A simple one-feature app · B2C · Steve's purchased app
Launch a simple one-feature app with a paywall that has no close button
Grew $1K to $10K/month; 35% trial-to-paid; fell to $5K when Apple forced a close button
Workedpaywall
What they did
After buying a very basic one-feature app, Steve's developer co-founder launched it with a paywall that had no X (hard paywall with a free trial). Steve opposed it but let the data decide. Organic downloads only. Apple's review later required a close button, which was added. Steve credits it to the app having one feature, so free users get the whole value. Refunds stayed low and people stayed on, though LTV and retention were not fully analysed.
What happened
Monthly revenue went from $1,000 to $2,000 to $10,000 with organic downloads; average trial-to-paid 35%. When Apple forced the X, revenue fell from $10,000 to $5,000 a month.
- Effort
- Ran until Apple required a close button
In their words
Sub Club by RevenueCat · App Store Ethics, Dark Patterns, and Rule-Breakers — Steve P. Young, App Masters“We went from $1,000 to $2,000 to $10,000, just like that, with organic downloads. And I was like, "Wow, that's crazy." And so when we had to put the X in there, we dropped $5,000.”
“Now, the reason why I feel like a hard paywall worked for us is because it's such a basic app, there's not that many features involved in it.”
“But our trial-to-paid is on average, it's 35%. Let the numbers tell me what to do.”
Related topics
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