> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.rivalryze.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.rivalryze.com/contests/access-policies.md).

# Access Policies

The Access Policy controls **who can join** a Contest. There are five options.

## Public

Anyone on RivalRyze can join, as long as their connected platforms match what the Contest requires.

**Use it when:** You want maximum participation. The Contest is open to the whole community.

**How a joiner experiences it:** They see a **Join** button and can enter immediately by paying the entry fee.

## Allowlist

The host controls who's allowed. Joiners can **request an invite**; the host approves or rejects each one.

**Use it when:** You want to curate participants — for a tournament, friends-only event, or competitive bracket.

**How a joiner experiences it:**

1. They see the Contest and click **Request invite**.
2. Their request is sent to the host.
3. The host gets a notification and approves or rejects.
4. If approved, the joiner gets a notification and can pay the entry fee to join.
5. If rejected, they're notified.

**How the host manages it:** Approve or reject requests directly from the Contest page or from notifications.

## Password Protected

Anyone with the password can join. The host shares it privately (via Discord DM, group chat, wherever).

**Use it when:** You're running a quick Contest with a known group of people and don't want to manually approve each one.

**How a joiner experiences it:** They see the Contest and click **Join**, then enter the password they received.

**How the host manages it:** Set the password when creating the Contest. Share it however you like — RivalRyze doesn't share it for you. Anyone who has the password can join, so be careful where you post it.

{% hint style="success" %}
Don't post the password in a public Discord channel or you'll get random joiners.
{% endhint %}

## Guild Members Only

Restricted to members of a specific Discord server.

**Use it when:** You want a Contest for your Discord community.

**How a joiner experiences it:** If they're a member of the host's Discord server (and have Discord connected to RivalRyze), they can join normally. If not, the Join button is disabled with an explanation.

**Requirements for the host:** The Discord server needs to have the RivalRyze Bot installed and registered (the bot does the membership check).

## Role-Based

Restricted to users with a specific Discord role in the host's server.

**Use it when:** You want a Contest for a subset of your community — your Mods, your "Tournament" role, your VIPs, etc.

**How a joiner experiences it:** If they have the required role in the host's Discord server, they can join. If not, the Join button is disabled.

**Requirements for the host:** RivalRyze Bot must be installed on the server. When creating the Contest, the host picks which role is eligible.

## Choosing the right policy

| Situation                  | Best policy        |
| -------------------------- | ------------------ |
| Open community event       | Public             |
| Friends-only quick game    | Password Protected |
| Curated tournament         | Allowlist          |
| Server-wide event          | Guild Members Only |
| Specific Discord role only | Role-Based         |

## Visibility

By default, Contests only appear in the browse page to people who can actually join them:

* **Public** — visible to everyone.
* **Allowlist** — visible to everyone (they can request to join).
* **Password Protected** — visible to everyone (they need the password).
* **Guild Members Only** — only visible to members of that Discord server.
* **Role-Based** — only visible to users with that role.

This keeps the browse page focused on Contests you can actually enter.