Paywall Best Practices

Building an effective paywall is both an art and a science. This guide covers the psychology behind high-converting paywalls and how to apply these principles to your app.

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The Psychology of Conversion

Users make purchasing decisions based on emotion first, then justify with logic. Your paywall should:

1. Create desire — Show what they’re missing
2. Build trust — Social proof and guarantees
3. Remove friction — Clear pricing, easy action
4. Reduce risk — Money-back guarantees, cancel anytime

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Key Conversion Elements

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1. Clear Value Proposition

Your title should immediately communicate what the user gains. Use action verbs like “Unlock” or “Get” to imply transformation.

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2. Price Anchoring

Show the yearly price with a monthly breakdown (e.g., “$199.99/year ($16.67/mo)”). This makes the yearly option feel more affordable and encourages longer commitments. Always display a savings badge like “Save 17%” to create urgency and highlight the value of annual plans.

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3. Plan Selection Cards

Your plan options should have:

• Clear visual distinction between selected and unselected states
• Badge support for highlighting value (e.g., “Most Popular”, “Best Value”)
• Haptic feedback on selection for tactile confirmation
• Large, accessible touch targets

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4. Benefits List

Lead with your most valuable benefit and use specific language. “Cloud sync across all your devices” is more compelling than “Sync to multiple devices.” Include emotional benefits like “Priority support when you need help” — users want to feel cared for. Keep to 4-6 items maximum. Too many benefits dilute the message.

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5. Social Proof

Testimonials are one of the most powerful conversion tools. The Launch template includes a TestimonialCarousel that auto-rotates quotes in the sticky CTA area — ensuring users always see social proof near the purchase button.

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6. Trust Signals

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Money-Back Guarantee

A guarantee like “7-day money-back guarantee” removes purchase anxiety, shows confidence in your product, and reduces perceived risk.

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Cancel Anytime

For subscriptions, always show “Cancel anytime” prominently. This addresses subscription fatigue and helps users feel in control.

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7. Sticky CTA

Your call-to-action button should be fixed at the bottom of the screen, always visible regardless of scroll position. Users should never have to search for how to purchase. The Launch template positions testimonials, the purchase button, and trust signals together in this sticky area for maximum impact.

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8. Dynamic Button Text

Your subscribe button should show the exact price and plan (e.g., “Subscribe – $199.99/year”). This eliminates surprises at the decision point and reinforces the selected option.

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Conversion Optimization Checklist

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A/B Testing Ideas

Once you have users, consider testing:

1. Pricing — Different price points
2. Plan order — Yearly first vs monthly first
3. Title copy — Different value propositions
4. Testimonial content — Which quotes resonate most
5. CTA text — “Subscribe” vs “Get Pro” vs “Upgrade Now”
6. Guarantee length — 7 days vs 14 days vs 30 days

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Too many options — Stick to 3 plans maximum
2. Hidden pricing — Always show the price upfront
3. Fake urgency — “Only 2 left!” erodes trust quickly
4. Wall of text — Users scan, keep it minimal
5. No social proof — Testimonials significantly boost conversion
6. Difficult dismissal — Let users close the paywall easily

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What’s Included in Launch

The Launch paywall template implements all of these best practices out of the box:

• SelectCard component — Beautiful, accessible plan selection
• TestimonialCarousel — Auto-rotating social proof
• Sticky CTA container — Always-visible purchase area
• Dynamic pricing display — Shows monthly breakdown for yearly plans
• Trust signals — Guarantee and cancel anytime messaging
• Apple Pay / Google Pay — One-tap purchasing

All content is centralized in a single PAYWALL_CONTENT object for easy customization.

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Next Steps

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Apply in Launch

The default paywall lives in apps/mobile/app/payments/stripe.tsx. Customize copy and options in the PAYWALL_CONTENT object.

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Remove / Disable

To disable payments while you configure providers, set: apps/mobile/features/feature-registry.tsx → featureFlags.payments = false For production removal guidance, see Removing Features.