URL-gated files

Not every file needs to live on your own server. AcquisitionSuite can gate a link to an externally-hosted file instead of an upload, free on every plan including Lite, great for large files like video courses that are too big to host yourself.

Gating an external link

Go to AcquisitionSuite → Upload Files → Add New and choose External URL instead of Upload File, then paste the Google Drive, Dropbox, or other link. Everything else works exactly the same as an uploaded file: the same lead-capture gate, the same signed, single-use, time-limited download link, and the same shortcode.

What visitors see

The gate itself looks identical either way, a visitor fills the lead capture form, gets a secure link, and clicks through. The only difference is where that link ultimately sends them: your own protected file, or the external URL you configured.

See First file setup if you haven’t gated a file yet, or Shortcode basics for every shortcode variant.