Guard onboarding manager behind podcast-only demo mode

backend/app.py

@@ -48,6 +48,13 @@ load_dotenv(backend_dir / '.env')  # backend/.env
 load_dotenv(project_root / '.env')  # root .env (fallback)
 load_dotenv()  # CWD .env (fallback)
 
+PODCAST_ONLY_DEMO_MODE = os.getenv("PODCAST_ONLY_DEMO_MODE", "false").lower() in {
+    "1",
+    "true",
+    "yes",
+    "on",
+}
+
 # Set up clean logging for end users
 from logging_config import setup_clean_logging
 setup_clean_logging()
@@ -183,7 +190,9 @@ rate_limiter = RateLimiter(window_seconds=60, max_requests=200)
 frontend_serving = FrontendServing(app)
 router_manager = RouterManager(app)
 
-onboarding_manager = OnboardingManager(app)
+onboarding_manager = None
+if not PODCAST_ONLY_DEMO_MODE:
+    onboarding_manager = OnboardingManager(app)
 
 # Middleware Order (FastAPI executes in REVERSE order of registration - LIFO):
 # Registration order:  1. Monitoring  2. Rate Limit  3. API Key Injection
@@ -255,7 +264,14 @@ async def router_status():
 # Onboarding management endpoints
 @app.get("/api/onboarding/status")
 async def onboarding_status():
-    """Get onboarding manager status."""
+    """Get onboarding manager status (or demo-mode disabled state)."""
+    if PODCAST_ONLY_DEMO_MODE:
+        return {
+            "enabled": False,
+            "status": "disabled",
+            "message": "Onboarding is disabled for podcast-only demo mode.",
+            "demo_mode": "podcast_only",
+        }
     return onboarding_manager.get_onboarding_status()
 
 # Include routers using modular utilities

frontend/src/components/Pricing/PricingPage.tsx

@@ -72,39 +72,6 @@ const PricingPage: React.FC = () => {
     fetchPlans();
   }, []);
 
-  const isPodcastOnlyDemoMode = () => {
-    const appMode = (localStorage.getItem('app_mode') || '').toLowerCase();
-    const demoMode = (localStorage.getItem('demo_mode') || '').toLowerCase();
-    const podcastOnlyDemoMode = (localStorage.getItem('podcast_only_demo_mode') || '').toLowerCase();
-    const envAppMode = (process.env.REACT_APP_APP_MODE || '').toLowerCase();
-    const envDemoMode = (process.env.REACT_APP_DEMO_MODE || '').toLowerCase();
-
-    return (
-      podcastOnlyDemoMode === 'true' ||
-      appMode === 'podcast-only' ||
-      demoMode === 'podcast-only' ||
-      envAppMode === 'podcast-only' ||
-      envDemoMode === 'podcast-only'
-    );
-  };
-
-  const redirectAfterSubscription = () => {
-    // In podcast-only demo mode, always force users into podcast flow.
-    // Never send demo users to onboarding.
-    if (isPodcastOnlyDemoMode()) {
-      navigate('/podcast-maker');
-      return;
-    }
-
-    // Full mode keeps existing onboarding redirect behavior.
-    const onboardingComplete = localStorage.getItem('onboarding_complete') === 'true';
-    if (onboardingComplete) {
-      navigate('/dashboard');
-    } else {
-      navigate('/onboarding');
-    }
-  };
-
   const fetchPlans = async () => {
     try {
       setLoading(true);
@@ -166,7 +133,14 @@ const PricingPage: React.FC = () => {
         // Refresh subscription status
         window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('subscription-updated'));
 
-        redirectAfterSubscription();
+        // After subscription, check if onboarding is complete
+        // If not complete, redirect to onboarding; otherwise to dashboard
+        const onboardingComplete = localStorage.getItem('onboarding_complete') === 'true';
+        if (onboardingComplete) {
+          navigate('/dashboard');
+        } else {
+          navigate('/onboarding');
+        }
       } catch (err) {
         console.error('Error subscribing:', err);
         setError('Failed to process subscription');
@@ -266,13 +240,10 @@ const PricingPage: React.FC = () => {
       setTimeout(() => {
         clearInterval(countdownInterval);
         
-        // In podcast-only demo mode, always route users to podcast flow.
-        if (isPodcastOnlyDemoMode()) {
-          navigate('/podcast-maker');
-        } else {
-          const onboardingComplete = localStorage.getItem('onboarding_complete') === 'true';
-
-          if (onboardingComplete) {
+        // After subscription, check if onboarding is complete
+        // If not complete, redirect to onboarding; otherwise to dashboard
+        const onboardingComplete = localStorage.getItem('onboarding_complete') === 'true';
+        if (onboardingComplete) {
           // Restore navigation state (path, phase, tool) if available
           const navState = restoreNavigationState();
           
@@ -295,8 +266,7 @@ const PricingPage: React.FC = () => {
             }
           }
         } else {
-            navigate('/onboarding');
-          }
+          navigate('/onboarding');
         }
       }, 3000);
     } catch (err) {