diff --git a/api/guest-session.php b/api/guest-session.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e7117f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/guest-session.php
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+<?php
+declare(strict_types=1);
+require_once __DIR__ . '/../includes/bootstrap.php';
+dbnToolsStartSession();
+$_SESSION['dbn_tools_guest_ok'] = true;
+$raw    = trim((string)($_GET['return'] ?? '/dashboard.php'));
+$return = (str_starts_with($raw, '/') && !str_starts_with($raw, '//') && !preg_match('/[\r\n]/', $raw))
+    ? $raw
+    : '/dashboard.php';
+header('Location: ' . $return);
+exit;
diff --git a/api/logout.php b/api/logout.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5bbc230
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/logout.php
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+<?php
+declare(strict_types=1);
+require_once __DIR__ . '/../includes/bootstrap.php';
+dbnToolsStartSession();
+$_SESSION = [];
+if (ini_get('session.use_cookies')) {
+    $p = session_get_cookie_params();
+    setcookie(session_name(), '', [
+        'expires'  => time() - 3600,
+        'path'     => $p['path'],
+        'domain'   => $p['domain'] ?: '',
+        'secure'   => $p['secure'],
+        'httponly'  => true,
+        'samesite' => 'Lax',
+    ]);
+}
+session_destroy();
+header('Location: /');
+exit;
diff --git a/assets/css/tools.css b/assets/css/tools.css
index fa932ed..a0a229e 100644
--- a/assets/css/tools.css
+++ b/assets/css/tools.css
@@ -8612,3 +8612,205 @@ body.lt-landing {
   margin-top: 0;
   scroll-margin-top: 70px;
 }
+
+/* ── Auth gate & user identity ────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+/* Guest banner — sticky strip at the top of tool pages for unauthenticated users */
+.guest-banner {
+  position: sticky;
+  top: 0;
+  z-index: 800;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+  padding: 0.55rem 1.25rem;
+  background: #00205b;
+  color: #fff;
+  font-size: 0.84rem;
+  font-family: inherit;
+  line-height: 1.4;
+}
+.guest-banner__login {
+  color: #f4c542;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  text-decoration: none;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+}
+.guest-banner__login:hover { text-decoration: underline; }
+.guest-banner__close {
+  margin-left: auto;
+  background: none;
+  border: none;
+  color: rgba(255,255,255,0.65);
+  cursor: pointer;
+  font-size: 1rem;
+  line-height: 1;
+  padding: 0.15rem 0.3rem;
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  transition: color 120ms;
+}
+.guest-banner__close:hover { color: #fff; }
+
+/* Auth gate modal */
+.auth-gate-backdrop {
+  position: fixed;
+  inset: 0;
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.58);
+  backdrop-filter: blur(5px);
+  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(5px);
+  z-index: 9000;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  padding: 1rem;
+}
+.auth-gate-backdrop[hidden] { display: none; }
+.auth-gate-card {
+  background: #fff;
+  border-radius: 18px;
+  padding: 2.5rem 2.25rem 2rem;
+  max-width: 430px;
+  width: 100%;
+  text-align: center;
+  box-shadow: 0 24px 60px rgba(0,0,0,0.28);
+}
+.auth-gate-eyebrow {
+  font-size: 0.78rem;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  letter-spacing: 0.09em;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  color: #ba0c2f;
+  margin: 0 0 0.65rem;
+}
+.auth-gate-title {
+  font-size: clamp(1.35rem, 3vw, 1.75rem);
+  font-weight: 800;
+  color: #16130f;
+  margin: 0 0 0.85rem;
+  line-height: 1.2;
+}
+.auth-gate-body {
+  font-size: 0.95rem;
+  color: rgba(22,19,15,0.65);
+  margin: 0 0 1.75rem;
+  line-height: 1.55;
+}
+.auth-gate-actions {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 0.65rem;
+}
+.auth-gate-btn {
+  display: inline-flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  height: 46px;
+  border-radius: 10px;
+  font-size: 0.95rem;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  text-decoration: none;
+  transition: background 140ms, transform 110ms, box-shadow 140ms;
+  border: none;
+  font-family: inherit;
+}
+.auth-gate-btn--primary {
+  background: #00205b;
+  color: #fff;
+  box-shadow: 0 4px 14px rgba(0,32,91,0.30);
+}
+.auth-gate-btn--primary:hover {
+  background: #001840;
+  transform: translateY(-1px);
+  box-shadow: 0 8px 20px rgba(0,32,91,0.38);
+}
+.auth-gate-btn--ghost {
+  background: none;
+  color: rgba(22,19,15,0.50);
+  font-size: 0.85rem;
+  font-weight: 500;
+  height: auto;
+  padding: 0.25rem;
+}
+.auth-gate-btn--ghost:hover { color: rgba(22,19,15,0.75); }
+.auth-gate-note {
+  margin: 1.1rem 0 0;
+  font-size: 0.78rem;
+  color: rgba(22,19,15,0.40);
+}
+
+/* Topbar user identity (authenticated users) */
+.topbar-user {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.5rem;
+  font-size: 0.82rem;
+}
+.topbar-user__name {
+  color: rgba(255,255,255,0.80);
+  font-weight: 500;
+  max-width: 120px;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  text-overflow: ellipsis;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+}
+.topbar-user__logout {
+  color: rgba(255,255,255,0.65);
+  text-decoration: none;
+  font-weight: 500;
+  padding: 0.25rem 0.6rem;
+  border: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.25);
+  border-radius: 6px;
+  transition: color 120ms, border-color 120ms, background 120ms;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+}
+.topbar-user__logout:hover {
+  color: #fff;
+  border-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.55);
+  background: rgba(255,255,255,0.08);
+}
+
+/* Dashboard topbar user identity */
+.dash-topbar__user {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.5rem;
+  margin-left: auto;
+  font-size: 0.82rem;
+}
+.dash-topbar__username {
+  color: rgba(22,19,15,0.55);
+  font-weight: 500;
+  max-width: 140px;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  text-overflow: ellipsis;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+}
+.dash-topbar__logout {
+  color: rgba(22,19,15,0.50);
+  text-decoration: none;
+  font-weight: 500;
+  padding: 0.2rem 0.55rem;
+  border: 1px solid rgba(22,19,15,0.18);
+  border-radius: 6px;
+  transition: color 120ms, border-color 120ms;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+}
+.dash-topbar__logout:hover {
+  color: #ba0c2f;
+  border-color: rgba(186,12,47,0.40);
+}
+
+/* "Utforsk uten konto" link on landing page */
+.lt-gate__explore-link {
+  margin: 0.75rem 0 0;
+  font-size: 0.84rem;
+}
+.lt-gate__explore-link a {
+  color: rgba(22,19,15,0.50);
+  text-decoration: none;
+}
+.lt-gate__explore-link a:hover {
+  color: rgba(22,19,15,0.80);
+  text-decoration: underline;
+}
diff --git a/includes/layout.php b/includes/layout.php
index fae6a1f..e8a623e 100644
--- a/includes/layout.php
+++ b/includes/layout.php
@@ -2,11 +2,8 @@
 declare(strict_types=1);
 // Required vars: $toolName (string), $toolTitle (string), $toolKind (string), $toolBadge (string)
 require_once __DIR__ . '/bootstrap.php';
-if (!dbnToolsIsAuthenticated()) {
-    $return = urlencode($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] ?? '/');
-    header('Location: /?return=' . $return);
-    exit;
-}
+
+$layoutIsGuest = !dbnToolsIsAuthenticated();
 
 $uiLang = dbnToolsCurrentLanguage();
 $navItems = dbnToolsLaunchedTools($uiLang);
@@ -17,12 +14,23 @@ $toolKind = $toolMeta['sub'] ?? ($toolKind ?? '');
 $toolBadge = $toolMeta['badge'] ?? ($toolBadge ?? '');
 $langPath = strtok((string)($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] ?? '/'), '?') ?: '/';
 
-// Credit balance for free-tier users
+// Credit balance — only meaningful for authenticated free-tier users
 $layoutFreeTierBalance = -1;
-if (dbnToolsIsFreeTier()) {
+if (!$layoutIsGuest && dbnToolsIsFreeTier()) {
     require_once __DIR__ . '/FreeTier.php';
     $layoutFreeTierBalance = FreeTier::balance((int)$_SESSION['dbn_tools_sso_uid']);
 }
+
+// User identity for topbar (null for guests)
+$layoutAuthUser = $layoutIsGuest ? null : dbnToolsAuthenticatedUser();
+$layoutUserDisplay = '';
+if ($layoutAuthUser !== null) {
+    $email = (string)($layoutAuthUser['email'] ?? '');
+    // Show only local part (before @) to keep topbar compact
+    $layoutUserDisplay = strstr($email, '@', true) ?: $email;
+}
+
+$layoutReturnUrl = urlencode($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] ?? '/');
 ?>
 <!doctype html>
 <html lang="<?= htmlspecialchars($uiLang) ?>">
@@ -35,9 +43,9 @@ if (dbnToolsIsFreeTier()) {
 <?php endif; ?>
     <link rel="stylesheet" href="assets/css/tools.css">
 </head>
-<body data-authenticated="true" data-active-tool="<?= htmlspecialchars($toolName) ?>">
+<body data-authenticated="<?= $layoutIsGuest ? 'false' : 'true' ?>" data-active-tool="<?= htmlspecialchars($toolName) ?>">
 <script>
-window.DBN_TOOLS_AUTHENTICATED = true;
+window.DBN_TOOLS_AUTHENTICATED = <?= $layoutIsGuest ? 'false' : 'true' ?>;
 window.DBN_TOOLS_LANG = <?= json_encode($uiLang, JSON_UNESCAPED_UNICODE) ?>;
 <?php if ($layoutFreeTierBalance >= 0): ?>
 window.DBN_FREE_TIER_BALANCE = <?= $layoutFreeTierBalance ?>;
@@ -49,6 +57,15 @@ window.DBN_FREE_TIER_BALANCE = <?= $layoutFreeTierBalance ?>;
     <button onclick="this.parentElement.remove()" aria-label="Dismiss" class="syttende-mai-close">✕</button>
 </div>
 <?php endif; ?>
+
+<?php if ($layoutIsGuest): ?>
+<div id="guestBanner" class="guest-banner" role="alert" aria-live="polite">
+    <span>Du er ikke innlogget — verktøyene krever konto for å fungere.</span>
+    <a href="/?return=<?= $layoutReturnUrl ?>" class="guest-banner__login">Logg inn</a>
+    <button id="guestBannerClose" class="guest-banner__close" aria-label="Lukk">✕</button>
+</div>
+<?php endif; ?>
+
 <main id="appShell" class="app-shell">
     <header class="topbar">
         <div>
@@ -67,9 +84,19 @@ window.DBN_FREE_TIER_BALANCE = <?= $layoutFreeTierBalance ?>;
                 <a href="<?= htmlspecialchars($langPath . '?lang=' . $langCode) ?>" class="<?= $langCode === $uiLang ? 'is-active' : '' ?>"><?= htmlspecialchars(dbnToolsLanguageLabel($langCode)) ?></a>
 <?php endforeach; ?>
             </nav>
+<?php if ($layoutIsGuest): ?>
+            <a href="/?return=<?= $layoutReturnUrl ?>" class="secondary-button" style="text-decoration:none;">Logg inn</a>
+<?php else: ?>
             <a href="/dashboard/" class="secondary-button" style="text-decoration:none;">📚 Min korpus</a>
             <span id="healthPill" class="status-pill"><?= htmlspecialchars(dbnToolsT('session_active', $uiLang)) ?></span>
             <button id="healthButton" class="secondary-button" type="button"><?= htmlspecialchars(dbnToolsT('health', $uiLang)) ?></button>
+            <span class="topbar-user">
+                <?php if ($layoutUserDisplay !== ''): ?>
+                <span class="topbar-user__name" title="<?= htmlspecialchars($layoutAuthUser['email'] ?? '') ?>"><?= htmlspecialchars($layoutUserDisplay) ?></span>
+                <?php endif; ?>
+                <a href="/api/logout.php" class="topbar-user__logout">Logg ut</a>
+            </span>
+<?php endif; ?>
         </div>
     </header>
 
diff --git a/includes/layout_dashboard.php b/includes/layout_dashboard.php
index d7bf331..472332f 100644
--- a/includes/layout_dashboard.php
+++ b/includes/layout_dashboard.php
@@ -37,6 +37,13 @@ $dashboardTitle  = $dashboardTitle  ?? 'Dashboard';
 $dashboardLead   = $dashboardLead   ?? '';
 $langPath        = strtok((string)($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] ?? '/dashboard/'), '?') ?: '/dashboard/';
 
+$dashAuthUser    = dbnToolsAuthenticatedUser();
+$dashUserDisplay = '';
+if ($dashAuthUser !== null) {
+    $email = (string)($dashAuthUser['email'] ?? '');
+    $dashUserDisplay = strstr($email, '@', true) ?: $email;
+}
+
 $dashboardNav = [
     'index'     => ['url' => '/dashboard/',           'label' => 'Oversikt',   'sub' => 'Overview'],
     'documents' => ['url' => '/dashboard/documents.php', 'label' => 'Dokumenter', 'sub' => 'Documents'],
@@ -78,6 +85,12 @@ window.DBN_DASHBOARD = {
         <nav class="dash-topbar__tools" aria-label="Tools">
             <a href="/dashboard.php" class="dash-topbar__link">← Tilbake til verktøy</a>
         </nav>
+        <div class="dash-topbar__user">
+            <?php if ($dashUserDisplay !== ''): ?>
+            <span class="dash-topbar__username" title="<?= htmlspecialchars($dashAuthUser['email'] ?? '') ?>"><?= htmlspecialchars($dashUserDisplay) ?></span>
+            <?php endif; ?>
+            <a href="/api/logout.php" class="dash-topbar__logout">Logg ut</a>
+        </div>
     </header>
 
     <div class="dash-layout">
diff --git a/includes/layout_footer.php b/includes/layout_footer.php
index fddc882..99e40e8 100644
--- a/includes/layout_footer.php
+++ b/includes/layout_footer.php
@@ -47,5 +47,60 @@
     </menu>
   </form>
 </dialog>
+
+<?php if (!empty($layoutIsGuest)): ?>
+<!-- Auth gate modal — shown to unauthenticated visitors unless they dismissed it -->
+<div id="authGate" class="auth-gate-backdrop" hidden aria-modal="true" role="dialog" aria-labelledby="authGateTitle">
+    <div class="auth-gate-card">
+        <p class="auth-gate-eyebrow">Do Better Norge</p>
+        <h2 id="authGateTitle" class="auth-gate-title">Logg inn for å bruke verktøyene</h2>
+        <p class="auth-gate-body">Våre juridiske AI-verktøy krever en gratis konto. Registrer deg på sekunder med Google.</p>
+        <div class="auth-gate-actions">
+            <a id="authGateLogin" href="/?return=<?= htmlspecialchars($layoutReturnUrl ?? '') ?>" class="auth-gate-btn auth-gate-btn--primary">Logg inn / Registrer deg</a>
+            <button id="authGateDismiss" class="auth-gate-btn auth-gate-btn--ghost">Fortsett uten konto</button>
+        </div>
+        <p class="auth-gate-note">Gratis tilgang · Ingen kredittkort</p>
+    </div>
+</div>
+<script>
+(function () {
+    'use strict';
+    var GATE_KEY   = 'dbn-auth-gate-v1';
+    var BANNER_KEY = 'dbn-guest-banner-v1';
+    var gate       = document.getElementById('authGate');
+    var banner     = document.getElementById('guestBanner');
+    var bannerClose = document.getElementById('guestBannerClose');
+
+    // Show or hide the guest banner
+    if (banner) {
+        if (localStorage.getItem(BANNER_KEY) === 'closed') {
+            banner.hidden = true;
+        }
+        if (bannerClose) {
+            bannerClose.addEventListener('click', function () {
+                localStorage.setItem(BANNER_KEY, 'closed');
+                banner.hidden = true;
+            });
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Show auth gate modal unless already dismissed
+    if (gate && localStorage.getItem(GATE_KEY) !== 'dismissed') {
+        gate.hidden = false;
+        document.getElementById('authGateDismiss').addEventListener('click', function () {
+            localStorage.setItem(GATE_KEY, 'dismissed');
+            gate.hidden = true;
+        });
+        // Close on backdrop click
+        gate.addEventListener('click', function (e) {
+            if (e.target === gate) {
+                localStorage.setItem(GATE_KEY, 'dismissed');
+                gate.hidden = true;
+            }
+        });
+    }
+}());
+</script>
+<?php endif; ?>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/index.php b/index.php
index c59bda1..76d8a5f 100644
--- a/index.php
+++ b/index.php
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ window.DBN_TOOLS_LANG = <?= json_encode($uiLang, JSON_UNESCAPED_UNICODE) ?>;
                 <h2 class="lt-gate__card-title lt-gate__card-title--large" id="ltGateTitle"><?= htmlspecialchars(dbnToolsT('member_card_title', $uiLang)) ?></h2>
                 <p class="lt-gate__card-note"><?= htmlspecialchars(dbnToolsT('member_card_note', $uiLang)) ?></p>
                 <a class="lt-access-btn" href="<?= htmlspecialchars($toolsLogin) ?>"><?= htmlspecialchars(dbnToolsT('primary_access', $uiLang)) ?></a>
+                <p class="lt-gate__explore-link"><a href="/api/guest-session.php?return=/dashboard.php">Utforsk uten konto &rarr;</a></p>
                 <details class="fallback-login">
                     <summary><?= htmlspecialchars(dbnToolsT('secondary_access', $uiLang)) ?></summary>
                     <form id="passcodeForm" class="passcode-form">