Netlify provides two primary access control strategies to protect work-in-progress websites: password protection and basic authentication via custom HTTP headers. Password protection is available on the Pro plan and above, allowing users to enable a site-wide password directly from the dashboard, making it ideal for client-ready previews and internal reviews due to its simplicity and polished appearance. Basic authentication is available on all plans and involves configuring authentication rules in a _headers file within the project’s code, offering per-page granularity but requiring more manual setup. While password protection offers a straightforward, professional option, basic authentication provides flexibility for temporary restrictions, albeit with potential security risks if sensitive credentials are hardcoded. The choice between these methods depends on the specific needs of freelancers, agencies, or development teams, and the nature of the project, such as preparing polished previews for clients or securing temporary builds from public access.