STOP using a soft paywall.
After driving 10M+ installs with apps, here’s why I go with a hard paywall, and you should too:
After driving 10M+ installs with apps, here’s why I go with a hard paywall, and you should too:
First, make your app completely free to install.
Let your potential users into your app, and show them what they're going to get:
Walk them through a survey to remind them of:
· the problem they have
· the pain they experience
· what happens if they don’t act
Then they hit the hard paywall.
Let your potential users into your app, and show them what they're going to get:
Walk them through a survey to remind them of:
· the problem they have
· the pain they experience
· what happens if they don’t act
Then they hit the hard paywall.
A hard paywall making the users commit to a 3-day free trial.
They can't access the app without committing first.
They can cancel anytime.
But they have to decide right now.
They can't access the app without committing first.
They can cancel anytime.
But they have to decide right now.
Why this works:
You're hitting users with the paywall at peak motivation.
Right after reminding them of their pain.
Right after showing them the solution.
When they want it most.
You're hitting users with the paywall at peak motivation.
Right after reminding them of their pain.
Right after showing them the solution.
When they want it most.
The exact flow in PuffCount:
Welcome screen.
Value screens showing them the features.
Social proof. A few questions to understand their pain.
And then boom, we have the paywall.
Every step before the paywall is designed to make them want to pay.
Welcome screen.
Value screens showing them the features.
Social proof. A few questions to understand their pain.
And then boom, we have the paywall.
Every step before the paywall is designed to make them want to pay.
We're priming the users through the onboarding:
The survey reminds them of their pain points.
The value screens show them exactly what they'll get.
By the time they hit the paywall, they're already sold.
The survey reminds them of their pain points.
The value screens show them exactly what they'll get.
By the time they hit the paywall, they're already sold.
The hard paywall filters out tire kickers.
Only serious users who actually have the problem you're solving will commit to the trial.
Soft paywalls let people browse, lose interest, and leave.
Hard paywalls force the decision at peak motivation.
Only serious users who actually have the problem you're solving will commit to the trial.
Soft paywalls let people browse, lose interest, and leave.
Hard paywalls force the decision at peak motivation.
Soft paywall: browse first, decide later, motivation fades, conversion drops.
Hard paywall: decide now, at peak motivation, before momentum dies, higher conversion.
Hard paywall: decide now, at peak motivation, before momentum dies, higher conversion.
This is how I monetized PuffCount.
This is the model every successful subscription app uses.
If you look at any successful mobile app in the store right now, they have this exact pattern.
Free download. Prime through onboarding. Hard paywall at peak motivation.
This is the model every successful subscription app uses.
If you look at any successful mobile app in the store right now, they have this exact pattern.
Free download. Prime through onboarding. Hard paywall at peak motivation.
Don't let users browse and lose interest.
Force the decision when they want it most.
Free to install, strategic onboarding that reminds them of their pain, hard paywall requiring
commitment before access.
That's how you convert free users into paying subscribers.
Force the decision when they want it most.
Free to install, strategic onboarding that reminds them of their pain, hard paywall requiring
commitment before access.
That's how you convert free users into paying subscribers.
If this helped, RT here and follow @StevenCravotta for more mobile app content
https://x.com/StevenCravotta/status/2002830967426207967
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