Practitioner pattern · Nick Godwin (Works at Superwall, the paywall platform demoed and recommended)
When someone closes Apple's payment sheet, offer 7 free days instead of 3
~20% more ARPU than a discount offer
Workedpaywallpricing
What they did
Trigger the offer on transaction abandon (user tapped the CTA, then closed Apple's payment sheet), not on paywall close. Offer a longer trial (3-day -> 7-day, or 7 -> 14) renewing at the standard price, with copy like 'Need more time to decide? How about an extended 7-day trial on us?'. Show it in a drawer modal or a screen with a back button so users can always escape. Apple allows one-time offers but not nagging, and dislikes a cheaper ('better') offer right after the first paywall; a different intro offer at the same renewal price is more likely approved than a discount.
What happened
~20% ARPU increase vs discount offers; delays time to revenue by the extra trial days.
“I actually don't use paywall decline or paywall close offers most of the time, typically I use a transaction abandon”
“if I normally have a 3-day free trial, and then on abandonment, I offer an extended 7-day trial”
“I actually like presenting like either a screen with a back button that goes right back to where I just left off from, or a drawer modal”
Related topics
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More from this episode
- Use a 3-page paywall: try it free, we'll remind you, people love it~19% ARPU lift vs a one-page paywall, across many apps
- On the paywall, show one great review or an App of the Day badgeGuest says these work well across apps; results vary by app
- Test one strong testimonial against star ratings on the paywallThe single testimonial did a little better
- Let people pick: 3-7 days free, or 30 days for $4.99, both on yearly~11% pick the paid trial; first purchases jump; fails if priced $2.99 or less
- Offer the first month for $1.99Didn't beat the control; guest says $1.99 is priced too low
- Add a paid intro offer to the paywallARPU up ~30%, conversions up ~25%
- Send yearly buyers to web checkout; keep weekly and monthly in the appAvoids the billing failures and fraud seen on short web plans; no numbers
- Once Apple takes 30%, send paywall purchases to a web checkoutAt least ~11% more ARPU; fewer buy up front but more stay
- Headway: Have the paywall's Continue button open a web checkout, with an in-app option
- Drop the free plan; offer 3 paid tiers, each with a free trialPeople mostly pick the biggest tier; guest says it beats freemium
- Make sure 80-90% of new users see a paywall in their first sessionRevenue rises in step with the share who see a paywall
- Price lifetime at least 3.5 times the yearly plan so yearly looks goodGuest's rule; says cheap lifetime just adds a decision
- Test price and plan layout first, and never test two kinds of change at onceGuest says price tests are fastest and have outsized impact
- Charge about $40 for lifetime access in party game appsHost says $40 works best for these games in App Masters' experience
- Add a dark version of the paywall for people using dark modeLost: the light-only paywall converted better
- Change the paywall headline based on what the user said in onboardingNo difference vs a standard headline
- RoboKiller: Appeal App Store rejections by explaining why your app needs the featureApple approved the contacts permission after the appeal