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Subscriptions

Setting up a Content Pass subscription

Updated October 13, 2026

A Content Pass Subscription lets you give subscribers a download allowance that refills on a schedule, instead of unlimited access.

Think of it like a Shutterstock-style plan:

  • Subscribers get a download allowance (for example, 10 files every 30 days)
  • They can download any files linked to the subscription
  • Their allowance automatically refills every set number of days (30 by default)

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 (Content Vault is listed as Digital Subscriptions in your Shopify admin).
  2. Click Create new Subscription.
  3. In the Select subscription type dialog, choose Content Pass — “Subscribers get access to all content linked via products and have a set limit of downloads per month.”

⚠️ Before customers can subscribe, make sure the Subscription widget app embed is switched on (Online Store → Themes → Customize → App embeds). In most themes the embed shows the widget on your product pages by itself; see Installing Content Vault for the widget block.

Subscription details

  • Subscription name – an internal name for your reference inside Content Vault: customers don’t see it. Emails and PDF stamps that use [subscriptionName] show the plan’s name instead (for example Basic), so give your plans names customers can read.
  • Subscription product – 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

Content Vault Create a new subscription form for a Content Pass, with the subscription name, subscription product and automatic fulfillment settings (opens full size)

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) Tick Show advanced pricing options to override what this plan costs:

  • Fixed price – replace the product’s base price with a fixed amount
  • Percentage discount – take a percentage off the product price, for a duration you set in billing cycles (leave the duration blank to discount for as long as the customer subscribes)

Content Pass Tier details panel with advanced pricing shown and a fixed price of $19.99 for the Standard plan (opens full size)

Step 3: Set Subscription Frequency

For each tier, configure:

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

You can also bound how long billing runs:

  • Minimum billing cycles – how many cycles must be paid before a cancellation takes effect. The initial checkout counts as the first cycle. Leave blank for no minimum.
  • Maximum billing cycles – the total number of cycles before the subscription ends automatically. The initial checkout counts as the first cycle, so 12 means 12 charges in total. Leave blank for no maximum.

This controls billing only — access and download limits are handled separately, and the download allowance resets on its own schedule (Step 4).

Content Pass Subscription frequency panel billing every 1 month, with minimum and maximum billing cycle fields (opens full size)

Step 4: Configure Content Pass Settings (Per Tier)

Content Pass limits are configured per tier, not globally. A content pass gives subscribers a shared download allowance across every linked file, which refills on a schedule you set.

Download controls

  • Download limit across all files – total downloads a customer can make across all files before the limit resets. Example: 10. Leave empty for unlimited.
  • How often to reset (days) – the allowance refills to full every this many days. Defaults to 30.
  • Allow same file to be downloaded repeatedly without affecting limit (on by default) — re-downloading a file the customer already has doesn’t count against their allowance.
  • Roll over unused downloads to the next period – unused downloads are added to the next period’s allowance. Roll-over does not accumulate beyond one period.
  • Customers retain access to files after they cancel / pause (off by default) – lets customers who cancel or pause keep re-downloading files they already downloaded — only those files, and only from their customer account page, which lists them under Previously downloaded files (streamed files and files added by URL included).

💡 Roll over stays grayed out until you set a download limit. It has nothing to carry over while the allowance is unlimited.

Content Pass has fewer settings than the other types. It has no Customer options, File delivery or Download protection panels — those belong to Library Access and Content Drip. Its download rules, including whether access survives a cancellation, all live in this one panel. There’s no pause or skip setting, but pass members can still pause their subscription, or skip an upcoming order, from their customer account page.

Content pass settings panel with a 50-download limit resetting every 30 days, repeat downloads allowed, and the roll-over and retain-access options (opens full size)

Step 5: Customer Tagging

Content Vault can tag subscribers in Shopify automatically. Turn on Tag customers on Shopify and subscribers are tagged when they subscribe — the tags are removed again when they cancel or the subscription expires.

  • Default tags, always applied: Subscriber and Subscribed - <Plan name>
  • Custom tags (optional): a comma-separated list such as VIP, Premium, Gold

Handy for segmenting email campaigns, discounts and customer lists by plan.

Customer tagging panel with Tag customers on Shopify enabled, the default tags Subscriber and Subscribed - Standard, and a custom Stock Photos tag (opens full size)

Step 6: Save the Subscription

Once all tiers are configured, click Save subscription.

Saving opens a Subscription Created Successfully! dialog prompting you to finish setup for each tier. A Digital products panel is also added to the plan settings sidebar, so you can return to it at any time.

Subscription Created Successfully dialog for a Content Pass, with the next step to link products and a Configure products button (opens full size)

Step 7: Connect Files to Products

A content pass works by attaching files to your products. Pass holders get a download button on those product pages, and each download counts against their allowance. The button opens a list of the product’s files. A file set to Stream (a Plus plan feature) opens on a player page on your store instead of downloading, and opening it uses one download.

  1. Open the Digital products panel for the tier. It’s headed Content Pass file configuration: “Configure which files your subscribers have access to.”
  2. Click Digital Product configuration — or Configure products in the confirmation dialog. Both open the same page.

Content Pass Digital products panel with the Digital Product configuration button (opens full size)

  1. The Products page for the plan lists every product in your store, with a Connected Files column. Click a product to open it.
  2. Under Connected Files, click Select files to choose from your file library, or Upload files to add new ones.

Connected Files page for a product with Select files and Upload files buttons and no files connected yet (opens full size)

Files are connected per tier, so each plan can unlock a different set. Connect at least one file to a product, or pass holders will have nothing to download from it.

Step 8: Activate the Subscription

Set active stays grayed out until the checklist under the tier is complete. Headed “Before you can activate this tier”, it lists whatever is still missing: a name for the subscription, saving it, and a subscription product (Step 1).

The app doesn’t check the rest, so before going live also make sure pricing is set, the download rules suit you, and files are connected (Step 7). Then:

  1. Click Set active
  2. Confirm in the Set this plan active? dialog — “Customers will be able to subscribe to this plan.”

The plan’s badge changes from Draft to Active, and your Content Pass subscription is live.

Turning a plan off again

Set active becomes Set inactive. Deactivating stops new customers from subscribing, but existing subscribers keep their access and are still billed: “All existing customers will still have access and will continue to be charged.” The confirmation also warns: “This action cannot be undone.”

To end their subscriptions too, use More actions → Cancel all customers on the inactive plan: “Cancel every active subscription on this tier. This cannot be undone.” Once you confirm, they’re no longer charged, and whether they keep access depends on the plan’s Customers retain access to files after they cancel / pause setting.

Duplicating a plan

Duplicate, beside Set active on a draft plan (Set inactive on an active one), copies a plan’s settings into a new one — quicker than rebuilding a similar tier from scratch. In the Duplicate tier dialog, New tier name starts as Copy of and the plan’s name; change it if you like, then click Duplicate: “A copy of this tier’s settings will be created as a new draft. All connected products and their linked files will also be copied.”

More actions → Delete tier removes a plan for good — “Permanently remove this draft or empty tier.” Delete tier doesn’t show on an active tier, or on a subscription’s only tier.

Content Pass plan header with Set active grayed out, the Duplicate button, and the Before you can activate this tier checklist asking for a product (opens full size)

Final Notes

  • Content Vault manages billing, access, and delivery together
  • Download allowances refill automatically every set number of days (30 by default)
  • 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.