fix: Add podcast-only demo mode readiness patches

- Patch pricing redirect to route to podcast-maker instead of onboarding
- Allow all plan tiers in demo mode (remove alpha restriction)
- Add Stripe mode warning in demo when key is missing
- Add startup router mount assertions for subscription and podcast
- Add smoke test script for demo mode validation

backend/app.py

@@ -571,10 +571,39 @@ async def startup_event():
             logger.warning("⚠️ WIX_API_KEY not found in environment - Wix publishing may fail")
 
         logger.info("ALwrity backend started successfully")
+        
+        # Critical router mount assertions for podcast-only demo mode
+        _assert_router_mounted("subscription")
+        _assert_router_mounted("podcast")
     except Exception as e:
         logger.error(f"Error during startup: {e}")
         raise
 
+
+def _assert_router_mounted(router_name: str) -> None:
+    """Assert that a critical router is mounted. Fails startup if not found."""
+    from fastapi import routing
+    mounted_routes = [route.path for route in app.routes]
+    
+    # Check for router-specific paths
+    router_path_indicators = {
+        "subscription": ["/api/subscription/plans", "/api/subscription/preflight"],
+        "podcast": ["/api/podcast/projects", "/api/podcast/"],
+    }
+    
+    expected_paths = router_path_indicators.get(router_name, [])
+    found = any(path in mounted_routes for path in expected_paths)
+    
+    if found:
+        logger.info(f"✅ Critical router '{router_name}' is mounted")
+    else:
+        error_msg = f"❌ CRITICAL: Router '{router_name}' is NOT mounted! Expected paths: {expected_paths}"
+        logger.error(error_msg)
+        if PODCAST_ONLY_DEMO_MODE:
+            # In demo mode, podcast router MUST be mounted
+            if router_name == "podcast":
+                raise RuntimeError(error_msg)
+
 # Shutdown event
 @app.on_event("shutdown")
 async def shutdown_event():

backend/scripts/smoke_test_podcast_demo.py

@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+Smoke test script for podcast-only demo mode.
+Tests the subscription funnel, Stripe flow, and podcast runtime paths.
+"""
+
+import requests
+import json
+import sys
+from typing import Dict, Any
+
+BASE_URL = "http://localhost:8000"
+
+
+def test_health() -> bool:
+    """Test backend health endpoint."""
+    print("\n[TEST] Backend health check...")
+    try:
+        resp = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/health", timeout=10)
+        data = resp.json()
+        print(f"  Status: {data.get('status')}")
+        print(f"  Demo mode: {data.get('podcast_only_demo_mode')}")
+        return resp.status_code == 200
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"  ❌ FAILED: {e}")
+        return False
+
+
+def test_router_status() -> bool:
+    """Test router status endpoint."""
+    print("\n[TEST] Router status...")
+    try:
+        resp = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/api/routers/status", timeout=10)
+        data = resp.json()
+        
+        # Check critical routers
+        podcast_mounted = data.get("podcast_only_demo_mode", False)
+        router_groups = data.get("router_groups", {})
+        
+        print(f"  Podcast router: {router_groups.get('podcast_maker', {}).get('mounted')}")
+        print(f"  Assets serving: {router_groups.get('assets_serving', {}).get('mounted')}")
+        
+        # Check podcast router is always mounted
+        podcast_ok = router_groups.get('podcast_maker', {}).get('mounted') == True
+        if not podcast_ok:
+            print("  ❌ Podcast router not mounted!")
+            return False
+        
+        return resp.status_code == 200
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"  ❌ FAILED: {e}")
+        return False
+
+
+def test_subscription_plans() -> bool:
+    """Test subscription plans endpoint."""
+    print("\n[TEST] Subscription plans...")
+    try:
+        resp = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/api/subscription/plans", timeout=10)
+        data = resp.json()
+        
+        if resp.status_code == 200:
+            plans = data.get("plans", [])
+            print(f"  Plans returned: {len(plans)}")
+            for plan in plans[:3]:
+                print(f"    - {plan.get('name')}: ${plan.get('price', {}).get('monthly', 'N/A')}/mo")
+            return True
+        else:
+            print(f"  ❌ Status {resp.status_code}")
+            return False
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"  ❌ FAILED: {e}")
+        return False
+
+
+def test_podcast_routes() -> bool:
+    """Test podcast router is accessible."""
+    print("\n[TEST] Podcast router endpoints...")
+    try:
+        # Test without auth (should return 401, not 404)
+        resp = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/api/podcast/projects", timeout=10)
+        
+        if resp.status_code == 401:
+            print("  ✅ Podcast router mounted (auth required as expected)")
+            return True
+        elif resp.status_code == 404:
+            print("  ❌ Podcast router NOT mounted (404)")
+            return False
+        else:
+            print(f"  Status: {resp.status_code}")
+            return resp.status_code in [200, 401]
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"  ❌ FAILED: {e}")
+        return False
+
+
+def test_preflight() -> bool:
+    """Test preflight cost estimation endpoint."""
+    print("\n[TEST] Preflight cost estimation...")
+    try:
+        resp = requests.post(
+            f"{BASE_URL}/api/subscription/preflight-check",
+            json={"operation": "podcast_analysis", "tier": "basic"},
+            timeout=10
+        )
+        
+        if resp.status_code in [200, 401]:
+            print(f"  ✅ Preflight endpoint accessible (status: {resp.status_code})")
+            return True
+        else:
+            print(f"  ❌ Status {resp.status_code}")
+            return False
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"  ❌ FAILED: {e}")
+        return False
+
+
+def test_onboarding_status() -> bool:
+    """Test onboarding status endpoint."""
+    print("\n[TEST] Onboarding status...")
+    try:
+        resp = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/api/onboarding/status", timeout=10)
+        data = resp.json()
+        
+        print(f"  Status: {data.get('status')}")
+        print(f"  Enabled: {data.get('enabled')}")
+        
+        # In demo mode, should be disabled
+        if data.get('enabled') == False:
+            print("  ✅ Onboarding correctly disabled in demo mode")
+            return True
+        
+        return resp.status_code == 200
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"  ❌ FAILED: {e}")
+        return False
+
+
+def main():
+    """Run all smoke tests."""
+    print("=" * 60)
+    print("PODCAST-ONLY DEMO MODE SMOKE TESTS")
+    print("=" * 60)
+    
+    results = []
+    
+    # Run tests
+    results.append(("Health", test_health()))
+    results.append(("Router Status", test_router_status()))
+    results.append(("Subscription Plans", test_subscription_plans()))
+    results.append(("Podcast Routes", test_podcast_routes()))
+    results.append(("Preflight Check", test_preflight()))
+    results.append(("Onboarding Status", test_onboarding_status()))
+    
+    # Summary
+    print("\n" + "=" * 60)
+    print("SUMMARY")
+    print("=" * 60)
+    
+    passed = sum(1 for _, r in results if r)
+    total = len(results)
+    
+    for name, result in results:
+        status = "✅ PASS" if result else "❌ FAIL"
+        print(f"  {status}: {name}")
+    
+    print(f"\nTotal: {passed}/{total} tests passed")
+    
+    return 0 if passed == total else 1
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main())

frontend/src/components/Pricing/PricingPage.tsx

@@ -145,7 +145,9 @@ const PricingPage: React.FC = () => {
     }
 
     // For alpha testing, only allow Free and Basic plans (Pro features not ready)
-    if (plan.tier !== 'free' && plan.tier !== 'basic') {
+    // Exception: In podcast-only demo mode, allow all plans
+    const demoModeEnabled = isPodcastOnlyDemoMode();
+    if (!demoModeEnabled && plan.tier !== 'free' && plan.tier !== 'basic') {
       console.error('[PricingPage] Plan tier not available:', plan.tier);
       setError('This plan is not available for alpha testing');
       return;
@@ -213,6 +215,12 @@ const PricingPage: React.FC = () => {
           window.location.href = response.data.url;
           return;
         }
+      } else {
+        // Stripe not configured - warn in demo mode
+        if (isPodcastOnlyDemoMode()) {
+          console.warn('[PricingPage] ⚠️ DEMO MODE WARNING: Stripe is not configured. Using legacy subscription API.');
+          // In demo mode without Stripe, we may want to skip actual subscription for testing
+        }
       }
 
       console.log('[PricingPage] Making legacy subscription API call:', {