Adapty is the revenue OS
for subscription apps
Most of the work happens around the paywall
For years, paywall optimization was mostly about the screen itself: rewrite the headline, move the price, add a discount, try a new design. We gave that advice too.
But after looking at the data for this report, it’s hard to think about paywalls that way anymore.
An onboarding paywall converts almost 4× better than a paywall shown later in the app. What works in the US doesn’t necessarily work in Europe. And the apps that test the most aren’t spending all their time changing colors and copy. They test the things that can actually change the offer: plans, trials, pricing, and who sees what.
There probably isn’t one perfect paywall you can find, ship, and forget about. The best apps keep changing the experience depending on the user, the market, and the moment — and keep testing what works.
That’s what this year’s State of Paywalls is about. You’ll still see what a typical paywall looks like, but we spend much more time on everything around it: pricing and packaging, placement and timing, design, testing, and personalization.
Baseline
First, the benchmarks. We look at paywall conversion across regions, how top-performing apps compare, and where users drop off between seeing a paywall and becoming a subscriber.
Where users drop
Median app, all plans. Switch regions to compare.
US paywalls convert 2–4× more users
- Europe converts at half the US rate. 1.38% of paywall viewers convert in Europe vs. 2.75% in the US.
- What works in the US may not work elsewhere. Education ranks #3 in the US but #7 in APAC, LATAM, and MEA.
- Weekly plans favor visual categories. Graphics & Design and Photo & Video lead in 4 of 5 regions.
Median paywall view → paid conversion within 30 days, by region and category
In every region, the top 10% beat the typical US app
- Top apps beat the US benchmark everywhere. The top 10% start at 3.30% in MEA and reach 5.71% in Europe, vs. 2.75% for the typical US app.
- The gap within regions is even bigger. Outside the US, the top 10% convert 4–5× more users than the median app.
View → paid conversion across apps by region, compared with the US median
Other regions are closing the conversion gap with the US
- Conversion rose everywhere but the US. Europe grew 18%, APAC 11%, LATAM 5%, and MEA 13%. The US fell 14%.
- The gap narrowed most in absolute terms in MEA. The US-to-MEA gap fell from 5.2× to 3.9×; the US-to-Europe gap went from 2.7× to 2×.
- Lifestyle grew across every non-US region. Europe led at +55%, followed by APAC and LATAM at +40% and MEA at +36%.
Median paywall view → paid conversion by region, FY24–FY26
Health & Fitness has the lowest trial start rate outside the US
- Health & Fitness ranks last in every non-US region. Trial starts range from 1.46% in LATAM and MEA to 2.93% in Europe.
- It also has the biggest gap with the US. US apps get 3.9× more trial starts than apps in LATAM and MEA.
Median paywall view → trial start rate by region and category
Once users start a trial, region matters less
- The regional gap narrows after the trial starts. US apps convert 26.2% of trials vs. 15.1% in MEA — a 1.7× gap, compared with 3.9× for view → paid.
- Health & Fitness converts the most trials in every region. Rates range from 19.8% in MEA to 33.3% in the US.
- For Health & Fitness, the bigger drop happens before the trial. Outside the US, trial starts lag much more than trial → paid conversion.
Median trial → paid conversion by region and category
44% of trials are canceled within 24 hours — most within the first hour
- Most day-one cancellations happen fast. 32% of trials are canceled within the first hour, rising to 44% within 24 hours.
- Fewer early cancellations correlate with higher trial conversion. Health & Fitness and Education have the fewest cancellations and the highest trial → paid rates.
- Europe has the highest day-one cancellation rate. 55% of trials are canceled within 24 hours, vs. 40% in the US and 34% in MEA.
Median trial cancellation rate within 1 and 24 hours
Hard paywalls start more trials, but drive fewer direct purchases
- Hard paywalls push more users into trials. In the same app, 4.7% of viewers start a trial on a hard paywall, compared with 3.2% on a soft one.
- But soft paywalls drive more direct purchases. 0.75% buy immediately on a soft paywall vs. 0.50% on a hard one.
- There’s no clear winner overall. When trials and direct purchases are combined, hard paywalls perform better in 57% of apps.
How hard and soft paywalls convert
What this means for your app
Don't copy your US paywall across markets
Category performance changes by region. Test your paywall in each market you sell in.
Benchmark against the best apps in your region
The top 10% in every region already outperform the typical US app. Local leaders are a better benchmark.
If trial starts are low, start with the paywall
Most of the regional gap happens before the trial. Once users start one, the gap gets much smaller.
Make the first hour count
Most day-one cancellations happen in the first hour. Use it to onboard users and demonstrate value fast.
Pricing & packaging
Next, pricing and packaging. We look at what apps charge, which plans they offer, how they use trials and discounts, and how those choices relate to conversion and revenue.
The typical app charges $6.99/week, $9.99/month, or $39.99/year
- Annual prices drop outside the US; weekly prices don’t. Annual plans fall from $39.99 in the US to $30.11 in LATAM, while weekly prices stay close to $6.99.
- Europe is the most expensive region. Median prices reach $8.06/week, $11.55/month, and $40.88/year.
- Health & Fitness is the cheapest category. The typical plan costs $5.33/week and $29.99/year.
Median subscription price by region and category, USD
Weekly plans bring 62% of subscription revenue
- Weekly plans dominate subscription revenue. They account for 62% of revenue overall, compared with 21% for annual and 12% for monthly plans.
- The mix changes significantly by region. Weekly plans account for 76% of revenue in LATAM and 70% in MEA, but only 50% in Europe, where annual and monthly plans play a bigger role.
- Category matters even more than region. Health & Fitness gets 62% of its revenue from annual plans, while Entertainment gets 81% from weekly plans.
Subscription revenue by plan length and region
Apps with two plan lengths have 67% higher conversion
- Most paywalls offer one or two plan lengths. 41% offer one, 39% two, and only 20% three or more.
- More plans don’t always mean better conversion. In A/B tests, more products win only 53% of the time.
How many plan lengths apps offer
Pre-selection works much better for weekly plans than annual plans
- Annual and weekly are the most common pre-selected plans. 43% of paywalls pre-select annual and 37% weekly.
- Buyers are twice as likely to stick with weekly. 90% choose weekly when it’s pre-selected, vs. 46% for annual.
- Pre-selecting annual doesn’t hurt conversion. Paywalls with annual pre-selected convert about as well as those with weekly.
Which plans apps pre-select, by category
14% of apps offer a lifetime plan, but it generates just 1% of revenue
- For apps that offer lifetime, it’s still a small revenue stream. Lifetime accounts for 5.6% of revenue in the typical app that sells it.
- Lifetime typically costs 1.3× an annual plan. In Entertainment and Lifestyle, it costs about the same as a year; in Graphics & Design, 1.7×.
- Health & Fitness offers lifetime most often. 20% of apps sell it, compared with 10% in Photo & Video.
Lifetime plans by category
8 in 10 trials last 3 days or less — but longer isn’t always better
- Most trials last 3 days or less. 79% of trial starts are 1–3 days; only 20% last 4–7 days.
- Longer trials see fewer day-one cancellations. This holds across weekly, monthly, and annual plans.
- But longer trials don’t always convert better. 3-day trials perform better on weekly plans, while 7-day trials perform better on monthly and annual plans.
Trial length and performance
Discounts up to 30% have little impact on revenue. Deeper discounts do.
- Small discounts have a limited revenue impact. With up to 30% off, subscribers generate 90% as much revenue over six months as full-price subscribers.
- Deep discounts are expensive. At 31–60% off, subscribers generate 70% as much revenue; above 60% off, just 46%.
- Offers work much better for win-back. 56% of returning subscribers who take an offer are still paying three months later, compared with about 1 in 10 new users who start with one.
Revenue after a first-payment discount
How often apps discount — and by how much
Paywall design
Next, the paywall itself. Using paywall data from , we look at how top subscription apps structure their paywalls, which elements they use, and what design choices are linked to higher conversion.
The typical paywall has two plans, annual pre-selected, and a free trial
- Two plans is the standard. 62% of paywalls show two plans, and 73% present their plans as cards.
- Annual is the default choice. 67% of paywalls pre-select annual, compared with 16% monthly and 5% weekly.
- Most paywalls sell the trial, not the product. 66% offer a free trial, and most make it the CTA. Meanwhile, more than half use no image and only 27% show social proof.
Anatomy of a high-performing paywall
- Image54% of paywalls use no image
- Headline21% mention “free”
- Social proof27% use social proof
- Feature checklist48% use a checklist
- Annual pre-selected67% pre-select annual, 41% show a “Save X%” badge
- Plan cards73% use cards, 62% show two plans
- Free trial on the button66% offer a trial, 83% mention it in the CTA
- Line about cancelling61% use it, 68% say “cancel anytime”
Most paywalls keep plan choice simple
- Two plans is the most common setup. 62% of paywalls show two plans; only 20% show three.
- Some apps hide extra plans. 12% put additional options behind a “View all plans” link.
- Tiers and billing switches are still uncommon. 16% offer product tiers such as Pro or Family, and 13% let users switch between monthly and annual billing.
How apps present their plans
6 in 10 paywalls show the full annual price — only 4% break it down by week
- Most paywalls show the full annual price. 62% show the yearly amount, while 24% break it down by month.
- Weekly price framing is rare. Only 4% show the annual plan as a weekly price.
- Savings are usually shown with a badge. 41% use a “Save X%” badge, while 16% show a crossed-out price.
How apps display annual pricing
With a trial, paywalls focus on reassurance. Without one, they focus on value.
- Trial paywalls focus on reassurance. 74% include reassurance near the CTA, compared with 37% without a trial. They’re also more likely to show awards or press mentions.
- Without a trial, paywalls have to show more value. They’re twice as likely to use an image and more likely to highlight features and savings.
- Trials usually come with annual pre-selection. 78% of trial paywalls pre-select annual, compared with 48% without a trial.
How paywall design changes with a free trial
Paywall headlines sell “free” more than anything else
- Headlines are short. The typical headline is 5 words, and 79% use 6 words or fewer.
- Most headlines sell access, a trial, or an outcome. “Access / Premium,” free trial, and outcome-led headlines together account for more than half.
- Personalization is almost nonexistent. Only 2% use what the app knows about the user, such as their name, goal, or quiz answers.
How apps write paywall headlines
More than half of paywall buttons sell the trial
- Trial language dominates. 56% of buttons lead with the trial, and half include the word “free.” “Start free trial” alone appears on 36%.
- “Continue” is the main alternative. 23% use “Continue” or a variation of it, avoiding both trial and purchase language.
- Very few buttons ask users to buy. Only 9% use direct purchase language such as “Subscribe,” “Buy now,” or “Purchase.”
Most common paywall CTA copy
1 in 10 apps removes the close button. 2 in 10 delay it
- Hard paywalls are still rare. 11% of apps use a paywall with no close button, accounting for just 2% of Builder paywall views.
- But apps that use them, use them heavily. In the median app with a hard paywall, 94% of its paywall views are hard. 4 in 10 show no other type.
- Hard paywalls mostly live in onboarding. 57% of hard paywall views happen during onboarding, compared with 29% for other paywalls.
- Delaying the close button is twice as common. 22% of apps delay it, usually by just 3–5 seconds. Only 2% of delayed buttons take more than 10 seconds to appear.
How apps control when users can close a paywall
Share of apps with at least one paywall of each type
Where paywall views happen
Wait before the close button appears, share of delayed paywalls
What this means for your app
Know when you’re following the default
If your paywall has two plan cards, annual pre-selected, and a free-trial CTA, you’re using the market’s most common setup. That’s a benchmark, not a best practice.
Test what most paywalls still ignore
Social proof, awards, trial timelines, weekly price framing, and personalized headlines are still rare. They’re obvious places to look for your next test.
Carry onboarding context into the paywall
Almost no paywalls use what the user already told the app. Bring their goal, answers, or choices into the headline and offer instead of showing everyone the same paywall.
Decide whether you’re selling the trial or the product
With a trial, paywalls lean on “free” and reassurance. Without one, they work harder to show value. Make that choice deliberately — then test it.
Placement & timing
Next, the timing. We look at when users are most likely to buy, how onboarding paywalls compare with later placements, and what happens after users close the paywall.
The first session wins — but 38% of revenue starts later
- Onboarding still brings most revenue. 53% comes from subscriptions started during the first session, compared with 38% from later paywalls.
- For some categories, later matters just as much. In Lifestyle and Utilities, 48% of revenue starts after the first session — slightly more than during onboarding.
- Monthly subscriptions start later more often. 47% of monthly revenue comes from subscriptions started after the first session, compared with 38% for weekly and 32% for annual.
Where subscription revenue starts
93% of first purchases happen on Day 0
- Day 0 dominates. 93% of first purchases happen within 24 hours of install, generating 89% of first-90-day revenue.
- Monthly buyers take longer to convert. 81% buy on Day 0, compared with 88% of annual and 92% of weekly buyers.
- Later buyers look more valuable — but timing isn’t the reason. They generate 23% more revenue over 90 days, but the gap almost disappears when comparing the same plan. Later buyers simply choose longer plans and direct purchase more often.
When new users make their first purchase
6 in 10 buyers purchase on the first paywall view
- Most buyers decide quickly. 60% purchase on the first paywall view, and another 15% on the second.
- More views rarely mean more days. 84% of buyers who purchase on the second view or later still do so within 24 hours of their first paywall view.
- Some categories need much more exposure. Only 40% of Health & Fitness and 44% of Photo & Video buyers purchase on the first view. About a quarter need five views or more.
Paywall view that led to purchase
Onboarding paywalls convert almost 4× better
- Onboarding converts almost 4× better. The typical app converts 0.85% of onboarding views to paid, compared with 0.23% of later views.
- Each onboarding view is worth 4× more. It generates $170 per 1,000 views, compared with $40 from later paywalls.
- But most paywall views happen later. 7 in 10 views come after the first session — and they still generate 38% of subscription revenue.
How onboarding and later paywalls perform
96% of apps give up after the first paywall
- Second-chance offers are rare. Only 4% of apps show another paywall immediately after the first one is closed.
- But they convert almost as well as the first paywall. Within the same app, second-chance paywalls convert at 0.88× the rate of the main paywall — and outperform it in 45% of apps.
- Most apps make the second offer meaningfully cheaper. The typical discount is 38%, and a quarter offer 50% off or more.
How apps make a second-chance offer
What this means for your app
Make the first session your strongest monetization moment
93% of first purchases happen on Day 0, and onboarding paywalls convert almost 4× better than later ones. Put your strongest paywall experience where users are most ready to buy.
Don’t treat a paywall close as the end
40% of buyers need more than one paywall view before they purchase. Keep creating relevant reasons to show the paywall again instead of relying on a single shot.
Build a monetization journey beyond onboarding
7 in 10 paywall views happen after the first session, and subscriptions started later still generate 38% of revenue. Plan where the next paywall appears — not just the first one.
Test a second chance after the close
Only 4% of apps show another offer immediately after a paywall is closed, yet these second-chance paywalls convert at 0.88× the rate of the main one. Test whether a different offer can recover users who weren’t ready the first time.
Testing & personalization
Next, the experiments. We look at how often apps test, which paywall changes actually win, and what happens when the experience is personalized to the user.
A quarter of large apps run 21+ paywall tests a year
- Large apps test every few weeks. Among apps with 500K+ monthly paywall views, the top quarter run 21+ tests a year. The top 10% run 55+ — more than one a week.
- You don’t need massive traffic to test regularly. Among apps with 50K–500K monthly paywall views, the top quarter still run 9+ tests a year, and the top 10% run 24+.
How often the most active apps test
Offer changes win more often than visual changes
- Localization and trial changes win most often. 62% of localization tests and 60% of trial tests increase LTV, followed closely by plan duration at 59%.
- Visual changes are the weakest bet. Only 35% of visual or copy tests increase LTV, and 31% improve conversion.
- Price tests trade conversion for value. Only 28% improve conversion, but 46% increase LTV.
Which paywall changes are most likely to win
Annual-first paywalls delivered the biggest lifts in our tests
- Annual-first layouts delivered the biggest lifts. Pre-selecting annual and putting the trial there increased ARPU by 25–40%.
- Trial education and personalization also moved revenue. Explaining how the trial works lifted ARPU by 12–36%, while personalized onboarding increased it by 13–35%.
- Smaller changes can still move conversion. Social proof, stronger visuals, and changes to how the trial is presented delivered roughly 10–30% lifts in winning tests.
The biggest lifts we’ve seen in A/B tests
8 in 10 apps use more than one paywall
- Most apps use multiple paywalls. 80% have at least two in use, and 44% use five or more.
- More traffic comes with more paywalls. 72% of apps with 500K+ monthly paywall views use five or more, compared with 38% of apps under 50K.
How many paywalls apps use
Apps personalize paywalls by market and device — rarely by the user
- Only 1 in 4 apps personalize their paywalls. Adoption rises with scale: about half of apps with 50K+ monthly paywall views show different paywalls to different audiences.
- Top-performing apps personalize more often. Among mid-size apps, 69% of the top 10% by revenue per view personalize, compared with 42% of the rest.
- Most personalization is still contextual. 61% split by country or language, 44% by app version, and 43% by platform. Only 15% use their own user attributes and 6% personalize by acquisition source.
How apps personalize their paywalls
What this means for your app
Test the offer before the cosmetics
Localization, trials, and plan changes win more often than visual or copy tweaks. Start with the mechanics of the offer before polishing how it looks.
Build a testing habit, not a one-off test
The most active large apps run 21+ tests a year, and even mid-size apps in the top quarter run 9+. Keep a pipeline of experiments instead of waiting for the perfect idea.
Don’t stop at one paywall
8 in 10 apps use multiple paywalls, and the number grows with scale. Build different experiences for different moments and audiences instead of trying to make one paywall work for everyone.
Personalize around the user, not just their device
Most personalization still stops at country, language, or platform. User goals, onboarding answers, subscription status, and acquisition source give you much richer signals to test.
This report is based on 78,000+ paywalls from 30,000+ apps. Benchmarks cover the last 12 months, October 2025 to September 2026, and we use 2024 data to show how things changed. The data covers the App Store. Revenue is shown in USD, after refunds but before store fees.
Privacy
We only use aggregated, anonymized data. No app, company, or user can be identified.
Segmentation
We break down results by region, category, billing cycle, and trial vs. direct purchase. Some sections also compare onboarding with later paywalls.
Regions, countries,
and categories
We cover the US, Europe, LATAM, MEA, and APAC across 8 major App Store categories.
Those categories are Education, Entertainment, Graphics & Design, Health & Fitness, Lifestyle, Photo & Video, Productivity, and Utilities. We use each app’s primary category. Apps outside these 8 still count toward the overall numbers; we just don’t show them as separate categories.
Data quality
We calculate benchmarks app by app, so the largest apps don’t skew the results.
- We only show a benchmark when at least 20 apps qualify.
- We remove test purchases and users with more than 500 paywall views a year.
- We convert prices to USD using the exchange rate on the day of the transaction. European prices include VAT.
Statistical approach
Most benchmarks use medians and percentiles. When comparing two strategies, we use same-app or A/B test data whenever possible.
When we show a combined number across all apps, we call it “in total.”
Paywall design
For Chapter 3, we manually analyzed 100 iOS paywalls from top subscription apps using Mobbin screenshots. This chapter describes common design patterns, not their impact on conversion.
100+ charts. One question away.
Use State of Paywalls 2026 as a Claude Skill to benchmark your paywall, check pricing, and find your next test.
Add the skill
Against the report’s benchmarks for Health & Fitness in Europe:
- Conversion is below typical. The median app in your segment converts 27.4% of trials.
- Your annual price is high for the category. The typical Health & Fitness annual plan is $29.99.
- Annual pre-selection is standard. 63% of Health & Fitness paywalls do the same.
Next test: explain how the trial works before the paywall. In Adapty’s tests, a trial explainer lifted ARPU by 12–36%.
Your next paywall should be better than your last
Build, personalize, and test paywalls in Adapty.
