Publisher Access Codes

Publisher Access Codes

Access codes are alphanumeric codes that give readers access to your publications — no purchase required. They are different from discount codes: a discount code reduces the price at checkout, while an access code bypasses checkout entirely and grants access immediately on redemption.

Available on: Business and Enterprise plans.

When to use access codes

• Press and review access — Give journalists or content reviewers access before a publication goes on sale

• Event distribution — Distribute to conference attendees, webinar participants, or in-person event guests

• Institutional gifting — Grant access to a school cohort, corporate training group, or partner organisation

• Internal content — Distribute staff handbooks, onboarding guides, or training manuals without requiring purchase

• Promotional giveaways — Run access code campaigns on social media or email

Creating access codes

1. Go to Settings > Access Codes

2. Click New Access Code (for a single code) or Generate Batch (for multiple)

3. Select the publication the code grants access to

4. Choose whether the code is single-use (redeemable once) or multi-use (redeemable by multiple readers, with an optional maximum number of uses) — this is a setting you choose yourself, not something that requires contacting support

5. Optionally set:

- Expiry date — The code stops working after this date - Batch name — A label for your records (e.g. "TechCrunch Disrupt 2026")

1. Click Generate

Bulk generation

To generate many codes at once:

1. Click Generate Batch on the Access Codes page

2. Enter the number of codes to generate (up to 5,000 per batch)

3. Set the publication, use type, expiry, and batch name

4. Click Generate — codes appear instantly

Bulk generation is useful when you need a unique code for each person, for example a CSV column in a conference registration spreadsheet.

CSV export

Export any batch of codes as a CSV file:

1. Find the batch in your Access Codes list

2. Click the Export CSV button

3. The CSV includes: code, redemption URL, label, code type, use type, discount, status (active / redeemed / expired), uses, max uses, expiry date, and creation date

Use the CSV for mail-merge emails, CRM imports, or to forward to your events team.

How readers redeem codes

Readers enter codes on your storefront's cart or checkout screen. When a valid access code is entered, the price drops to zero and they can complete "checkout" at no cost. They are then redirected to their reader library where the publication is immediately available.

Readers can also enter codes from within the reader portal at go.zenflip.io/your-brand/store (or your custom domain).

Monitoring redemptions

The Access Codes page shows each code's status:

• Active — Not yet redeemed, not expired

• Redeemed — Used by a reader (shows who and when)

• Expired — Past the expiry date, can no longer be redeemed

You can search and filter codes by batch, status, or publication.

Frequently asked questions

Can a code be used more than once? Yes, if you choose the multi-use option when creating it. Single-use is the default, but you can switch to multi-use (with an optional maximum number of uses) right from the code creation screen — no need to contact support.

What if a reader loses their code? You can look up the reader in the Readers section and manually assign the publication to their account from the reader drawer.

Do access codes expire? Only if you set an expiry date. Codes without an expiry date remain active indefinitely.

Can I revoke a code after it's been redeemed? The code itself cannot be "un-redeemed," but you can remove the reader's access to the publication from the Readers section.

Related

• Reader Management — Manage your reader base and manually assign content

• Reader Portal — The branded reader experience where codes are redeemed