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/App.tsx

@@ -280,11 +280,10 @@ const InitialRouteHandler: React.FC = () => {
     );
   }
 
-  // Only block on onboarding initialization once we know the user has an active subscription.
+  // Loading state - only wait for onboarding init, not subscription check
-  // This allows no-subscription/inactive flows to continue even when onboarding data is still null.
+  // Subscription check is non-blocking and happens in background
-  const isActiveSubscriber = Boolean(subscription && subscription.active && subscription.plan !== 'none');
+  const waitingForOnboardingInit = loading || !data;
-  const waitingForOnboardingInit = isActiveSubscriber && (loading || !data);
+  if (loading || waitingForOnboardingInit) {
-  if (waitingForOnboardingInit) {
     return (
       <Box
         display="flex"
@@ -296,7 +295,7 @@ const InitialRouteHandler: React.FC = () => {
       >
         <CircularProgress size={60} />
         <Typography variant="h6" color="textSecondary">
-          Preparing your workspace...
+          {subscriptionLoading ? 'Checking subscription...' : 'Preparing your workspace...'}
         </Typography>
       </Box>
     );