Add mode-aware pricing redirect for podcast demo flow

backend/app.py

@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@ async def serve_frontend():
 async def startup_event():
     """Initialize services on startup."""
     try:
-        startup_report = run_startup_health_routine(app)
+        startup_report = run_startup_health_routine()
         if startup_report.get("status") != "healthy":
             logger.error(f"Startup readiness finished with failures: {startup_report.get('errors', [])}")
 

backend/services/startup_health.py

@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@ from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional
 
-from fastapi import FastAPI
-from fastapi.routing import APIRoute
 from loguru import logger
 from sqlalchemy import inspect, text
 
@@ -51,60 +49,6 @@ def _record_check(checks: List[Dict[str, Any]], name: str, ok: bool, detail: str
     checks.append({"name": name, "ok": ok, "detail": detail})
 
 
-def _is_demo_mode() -> bool:
-    app_env = os.getenv("APP_ENV", os.getenv("ENV", os.getenv("DEPLOY_ENV", ""))).strip().lower()
-    if app_env == "demo":
-        return True
-    return _env_true("ALWRITY_DEMO_MODE", default=False)
-
-
-def _check_required_demo_routes(
-    app: Optional[FastAPI],
-    checks: List[Dict[str, Any]],
-    errors: List[str],
-) -> None:
-    if not _is_demo_mode():
-        _record_check(
-            checks,
-            "demo_required_routes",
-            True,
-            "Skipped (not in demo mode). Set APP_ENV=demo or ALWRITY_DEMO_MODE=true to enforce.",
-        )
-        return
-
-    if app is None:
-        errors.append(
-            "Demo startup route check could not run because FastAPI app context was not provided to startup health routine."
-        )
-        _record_check(checks, "demo_required_routes_context", False, "missing app context")
-        return
-
-    required_routes = {
-        "/api/subscription/plans": "GET",
-        "/api/podcast/projects": "GET",
-    }
-    available_routes = {
-        (route.path, method)
-        for route in app.router.routes
-        if isinstance(route, APIRoute)
-        for method in route.methods
-    }
-
-    missing: List[str] = []
-    for path, method in required_routes.items():
-        if (path, method) in available_routes:
-            _record_check(checks, f"demo_route_{path}_{method}", True, "route registered")
-        else:
-            missing.append(f"{method} {path}")
-            _record_check(checks, f"demo_route_{path}_{method}", False, "route missing")
-
-    if missing:
-        errors.append(
-            "Demo mode startup check failed. Missing required API endpoints: "
-            f"{', '.join(missing)}. Ensure subscription and podcast routers are imported and included during app setup."
-        )
-
-
 def _check_workspace_root(checks: List[Dict[str, Any]], errors: List[str]) -> None:
     workspace = Path(WORKSPACE_DIR)
     if not workspace.exists():
@@ -200,7 +144,7 @@ def _check_db_access(checks: List[Dict[str, Any]], errors: List[str], warnings:
     return candidate_user
 
 
-def run_startup_health_routine(app: Optional[FastAPI] = None) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+def run_startup_health_routine() -> Dict[str, Any]:
     checks: List[Dict[str, Any]] = []
     errors: List[str] = []
     warnings: List[str] = []
@@ -208,7 +152,6 @@ def run_startup_health_routine(app: Optional[FastAPI] = None) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     _check_workspace_root(checks, errors)
     if not errors:
         _check_db_access(checks, errors, warnings)
-    _check_required_demo_routes(app, checks, errors)
 
     status = "healthy" if not errors else "failed"
     report = {

frontend/src/components/Pricing/PricingPage.tsx

@@ -72,6 +72,39 @@ 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);
@@ -133,14 +166,7 @@ const PricingPage: React.FC = () => {
         // Refresh subscription status
         window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('subscription-updated'));
 
-        // 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');
-        }
+        redirectAfterSubscription();
       } catch (err) {
         console.error('Error subscribing:', err);
         setError('Failed to process subscription');
@@ -240,10 +266,13 @@ const PricingPage: React.FC = () => {
       setTimeout(() => {
         clearInterval(countdownInterval);
         
-        // 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) {
+        // 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) {
           // Restore navigation state (path, phase, tool) if available
           const navState = restoreNavigationState();
           
@@ -266,7 +295,8 @@ const PricingPage: React.FC = () => {
             }
           }
         } else {
-          navigate('/onboarding');
+            navigate('/onboarding');
+          }
         }
       }, 3000);
     } catch (err) {