Practitioner pattern · Jonathan Parra (Sells paywall design and A/B-testing services to app companies (mentions sales calls and customers 'working with us'))
Start with a one-page paywall: headline, bullet list, reviews, button
One of the few layouts that performs well across categories, per the guest
Workedpaywallexperimentation
What they did
First paywall for a new app: one screen with the USP heading and subtitle, a bullet list of what you get, social accolades, a 'No commitment' subtitle and the continue button. Use it as the baseline, then build variants by dropping in reusable components: an image or video of the app in action (Fitness AI style), extra pages with social proof/reviews for larger apps, a 'Try 7 days free' CTA with chevron, a table instead of bullets, etc.
What happened
Guest calls the single-page bullet-list paywall a benchmark that performs well across the board.
“Bullet list paywalls just uh actually are one of the few paywalls that perform well across the board, just single-page bullet list paywall.”
“But in what what I'm trying to say is that for most people, this should be your first screen, and you should have a paywall that it's only one screen with this and use that as your baseline, especially for newer apps.”
Related topics
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New tactics from the week's founder interviews, each linked to where it was said.
More from this episode
- Shorten plan names, add 'No commitment, cancel anytime', and label the button 'Continue'+10% conversion over the wordier paywall
- Cut the monthly plan; offer annual plus a weekly plan with 3 free daysBig conversion jump per the slide; exact number not read out
- Put 'No commitment, cancel anytime' on almost every paywallSmall but steady conversion bump, per the guest
- Show two plans, hide the rest behind 'View all plans', preselect annualGuest's standard setup; no numbers given
- When users close the paywall, show cheaper plans, then a 33%-off yearly dealNo result given; guest's go-to for apps that already test a lot
- For week- or month-long programs, show step by step how users will changeWorks across categories for journey-style apps, per the guest; no numbers
- Keep one-time offers at 25-33% off; save big sales for Black Friday
- Swap the feature table for 'Try it for 50% off' and a big screenshot+111% conversion; revenue per user also rose
- Make the paywall button about 65 points tall, with big text and an arrowGuest says bigger buttons and the arrow bump conversions; no numbers
- Test paywall design and plan mix first; leave price tests for laterGuest says design tests give the most mileage; no numbers
- Put a short video of the app in use on the paywallWon its A/B test; no numbers given
- Pedometer++: Make the paywall look like a plain Apple settings screenBeat more custom designs 'by quite a long shot'; worked again for a second app
- Give the top plan a dark, premium look that switches when users pick itMore users chose the top plan; no numbers
- Blinkist: Show the free trial as a timeline: today, day-5 reminder, day-7 billingStill a very high performer after years of copying, per the guest
- Charge about $20 a month for an AI chat app tuned to one nicheUsers pay for it, per the guest; no revenue shared