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

@@ -52,27 +52,6 @@ export interface SubscriptionPlan {
 }
 
 const PricingPage: React.FC = () => {
-  const pricingMode = (process.env.REACT_APP_PRICING_MODE || 'alpha').toLowerCase();
-  const isAlphaMode = pricingMode === 'alpha';
-  const tierPolicyByMode: Record<string, { visible: string[]; selectable: string[]; unavailableLabels: Record<string, string> }> = {
-    alpha: {
-      visible: ['free', 'basic', 'pro', 'enterprise'],
-      selectable: ['free', 'basic'],
-      unavailableLabels: { pro: 'Coming Soon', enterprise: 'Contact Sales' },
-    },
-    demo: {
-      visible: ['free', 'basic', 'pro', 'enterprise'],
-      selectable: ['free', 'basic', 'pro'],
-      unavailableLabels: { enterprise: 'Contact Sales' },
-    },
-    production: {
-      visible: ['free', 'basic', 'pro', 'enterprise'],
-      selectable: ['free', 'basic', 'pro'],
-      unavailableLabels: { enterprise: 'Contact Sales' },
-    },
-  };
-  const activeTierPolicy = tierPolicyByMode[pricingMode] || tierPolicyByMode.alpha;
-
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const [plans, setPlans] = useState<SubscriptionPlan[]>([]);
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
@@ -97,11 +76,9 @@ const PricingPage: React.FC = () => {
     try {
       setLoading(true);
       const response = await apiClient.get('/api/subscription/plans');
-      // Filter out legacy alpha-named plans and enforce tier visibility policy.
+      // Filter out any alpha plans and ensure we only show the 4 main tiers
       const filteredPlans = response.data.data.plans.filter(
-        (plan: SubscriptionPlan) =>
-          !plan.name.toLowerCase().includes('alpha') &&
-          activeTierPolicy.visible.includes(plan.tier)
+        (plan: SubscriptionPlan) => !plan.name.toLowerCase().includes('alpha')
       );
       setPlans(filteredPlans);
     } catch (err) {
@@ -134,13 +111,10 @@ const PricingPage: React.FC = () => {
       return;
     }
 
-    if (!activeTierPolicy.selectable.includes(plan.tier)) {
+    // For alpha testing, only allow Free and Basic plans (Pro features not ready)
+    if (plan.tier !== 'free' && plan.tier !== 'basic') {
       console.error('[PricingPage] Plan tier not available:', plan.tier);
-      setError(
-        isAlphaMode
-          ? 'This plan is not available during alpha testing'
-          : 'This plan is currently not available for self-serve checkout'
-      );
+      setError('This plan is not available for alpha testing');
       return;
     }
 
@@ -377,8 +351,6 @@ const PricingPage: React.FC = () => {
               yearlyBilling={yearlyBilling}
               selectedPlanId={selectedPlan}
               subscribing={subscribing}
-              canSelectPlan={activeTierPolicy.selectable.includes(plan.tier)}
-              unavailableLabel={activeTierPolicy.unavailableLabels[plan.tier]}
               onSelectPlan={setSelectedPlan}
               onSubscribe={handleSubscribe}
               openKnowMoreModal={openKnowMoreModal}
@@ -420,48 +392,42 @@ const PricingPage: React.FC = () => {
           }}>
             <Typography variant="h6" component="h2" gutterBottom sx={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 1 }}>
               <Warning sx={{ color: 'warning.main' }} />
-              {isAlphaMode ? 'Alpha Testing Subscription' : 'Confirm Subscription'}
+              Alpha Testing Subscription
             </Typography>
-
-            {isAlphaMode ? (
-              <>
-                <Alert severity="warning" sx={{ mb: 2 }}>
-                  <Typography variant="body2" sx={{ fontWeight: 600, mb: 0.5 }}>
-                    ⚠️ Alpha Testing Mode - No Payment Required
-                  </Typography>
-                  <Typography variant="caption" sx={{ display: 'block' }}>
-                    Payment integration is coming soon. For now, subscriptions are activated without charge.
-                  </Typography>
-                </Alert>
-
-                <Typography variant="body1" sx={{ mb: 2 }}>
-                  Thank you for participating in our alpha testing! We&apos;re crediting this plan to your account.
-                </Typography>
-
-                <Box sx={{
-                  p: 2,
-                  mb: 3,
-                  bgcolor: 'info.lighter',
-                  borderRadius: 1,
-                  border: '1px solid',
-                  borderColor: 'info.light'
-                }}>
-                  <Typography variant="body2" color="info.dark">
-                    <strong>Coming in Production:</strong>
-                  </Typography>
-                  <Typography variant="caption" color="info.dark" sx={{ display: 'block', mt: 0.5 }}>
-                    • Secure Stripe/PayPal payment processing<br />
-                    • Automatic renewal management<br />
-                    • Payment verification & receipts<br />
-                    • Upgrade/downgrade options
-                  </Typography>
-                </Box>
-              </>
-            ) : (
-              <Typography variant="body1" sx={{ mb: 3 }}>
-                Please confirm to continue with your selected subscription plan.
+            
+            {/* Alpha Testing Notice */}
+            <Alert severity="warning" sx={{ mb: 2 }}>
+              <Typography variant="body2" sx={{ fontWeight: 600, mb: 0.5 }}>
+                ⚠️ Alpha Testing Mode - No Payment Required
               </Typography>
-            )}
+              <Typography variant="caption" sx={{ display: 'block' }}>
+                Payment integration is coming soon. For now, subscriptions are activated without charge.
+              </Typography>
+            </Alert>
+            
+            <Typography variant="body1" sx={{ mb: 2 }}>
+              Thank you for participating in our alpha testing! We're crediting the Basic plan ($29 value) to your account.
+            </Typography>
+            
+            {/* TODO: Payment Integration Notice */}
+            <Box sx={{ 
+              p: 2, 
+              mb: 3, 
+              bgcolor: 'info.lighter', 
+              borderRadius: 1, 
+              border: '1px solid',
+              borderColor: 'info.light'
+            }}>
+              <Typography variant="body2" color="info.dark">
+                <strong>Coming in Production:</strong>
+              </Typography>
+              <Typography variant="caption" color="info.dark" sx={{ display: 'block', mt: 0.5 }}>
+                • Secure Stripe/PayPal payment processing<br />
+                • Automatic renewal management<br />
+                • Payment verification & receipts<br />
+                • Upgrade/downgrade options
+              </Typography>
+            </Box>
             
             {/* Note: Current behavior allows renewal without payment verification */}
             {/* This is intentional for alpha testing but will be secured in production */}

frontend/src/components/Pricing/PricingPage/PlanCard.tsx

@@ -69,8 +69,6 @@ interface PlanCardProps {
   yearlyBilling: boolean;
   selectedPlanId: number | null;
   subscribing: boolean;
-  canSelectPlan: boolean;
-  unavailableLabel?: string;
   onSelectPlan: (planId: number) => void;
   onSubscribe: (planId: number) => void;
   openKnowMoreModal: (title: string, content: React.ReactNode) => void;
@@ -81,8 +79,6 @@ const PlanCard: React.FC<PlanCardProps> = ({
   yearlyBilling,
   selectedPlanId,
   subscribing,
-  canSelectPlan,
-  unavailableLabel,
   onSelectPlan,
   onSubscribe,
   openKnowMoreModal,
@@ -913,9 +909,13 @@ const PlanCard: React.FC<PlanCardProps> = ({
       </CardContent>
 
       <CardActions sx={{ justifyContent: 'center', pb: 3, flexDirection: 'column', gap: 1 }}>
-        {!canSelectPlan ? (
+        {plan.tier === 'pro' ? (
           <Button variant="outlined" size="large" fullWidth disabled sx={{ mb: 1 }}>
-            {unavailableLabel || 'Unavailable'}
+            Coming Soon
+          </Button>
+        ) : plan.tier === 'enterprise' ? (
+          <Button variant="outlined" size="large" fullWidth disabled sx={{ mb: 1 }}>
+            Contact Sales
           </Button>
         ) : (
           <>
@@ -951,3 +951,4 @@ const PlanCard: React.FC<PlanCardProps> = ({
 };
 
 export default PlanCard;
+