Paywall Newsletter #9

The special issue of the paywall newsletter featuring 3 female mobile growth experts, 6 mobile paywalls, and 1 extraordinary dark pattern.

Two-screen paywall with a message from the future by Fabulous

Calling me by my first name is not a ploy. It’s part of a smart personalization approach that addresses me as an individual and inspires me to be all I can be (with the help of this app).

Put simply, this paywall is subtle and incredibly smart.

It’s irresistible. After all, who doesn’t want to be healthy and worry-free?

It’s comforting. My app is my companion, and it will be with me every step of the way. Who doesn’t want a companion that has their back?

It’s convenient. Just tap to start, and it’s “super easy to cancel”.

But there is a downside.

Membership is billed every 12 months. Does this mean signing up for membership at $3.33 per month commits me to pay the full amount in one go? Or do I pay monthly and have the option to cancel before the 12 months are up? Will the remaining amount be refunded? I can’t be 100% sure, and the language isn’t clear.
This is a little unsettling if we consider this app has made the promise to be my best friend and help me be a better version of myself… There shouldn’t be secrets between friends, and I feel the language here could be more upfront.

Fabulous

AI chatbots are hot, but this paywall isn’t

The pricing options are visually clear, but that’s where it ends for me.

The week costs $2.99 – that’s clear enough.

The $12.99 per quarter is clearly more expensive, which prompts me to ask: 1) why highlight it as it isn’t a bargain? 2) what does the “limited version” mean or include? Could it be that “limited version” also has nothing to do with the $12.99 offer and it is merely centered on the screen and ended up under the quarterly package purely by accident?

The best value for money is the annual package, but the company doesn’t highlight it. A “value of xx” badge or similar callout would grab my attention and possibly even convince me to purchase that subscription offer.

On the positive side, this is a company that knows its price and doesn’t dilute its pitch with a free trial. The jury is out on whether a free trial is the best way to create a habit and, ultimately, convince users to commit to recurring costs.

AI Chatbot – Chat AI

Prequel: a cool paywall with room for testing

However, there are some points to consider for testing:

• Premium effects and features locked behind a paywall look not so attractive to me as a user.
• Offering only a weekly subscription for $4.99 may not be the best option for increasing LTV, especially for a large application. A more diverse and complex price matrix should be tested to increase LTV.

Prequel

Koloro: there is an easy way to increase conversion

• Priorities in the price box section need to be changed. Benefits (free trial period, discount size, etc.), name of plans, etc., should always be designed using uppercase and bigger fonts. Details of the plan and prices can use thin and small fonts.
• Less legal text, please. You can carefully pack it in laconic links.
• Replace the arrow with a cross. In my opinion, the arrow might confuse users.
• Add at least one trial plan. Users will be more willing to convert with this option available.

Koloro

Less Web needs more ideas for their paywall

The yearly subscription option has a significant cost-saving benefit, and it would be worth highlighting this on the paywall to draw attention to the percentage saved. This is especially beneficial for the developer if more users are drawn to the longer-term subscription plan, and therefore the developer has more predictable revenue. 

The creative is vague and could be confusing. Something that resonates more with the app’s core use case could build more trust and transparency for the user.

Less Web

Bonus by Adapty Team: a trick by Lensa