How to Sell Pay-to-Unlock Photos:
Blurred Preview, Paid Access
Lock a photo set behind a payment link. Fans see a blurred teaser, pay your price, and get the full-resolution files instantly. No OnlyFans, no 20% platform cut — set up in under 10 minutes.
What are pay-to-unlock photos?
Pay-to-unlock photos are images hidden behind a one-time payment. The buyer sees only a blurred, cropped or watermarked preview until they pay — then the full-resolution photos are delivered instantly. Creators use pay-to-unlock (also called PPV or locked content) to sell exclusive sets directly to fans through a shareable link, without a subscription platform.
Sell your first locked photo set in 5 steps
Everything runs on PayRequest digital products — free plan, every feature included.
Create your free account
Sign up at payrequest.app/register and connect Stripe, Mollie or PayPal as your payment provider. No monthly fee, no credit card needed.
Upload your photo set as a digital product
Bundle your full-resolution photos into a ZIP (up to 50 MB per file) and upload it as a digital product. This is the file buyers receive after paying.
Add a blurred teaser as the product image
Export one image from the set, blur, crop or watermark it, and set it as the product photo. That teaser is all anyone sees before paying — you control exactly how much to show.
Set your unlock price
One-time price in any currency. Typical ladder: €5–10 for teaser sets, €15–25 for standard sets, €45+ for premium or personalized drops.
Share the link and get paid
Drop the link in your Instagram bio, X posts, Telegram channel or DMs. Payment confirms and the set unlocks instantly — delivered on the success page, by email, and in the customer portal.
What should you charge per unlock?
Based on what PPV creators typically charge across fan platforms — adjust to your audience.
Teaser sets
Short sets (5–10 photos) to convert new followers into first-time buyers. Low friction, high volume.
Standard sets
Full sets of 20–30 photos. Your bread-and-butter price point — most unlocks happen here.
Premium drops
Limited or themed sets, higher production value, longer sets or photo + video bundles.
Personalized content
Custom shoots or made-to-order sets for individual superfans. Price for your time, not per photo.
Where to share your unlock link
One link works on every channel — these five drive the most unlocks for creators.
Instagram bio
Pin your latest drop where every profile visit can convert. Update the link with each new set.
X / Twitter
Post the blurred teaser publicly with the unlock link. The preview does the selling.
Telegram channel
Drop links to your channel subscribers — or create links on the go with the free PayRequest /pay bot.
Direct messages
Answer 'do you sell content?' DMs with a link instead of a platform signup. One tap to checkout.
Email list
Your list is the only audience no algorithm can take away. Announce drops directly.
Protecting your content after unlock
Tokenized links
Each purchase generates a unique download token — links can't be shared infinitely.
Download limits
Cap downloads per purchase (1–100), so one buyer can't distribute to thousands.
Link expiry
Links expire after 1–365 days. Re-issue in one click if a real buyer loses access.
Watermarked previews
Since you control the teaser image, watermark it — stolen previews then advertise you.
Frequently asked questions
Your first unlock link is 10 minutes away
Free plan with every feature. 2% per successful sale, capped at €25. No monthly fee, no platform cut.