What is an Email Paywall?
You're familiar with content paywalls—pay to read the news, access research, or stream movies. An email paywall applies the same principle to your inbox: strangers pay to reach you.
It's a simple idea with profound implications for how we manage attention in the digital age.
How an Email Paywall Works
The concept is straightforward:
- You set a price for receiving messages from people you don't know
- Known contacts bypass the paywall—friends, family, colleagues, anyone you've corresponded with
- Strangers see your price when they try to email you
- They decide: pay to reach you, or don't send the message
- If they pay, you receive their email and the money
The paywall only affects cold outreach—the recruiting emails, sales pitches, and random inquiries that fill your inbox. Your normal email continues normally.
Why Email Paywalls Make Sense
The Problem with "Free" Email
Email is free to send. That's the problem.
When sending a message costs nothing, there's no incentive to consider whether it's worth the recipient's time. A recruiter can blast 1,000 people with the same template. A salesperson can "just check in" with everyone they've ever met. The cost of wasting your time is zero—to them.
You pay the cost instead. In time spent reading, sorting, deleting. In attention fragmented. In mental space occupied by other people's agendas.
Pricing Creates Signal
When senders have to pay, something interesting happens: they think before sending.
- Is this person really a good fit for my job opening?
- Does this product actually solve a problem they have?
- Is this message worth $5? $20? $50?
Most spam and unwanted outreach fails this test. The messages that remain are, almost by definition, higher quality.
Your Attention Has Value
Advertisers pay for your attention. Social media companies profit from your engagement. Marketers calculate the value of reaching you through various channels.
But anyone with your email address gets direct access for free? That's an arbitrage opportunity—and not in your favor.
An email paywall corrects this imbalance. Your attention is valuable. Your inbox should reflect that.
Common Questions About Email Paywalls
"Won't I miss important messages?"
Your contacts aren't affected. Neither are replies to emails you've sent. The paywall only applies to true cold outreach—strangers contacting you for the first time.
"What if someone legitimate can't afford the price?"
You choose your price. Set it at $1 and you're filtering for minimal investment. Set it at $100 and you're filtering for serious inquiries. The right price depends on your situation.
"Isn't this just making email transactional?"
Cold email is already transactional—they want something from you. The paywall makes that transaction explicit and fair.
inbux: Email Paywall for Gmail
inbux brings the email paywall concept to Gmail users. Connect your account, set your price, and strangers start paying for your attention.
No app to install. No email address to change. Works with your existing Gmail, filtering your spam folder and routing paid messages to your inbox.
You decide what your attention is worth. Senders decide if they're willing to pay it. The market clears.
Think of it as an email gatekeeper that works 24/7—screening strangers while letting your contacts through freely.
Try the Email Paywall
Set your price. Get paid for your attention. Take control of your inbox.
Less than 3¢/day.