What is the Edge Content Protection
Arc XP’s Edge Content Protection
Arc XP supports both client-side and server-side paywalls. Each approach determines where access logic is enforced, in the browser (client-side) or at the content delivery layer (server-side). Understanding these models helps you choose the right balance of flexibility, performance, and security for your site.
Our Edge Content Protection product provides server-side content rendering making your paywalls secure and virtually impossible to bypass. Metering and targeting are best done using our client-side paywall that is part of the Subscriptions product.
Server-Side vs. Client-Side Paywalls in Arc XP
Client-Side Paywalls
In a client-side paywall, entitlement logic runs in the browser via JavaScript after the page is delivered.
Content is delivered, then the paywall script decides what to show or hide.
Client-side rules can be configured in our Subscriptions Paywall Admin and combined with audience targeting and personalization tools.
Ideal for dynamic experiences, metering, and A/B testing paywall strategies.
Advantages
Flexible, easy to iterate or test.
Supports personalized targeting and experimentation.
Requires minimal backend configuration.
Limitations
Content is delivered before access validation occurs.
Users or bots can sometimes bypass protections via cached or intercepted requests.
Requires strong client-side obfuscation and rate limiting.
Server-Side Paywalls
A server-side paywall enforces entitlements before content is delivered.
Content rendering and caching occur at the Edge, only after a user’s entitlement has been validated.
Advantages
Protects premium content before it is rendered to your site.
Virtually impossible to bypass because logic runs at the CDN layer.
Uses verified Entitlement cookies for consistent authentication.
Use Cases
Subscription or premium sites with strict entitlement enforcement.
Environments vulnerable to scraping, bot traffic, or credential sharing.
| Feature | Client-Side | Server-side |
|---|---|---|
| Validation Point | Browser (JS-based) | CDN / Edge Integration |
| Content Delivery | Full page delivered before restriction | Restricted at Edge before rendering |
| Security Level | Lower (content may be visible in source) | Higher (content never sent if unauthorized) |
| Personalization | More flexible | More controlled |
| Performance | Depends on user device | Handled at CDN edge nodes |
Hybrid Paywalls
Many Arc XP clients use a hybrid approach, combining a server-side paywall for entitlement enforcement with a client-side layer for targeting or metering (offering a set number of free articles per month). This model gives publishers the best of both worlds: strong protection for premium content, plus the flexibility to create personalized reader journeys and targeted upgrade experiences.
Arc XP is actively developing tools to make it even easier to design, manage, and optimize these hybrid access strategies directly within the platform. Stay tuned for enhancements that bridge functionality between Subscriptions’ client-side paywall Entitlements and the Edge Content Protection, as well as expanded options for bot management and referral agent targeting.