Anonymous Sign-in

Enable anonymous sign-ins to reduce friction for new users and improve conversion rates by allowing them to try your product without providing signup credentials.

Overview

Anonymous sign-ins allow you to create temporary users who haven’t signed up for your application yet. This feature:

• Lowers friction for new users to try your product
• Improves conversion rates by removing signup barriers
• Enables trial experiences without email collection
• Maintains user sessions locally on their device

How It Works

When anonymous sign-in is enabled:

1. User clicks “Continue without account” instead of signing in with Google
2. One-click CAPTCHA verification to confirm they are human
3. Automatic account creation with trial tokens deposited
4. Full API access like any signed-in user
5. Local session storage preserves their account on the device

Enabling Anonymous Sign-ins

User Experience

Before Anonymous Sign-in

Users see only the Google sign-in option:

• “Sign in with Google” button
• Higher friction for trial users
• Email required to access features

After Anonymous Sign-in

Users see additional option:

• “Sign in with Google” button (existing users)
• “Continue without account” button (new option)
• Lower friction for new users

Anonymous Sign-in Flow

Technical Implementation

Checking User Status

// Check if user is authenticated (including anonymous users)
try {
  const userInfo = await paywall.getUser();
  console.log('User authenticated:', userInfo.user);
 
  // Check if user is anonymous
  if (!userInfo.user.email) {
    console.log('Anonymous user detected');
    showAnonymousUserBanner();
  } else {
    console.log('Full user account:', userInfo.user.email);
  }
 
} catch (error) {
  console.log('User not authenticated');
}

Anonymous User Properties

Anonymous users have the same structure as regular users, except:

{
  user: {
    id: "anonymous_user_123456789",
    email: null,  // No email for anonymous users
    name: "Anonymous User",
    avatar: "default_avatar_url",
    created_at: "2024-01-15T10:30:45.000Z"
  },
  balances: [
    { type: "standard", count: 10 },  // Trial tokens deposited
    { type: "advanced", count: 2 }
  ],
  // ... other user properties
}

Data Considerations

• Anonymous users have temporary accounts
• Data is tied to browser/device
• Account upgrade preserves data
• Clear browser data = lost session

Limitations

Anonymous User Restrictions

1. Purchase Requirement: Must sign in with Google to make purchases
2. Device Specific: Session tied to specific browser/device
3. No Email: Cannot receive notifications or password resets
4. Local Storage: Data can be lost if browser data is cleared

Next Steps