trial** — automatically offer a **7-day free trial** when a reader hits the paywall on a paid post.
* **Auto-paywall older posts** — automatically place all posts older than a period you define behind the paywall.
* **Cancelled reader offer** — win back readers who cancelled by showing them a percentage discount, with a customizable headline, message, waiting period, and offer validity.

### Advanced

* **Subscription Invoice Reports** — click **Generate Report** to open your Stripe dashboard and export billing history, failed payments, and subscriber tax invoices for accounting.