I almost made my launch harder than it needed to be

Over the last few days, I realized I had accidentally added two unnecessary barriers to my own website.

The first one was an email gate.

People had to enter their email before downloading my free resources. I thought it would help me build a mailing list, but it was also adding friction to the experience.

The second issue was even worse.

Visitors using a VPN couldn't access the website at all. Some people reached the site, but couldn't explore my products or download anything.

So I decided to simplify everything.

✅ No email required for free downloads.

✅ VPN users can now access the website without restrictions.

I want people to discover my work first. If they find it useful, they'll decide whether to support it.

To celebrate the launch of Study Planner Pro, I'm also running a limited-time Pay What You Want offer (starting at $4.99) with lifetime access, plus a free resource available for everyone.

Sometimes the biggest improvement isn't adding a new feature—it's removing the obstacles that stop people from getting started.

I'd love to hear your thoughts:

Would you rather ask for an email before offering something free, or let people access it instantly?