Age Gate Migration to VeriSelf: Step-by-Step Guide
How to Migrate from Age Gate to VeriSelf
Author: VeriSelf Team
Published: May 29, 2026
Reading time: 6 minutes
Why Migrate?
Age Gate has 40,000+ active installs but relies on an honor system: a popup asking Are you 18? Anyone can click Yes — no actual verification happens. For compliance (UK Online Safety Act, EU Digital Services Act, US state laws), this is not sufficient.
VeriSelf replaces the honor-based popup with real AI verification from a webcam selfie. Same shortcode pattern, completely different level of compliance.
| Age Gate | VeriSelf | |
|---|---|---|
| Verification | Honor-based (Yes/No popup) | AI facial age estimation + liveness detection |
| AI | None | Real-time webcam analysis |
| Liveness | None | Movement + blink detection |
| GPS | None | Optional location verification |
| Logs | None | Full audit log for compliance |
| Cost | Free | Free tier: 100 lifetime AI verifications |
| PRO Price | No PRO | €79/yr unlimited self-hosted (BYOAI) |
Step 1: Back Up Your Site
Before any migration, create a full backup.
- Backup plugin: UpdraftPlus or your hosting provider’s native backup
- Export Age Gate settings: Settings → Age Gate → Export/Import (if available)
Step 2: Install VeriSelf
Option A: Install from WordPress.org (Free)
- Go to Plugins → Add New
- Search for VeriSelf
- Click Install Now → Activate
Option B: Upload ZIP (PRO or trial)
- Download the latest version from veriself.eu
- Go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
- Choose
veriself-3.0.0.zip→ Install Now → Activate
Step 3: Copy Your Minimum Age
| Age Gate Setting | VeriSelf Setting |
|---|---|
| Age Gate → Minimum Age | VeriSelf → Verification → Minimum Age |
| Example: 18 | Example: 18 |
Go to VeriSelf → Verification and set your minimum age. Click away to save (auto-save is enabled).
Step 4: Replace the Shortcode
Before (Age Gate):
[age-gate]
Your content here.
[/age-gate]After (VeriSelf):
That’s it. No closing tag, no content wrapper. The shortcode renders the full verification UI (camera, outline, capture button, result display).
Alternative: Full-page restriction
If you used Age Gate’s page-level restriction (entire page blocked until age confirmed), replace it with the VeriSelf shortcode at the top of the page:
Welcome to our site
This content is only visible after verification.
Step 5: Test the Verification Flow
- Go to the page with
- Grant camera permissions when prompted
- Position your face in the outline
- Click Capture Photo
- Wait for AI analysis (typically 2-5 seconds, up to ~30s on slower hardware)
- If passed: green success message with age and gender
- If failed: error message with retry button
Common Issues
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Camera not opening | Ensure HTTPS is enabled (required for getUserMedia()) |
| Blink not detected | Blink naturally during capture; don’t hold eyes closed |
| Too many faces | Ensure only one person is visible (free tier = single mode) |
| GPS required | In admin: VeriSelf → GPS → uncheck Required (free tier ignores GPS) |
| Rate limited (E003) | Wait 1 hour; or upgrade to PRO for unlimited attempts |
Step 6: Configure Advanced Settings (Optional)
| Tab | What to set |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Accent color, button colors, outline mode (single/couple — couple is PRO only) |
| Labels | Customize all UI strings (good for translations) |
| GPS | Enable/disable location check; set Required for compliance |
| Integrations | Ultimate Member sync (PRO feature) |
| Maintenance | Debug mode, log retention, expert settings (temperature, timeout) |
Step 7: Deactivate Age Gate
- Test on Incognito/Private browser to verify the full flow
- Check VeriSelf → Log (Tools menu) to see verification attempts
- Deactivate Age Gate plugin
- Keep Age Gate until you’re 100% confident — or keep it as a fallback
Step 8: Go PRO (Optional)
The free tier gives you 100 lifetime AI verifications — plenty to evaluate the plugin. But PRO unlocks everything:
| Feature | Free | PRO (€79/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| AI verifications | 100 lifetime via VeriSelf Cloud AI | Unlimited self-hosted (BYOAI) |
| Single/couple mode | Single only | Both |
| Debug mode | No | Yes (save photos for testing) |
| Log photos | No | Yes |
| Integrations | No | Ultimate Member + BuddyPress |
| Watermark | Verified by VeriSelf | Removed |
FAQ
Will my existing Age Gate data migrate?
No. Age Gate does not store age/gender data (it only sets a cookie). VeriSelf stores verified results in user meta, so each user must verify once.
Can I keep both plugins active?
Yes, but only VeriSelf should be configured. Having two age verification systems is confusing for users.
Do I need an AI server?
No. The free tier uses VeriSelf’s Cloud AI proxy (100 lifetime). For PRO, you can bring your own AI (BYOAI) via self-hosted Ollama, or subscribe to VeriSelf Cloud AI monthly for managed access.
What about compliance?
VeriSelf provides: audit logs, consent checkbox, GDPR auto-purge (30 days), and AI-based verification evidence. Age Gate provides: a popup. VeriSelf is compliance-ready; Age Gate is not.
How long does verification take?
~800ms capture (10 frames) + AI analysis (typically 2-5s, up to ~30s on slower hardware).
Ready to Switch?
Install VeriSelf now: veriself.eu/live-demo
Have questions? Email support@veriself.eu