How onX Hunt grows

Hunt's tiers map to a real user problem, access across the country: Premium covers one state, a Premium two-state package covers two, and Elite ($100) covers all 50 states plus Canada and Mexico, each with different durations. Shown at onboarding/paywall so users can grasp the difference immediately, unlike tiers sliced as arbitrary feature baskets. Guest advises not adding a second tier until there is a clear user need, since extra tiers add business complexity.

To justify the $100 Elite price, round out the tier with brand partnerships: Elite members get a discount or extra value from outdoor partners. Because hunting is an expensive hobby, a single partner purchase can pay back the app's cost. Partners such as outdoor apparel company First Lite also cross-promote onX, and being shown next to a premier brand builds association.

A horizontal growth team sets the model per app. Hunt (most mature, strong brand, niche TAM, seasonal use tied to hunting seasons) runs a trial strategy; newer Backcountry faces freemium competitors like AllTrails and Strava with more casual repeat use. Large-TAM apps such as Duolingo can afford millions of free users; niche ones can't. The chosen model decides which metrics the team optimizes.