Publisher DC Thomson has introduced a paywall on the website of its daily publication.
Readers will be able to access three articles per month before being asked for registration details.
They can read seven free articles per month before the paywall, available in four packages, becomes active.
Courier editor Richard Neville said the paywall "placed value" on the publication's editorial content.
Mr Neville said: "The website has been designed to offer our readers instant access to news from their area, as and when they want it.
"The paid-for platform will provide exclusive content as it enables our editorial team to give updates on news stories as they break and develop.
"The subscription paywall helps us, like many publishers, to diversify our revenue streams.
"We are placing value on our editorial content and we believe users will be prepared to pay for this."
Mr Neville said the newspaper was "still a central focus" and the website would "continue to complement" the print edition.
The Courier celebrated its 200th anniversary in September.
Dundee-based DC Thomson has two existing subscription sites, the Press and Journal, and Energy Voice.
The company's head of digital, Kirsten Morrison, said:  "The Courier's decision to implement a paywall is multi-faceted but is primarily focused on delivering a better user experience.
"Capturing what our users are consuming on site, and appending that to an email address, means we can deliver web and email personalisation to give our readers a better digital experience across our publishing network."
The Courier newspaper website is limiting the number stories that can be accessed online without a subscription.