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Subscriptions

Setting up a Content Pass subscription

6 min read 🗓 Updated February 19, 2026

A Content Pass Subscription lets you offer subscribers a limited number of downloads per billing cycle instead of unlimited access.

Think of it like a Shutterstock-style plan:

  • Subscribers get a monthly download allowance (for example, 10 files per month)
  • They can download any files linked to the subscription
  • Their allowance automatically resets each billing cycle

This model is ideal for:

  • Stock photos or video libraries
  • Design templates or assets
  • Large content libraries where you want controlled access
  • Usage-based memberships with recurring billing

Step 1: Create a New Content Pass Subscription

  1. In Shopify, go to Apps → Content Vault → Subscriptions
  2. Click Create New Subscription
  3. Select Content Pass as the subscription type

Subscription details

  • Subscription name Internal name only (not shown to customers)

  • Subscription product Select the Shopify product customers will purchase to begin their subscription (This product acts as the entry point for billing and access)

  • Subscription settings

    • Automatically fulfill orders (enabled by default) When enabled, new subscriptions and renewals are automatically fulfilled

Step 2: Configure Subscription Tiers

Content Pass supports multiple tiers inside a single subscription. Each tier appears on the product page, allowing customers to choose their plan before checkout.

Each tier has its own:

  • Customer-facing plan name
  • Billing frequency (monthly, yearly, etc.)
  • Pricing or discounts
  • Download limits and reset rules
  • File access behavior

Advanced pricing options

(Optional)

  • Fixed price – Override the product’s base price
  • Percentage discount – Apply a discount to the product price for a limited time

Step 3: Set Subscription Frequency

For each tier, configure:

  • Frequency (e.g. every 1)
  • Interval (e.g. month)

This controls billing only — access and download limits are handled separately.

Step 4: Configure Content Pass Settings (Per Tier)

Content Pass limits are configured per tier, not globally.

Download controls

  • Download limit across all files Example: 10 downloads per billing cycle
  • Reset interval (days) Typically 30 for monthly plans
  • Allow same file to be downloaded repeatedly without counting toward the limit (optional)

Product linking behavior

  • Link all products to this subscription Automatically grants access to every linked product

If this option is disabled, you’ll manually select which products are available to each tier (see Step 5).

Step 5: Save the Subscription

Once all tiers are configured, click Save subscription.

After saving, you’ll see a confirmation modal prompting you to finish setup for each tier.

If you did not enable “Link all products to this subscription”, you’ll now configure which products are included per tier.

  1. Click Configure products next to a tier
  2. Select the digital products you want subscribers to access
  3. Save your changes

Subscribers can download files only from products linked to their tier.

Step 7: Activate the Subscription

Once:

  • Pricing is set
  • Download rules are configured
  • Products are linked (if applicable)

Click Set Active.

Your Content Pass subscription is now live.

Final Notes

  • Content Vault manages billing, access, and delivery together
  • Download limits reset automatically each billing cycle
  • Tiers let you offer multiple pricing plans without duplicating products
  • Product access and download rules are controlled per tier

If you’re unsure which setup fits your use case best, reach out via live chat — we’re happy to help you get this dialed in.