Add free tier (unlicensed users get one-at-a-time summarization)

Unlicensed users can now summarize a single video at a time using their
own Gemini API key. The result renders in the UI exactly like a paid
summary, but is not persisted — there's no library entry, no history,
and a second submission while one is in flight is rejected.

Server (server/index.js):
  • /api/process is now in LICENSE_OPEN_PATHS. The route handler
    distinguishes free users (state !== "licensed" || no "core") and:
      - rejects USE_SERVER_KEY / empty key with 402 byo_key_required
        (so the bundled Gemini key stays paid-only)
      - rejects a second concurrent job with 409 processing_in_progress
        via a module-level freeJobInFlight flag, released in finally
      - skips saveToHistory so the host's library stays clean
  • Pro feature gates (history/library/subscriptions) unchanged — still
    return 402 feature_not_in_tier for unlicensed callers.

Frontend (public/index.html):
  • New state.activationSkipped flag (persisted to localStorage). The
    activation screen still appears on first launch, but now offers a
    "Skip — use free mode" button alongside Activate / Buy a key.
    Once skipped, the main app renders normally.
  • Free-mode upgrade banner under the top bar with Upgrade and "I have
    a key" buttons (the latter routes back to the activation screen).
  • handleLibraryClick / handleSubscribeClick wrappers — for unlicensed
    users, the library (clock) icon and the channel-URL Subscribe
    submission show a toast explaining the upgrade rather than opening
    an empty sidebar / hitting a 402.
  • Submit button enforces BYO key for unlicensed users (the bundled
    state.hasServerKey doesn't enable submit). handleSubmit shows a
    toast when an unlicensed user tries to queue a second video.

public/index.html

@@ -1281,6 +1281,10 @@
       licenseActivating: false,
       licenseActivationError: null,
       licenseActivationKey: "",
+      // Free tier: once dismissed, the activation screen no longer
+      // hard-gates the UI. Persisted so returning unlicensed users land
+      // straight in the app.
+      activationSkipped: localStorage.getItem("yt-summarizer-activation-skipped") === "1",
     };
 
     const MODELS = ["gemini-3.1-pro-preview", "gemini-3-pro-preview", "gemini-3-flash-preview"];
@@ -1320,23 +1324,54 @@
     // ── Process ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
     async function handleSubmit() {
-      const hasKey = state.apiKey.trim() || state.hasServerKey;
+      // Free tier requires BYO Gemini key — bundled key is licensed-only.
-      if (!state.url.trim() || !hasKey) return;
+      const free = !isLicensed();
+      const hasKey = free ? !!state.apiKey.trim() : (state.apiKey.trim() || state.hasServerKey);
+      if (!state.url.trim() || !hasKey) {
+        if (free && !state.apiKey.trim() && state.url.trim()) {
+          showToast("Free mode needs your own Gemini API key — open Settings to enter one.", "🔑");
+        }
+        return;
+      }
 
       const url = state.url.trim();
-      state.url = "";
 
-      // If already processing, add to queue
+      // If already processing — free tier blocks, paid tier queues.
       if (state.loading) {
+        if (free) {
+          showToast("Free mode handles one video at a time. Wait for the current one to finish.", "⏳");
+          return;
+        }
+        state.url = "";
         state.queue.push({ id: Date.now().toString(), url, status: "queued", error: null });
         render();
         return;
       }
 
-      // Start processing immediately
+      state.url = "";
       await processUrl(url);
     }
 
+    function handleLibraryClick() {
+      // Library / history is a paid feature (history entitlement). For
+      // free-tier users, surface the upgrade prompt instead of opening an
+      // empty sidebar.
+      if (!hasEntitlement("history")) {
+        showToast("Library is a paid feature — keep every summary you process. Tap upgrade to unlock.", "📚");
+        return;
+      }
+      toggleHistory();
+    }
+
+    function handleSubscribeClick() {
+      // Subscriptions / channel auto-queue is Pro-only.
+      if (!hasEntitlement("subscriptions")) {
+        showToast("Channel & podcast subscriptions are a Pro feature. Upgrade to auto-summarize new uploads.", "📡");
+        return;
+      }
+      addSubscriptionFromInput();
+    }
+
     function extractVideoId(url) {
       const patterns = [
         /(?:youtube\.com\/watch\?v=|youtu\.be\/|youtube\.com\/embed\/|youtube\.com\/v\/)([a-zA-Z0-9_-]{11})/,
@@ -1586,11 +1621,11 @@
       return `
         <div class="activation-screen">
           <div class="activation-card">
-            <h1>Activate YouTube Summarizer</h1>
+            <h1>YouTube Summarizer</h1>
             <p class="activation-sub">
               ${loading
                 ? "Checking license…"
-                : "Paste your Keysat license key to unlock this app. Buy a key from the seller, then come back here."
+                : "Activate a Keysat license to unlock the full app — library, subscriptions, channel auto-queue, and the bundled API key. Or skip to use free mode (one video at a time, bring your own Gemini key)."
               }
             </p>
             ${loading ? "" : `
@@ -1606,6 +1641,11 @@
                   ${state.licenseActivating ? "Activating…" : "Activate"}
                 </button>
                 <a class="activation-link" href="${escHtml(buyUrl)}" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy a key &rarr;</a>
+                <button class="activation-link"
+                  style="background:none;border:none;color:#94a3b8;cursor:pointer;padding:0;font-size:13px;"
+                  onclick="dismissActivation()">
+                  Skip &mdash; use free mode
+                </button>
               </div>
               <div class="activation-meta">
                 Product: <strong>${escHtml(lic.productSlug || "youtube-summarizer")}</strong>
@@ -1617,20 +1657,67 @@
       `;
     }
 
+    function dismissActivation() {
+      state.activationSkipped = true;
+      try { localStorage.setItem("yt-summarizer-activation-skipped", "1"); } catch {}
+      render();
+    }
+
+    function renderFreeBanner() {
+      const buyUrl = upgradeToProUrl();
+      return `
+        <div class="free-banner" style="
+          margin: 8px 0 12px;
+          padding: 10px 14px;
+          background: linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(168,85,247,0.12), rgba(99,102,241,0.10));
+          border: 1px solid rgba(168,85,247,0.35);
+          border-radius: 10px;
+          display: flex;
+          align-items: center;
+          gap: 10px;
+          flex-wrap: wrap;
+          color: #e2e8f0;
+          font-size: 13px;
+        ">
+          <span style="flex:1; min-width: 220px;">
+            <strong style="color:#c4b5fd;">Free mode</strong>
+            &middot; one video at a time, bring your own Gemini key &middot;
+            no library, no subscriptions
+          </span>
+          <a href="${escHtml(buyUrl)}" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
+             style="background:#a855f7;color:#fff;border:none;padding:6px 12px;border-radius:6px;text-decoration:none;font-size:12px;font-weight:600;">
+            Upgrade
+          </a>
+          <button onclick="showActivationScreen()"
+             style="background:transparent;color:#94a3b8;border:1px solid #334155;padding:6px 10px;border-radius:6px;cursor:pointer;font-size:12px;">
+            I have a key
+          </button>
+        </div>
+      `;
+    }
+
+    function showActivationScreen() {
+      // Take user back to the activation modal (e.g. from an upgrade banner).
+      state.activationSkipped = false;
+      try { localStorage.removeItem("yt-summarizer-activation-skipped"); } catch {}
+      render();
+    }
+
     function render() {
-      // Hard-gate the entire UI behind a valid license (matches the server's
+      // Initial paint while license-status is still in-flight: show the
-      // activation-screen flavor). Once licensed + has core, fall through to
+      // activation card in its loading skeleton state rather than a flash of
-      // the normal app render below.
+      // the underlying app.
-      if (state.license.loaded && !isLicensed()) {
+      if (!state.license.loaded) {
         const app = document.getElementById("app");
         app.className = "container";
         app.innerHTML = renderActivationScreen();
         return;
       }
-      // Initial paint while license-status is still in-flight: show the
+      // Show the activation screen on first launch for unlicensed users so
-      // activation card in its loading skeleton state rather than a flash of
+      // they discover the upgrade path. Once they hit "Skip — use free mode"
-      // the underlying app.
+      // (which sets activationSkipped = true) they fall through to the
-      if (!state.license.loaded) {
+      // normal app, which renders an upgrade banner instead.
+      if (!isLicensed() && !state.activationSkipped) {
         const app = document.getElementById("app");
         app.className = "container";
         app.innerHTML = renderActivationScreen();
@@ -1646,11 +1733,20 @@
       // Preserve library sidebar scroll position across full re-renders
       const __prevHistoryListEl = document.querySelector(".history-list");
       const __prevHistoryScroll = __prevHistoryListEl ? __prevHistoryListEl.scrollTop : 0;
+      const free = !isLicensed();
+      const submitNeedsBYO = free; // bundled key is licensed-only
+      const submitDisabled = !state.url.trim()
+        || (!isSubscribeUrl(state.url)
+            && (submitNeedsBYO
+                ? !state.apiKey.trim()
+                : (!state.apiKey.trim() && !state.hasServerKey)));
       app.innerHTML = `
         <!-- Top bar: title + action icons -->
         <div class="top-bar">
           <div class="top-left-actions">
-            <button class="icon-btn ${state.historyOpen ? "active" : ""}" onclick="toggleHistory()" title="Library">
+            <button class="icon-btn ${state.historyOpen && !free ? "active" : ""}" onclick="handleLibraryClick()"
+              title="${free ? "Library (upgrade to unlock)" : "Library"}"
+              style="${free ? "opacity:0.55;" : ""}">
               <svg width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round">
                 <circle cx="12" cy="12" r="10"></circle><polyline points="12 6 12 12 16 14"></polyline>
               </svg>
@@ -1658,13 +1754,13 @@
           </div>
           <div class="top-bar-input">
             <input type="text" class="url-input"
-              placeholder="${state.loading ? "Paste another URL to queue it..." : "Paste a YouTube video, channel, or podcast RSS URL..."}"
+              placeholder="${state.loading ? (free ? "Wait for the current video — free mode is one at a time" : "Paste another URL to queue it...") : "Paste a YouTube video, channel, or podcast RSS URL..."}"
               value="${escHtml(state.url)}"
               oninput="state.url=this.value; updateInputMode()"
-              onkeydown="if(event.key==='Enter'){ isSubscribeUrl(state.url) ? addSubscriptionFromInput() : handleSubmit() }" />
+              onkeydown="if(event.key==='Enter'){ isSubscribeUrl(state.url) ? handleSubscribeClick() : handleSubmit() }" />
             <button class="submit-btn"
-              onclick="${isSubscribeUrl(state.url) ? "addSubscriptionFromInput()" : "handleSubmit()"}"
+              onclick="${isSubscribeUrl(state.url) ? "handleSubscribeClick()" : "handleSubmit()"}"
-              ${!state.url.trim() || (!isSubscribeUrl(state.url) && !state.apiKey.trim() && !state.hasServerKey) ? "disabled" : ""}
+              ${submitDisabled ? "disabled" : ""}
               style="${isSubscribeUrl(state.url) ? "background:#6366f1" : ""}">
               ${isSubscribeUrl(state.url) ? (state.addingSubLoading ? "Subscribing..." : "Subscribe") : (state.loading ? "Queue" : "Summarize")}
             </button>
@@ -1738,6 +1834,8 @@
         <!-- Settings modal -->
         ${state.settingsOpen ? renderSettingsModal() : ""}
 
+        ${free ? renderFreeBanner() : ""}
+
         ${isSubscribeUrl(state.url) ? `<div id="subscribe-prompt">${renderSubscribePrompt()}</div>` : ""}
         ${state.queue.length > 0 ? renderQueue() : ""}
 

server/index.js

@@ -144,6 +144,9 @@ setInterval(() => {
 }, VALIDATE_INTERVAL_MS);
 
 // Endpoints reachable without a license — kept intentionally minimal.
+// /api/process is open so unlicensed (free-tier) users can summarize one
+// video at a time with their own Gemini key. The route handler enforces
+// BYO-key + a one-at-a-time concurrency lock for free users.
 const LICENSE_OPEN_PATHS = new Set([
   "/api/health",
   "/api/heartbeat",
@@ -151,6 +154,7 @@ const LICENSE_OPEN_PATHS = new Set([
   "/api/license-status",
   "/api/license/activate",
   "/api/license/deactivate",
+  "/api/process",
 ]);
 
 // Activation-screen gate: any /api/* request without a valid license is
@@ -165,7 +169,7 @@ app.use((req, res, next) => {
     message:
       LIC.state === "licensed"
         ? "Your license is missing the 'core' entitlement. Contact the seller."
-        : "This service requires a Keysat license. Activate to continue.",
+        : "This feature requires a Keysat license. Upgrade to unlock.",
     state: LIC.state,
     reason: LIC.reason,
     activate_url: "/#activate",
@@ -174,6 +178,11 @@ app.use((req, res, next) => {
   });
 });
 
+// Free-tier concurrency lock. Unlicensed users may process one video at
+// a time — second submission while another is in flight returns 409.
+// Released in a finally block at the bottom of /api/process.
+let freeJobInFlight = false;
+
 // Pro-tier feature gates. Each entry maps URL prefixes → required
 // entitlement; first match wins. A licensed user without the right
 // entitlement gets a clean 402 feature_not_in_tier (vs. the generic
@@ -2000,14 +2009,36 @@ app.get("/api/processing/log", (req, res) => {
 
 app.post("/api/process", async (req, res) => {
   const { url, apiKey: clientKey, model, type: itemType, title: itemTitle, uploadDate: itemUploadDate, episodeId } = req.body;
-  // BYO Gemini key is a Core-tier feature; the activation gate already
+
-  // ensures the caller is licensed, so no further check is needed here.
+  // Free tier: unlicensed users can summarize, but only with their own
+  // Gemini key (no riding on the bundled key) and only one job at a time.
+  const isFreeUser = !(LIC.state === "licensed" && LIC.entitlements.has("core"));
+  if (isFreeUser) {
+    if (!clientKey || clientKey === "USE_SERVER_KEY") {
+      return res.status(402).json({
+        error: "byo_key_required",
+        message:
+          "Free mode requires your own Gemini API key. Open Settings to enter one, or upgrade to use the bundled key.",
+      });
+    }
+    if (freeJobInFlight) {
+      return res.status(409).json({
+        error: "processing_in_progress",
+        message:
+          "A summary is already being processed. Free mode handles one video at a time — wait for the current one to finish.",
+      });
+    }
+    freeJobInFlight = true;
+  }
+
   const apiKey = resolveApiKey(clientKey);
 
   if (!url) {
+    if (isFreeUser) freeJobInFlight = false;
     return res.status(400).json({ error: "Missing url" });
   }
   if (!apiKey) {
+    if (isFreeUser) freeJobInFlight = false;
     return res.status(400).json({ error: "No API key provided. Set GEMINI_API_KEY in .env or enter one in Settings." });
   }
 
@@ -2016,6 +2047,7 @@ app.post("/api/process", async (req, res) => {
   const videoId = isPodcast ? (episodeId || url) : extractVideoId(url);
 
   if (!isPodcast && !videoId) {
+    if (isFreeUser) freeJobInFlight = false;
     return res.status(400).json({ error: "Invalid YouTube URL" });
   }
 
@@ -2619,9 +2651,13 @@ Return ONLY the timestamped transcript, nothing else.`;
     const totalTokens = (txCost.totalTokens + anaCost.totalTokens).toLocaleString();
     log(3, `Pipeline finished in ${totalTime}s — total cost: ${totalCostDisplay} (${totalTokens} tokens)`);
 
-    // Save to history
+    // Save to history — skipped for free-tier users so we don't pollute
+    // the host's library with anonymous summaries. The result still streams
+    // back so the UI can render it; it just isn't persisted.
     const contentType = isPodcast ? "podcast" : "youtube";
-    const historyId = await saveToHistory(videoId, url, videoTitle, chunks, entries, logHistory, videoUploadDate, contentType).catch(() => null);
+    const historyId = isFreeUser
+      ? null
+      : await saveToHistory(videoId, url, videoTitle, chunks, entries, logHistory, videoUploadDate, contentType).catch(() => null);
 
     sendEvent(res, "result", { videoId, videoTitle, entries, chunks, historyId, type: contentType });
     res.end();
@@ -2635,6 +2671,7 @@ Return ONLY the timestamped transcript, nothing else.`;
       res.end();
     }
   } finally {
+    if (isFreeUser) freeJobInFlight = false;
     // Clean up temp files
     try {
       await fs.rm(tmpDir, { recursive: true, force: true });