Think of Start here as your digital crash course to all-things app monetization and growth, ranging from paywalls to user retention. No fluff, no content hidden behind paywalls (ironically) — just expert content ready to get you up to speed, upskilled, and inspired.
So go ahead and browse, bookmark for later, or painstakingly digest each piece in all its glorious detail. We don’t much care what you do, we just hope it’s useful.
For our first topic, where better to begin than paywalls?
Paywalls: essential reading
First up, this section covers the fundamentals of paywalls for subscription apps. If you’re new to the topic, or only have a few minutes, start here.
Hard vs. soft paywalls
Choose your fighter: hard or soft paywalls? Neither is better, the right choice depends on your audience and content. Explore the options, from freemium to fully-gated, below.
Paywall design and UI
It’s time to put down the moodboard and start designing. But what elements of paywall UI drive the most engagement?
Paywall experimentation and optimization
Now you’re into the thick of it: you’ve got the paywall, but how do you make it a success? Here’s our best expert advice for optimizing paywall performance.
Inspiration and success stories
Wrap up your reading on paywalls with a stack of real-life examples of paywalls in action. Get out your notebook, bookmark your favorites, and hit the ground running.
RevenueCat tutorials and implementation
Whether you’re building for iOS or Android, these tutorials from the RC product knowledge base have you covered.
So, what’s next?
How to build a paywall? ✅
How to choose the right kind of paywall? ✅
How to optimize for success? ✅
How to implement RevenueCat paywalls to make all of the above easier? Also ✅
Your paywall is one of the most important growth levers in your subscription app. The best teams don’t treat it as static; they test, experiment, and optimize relentlessly.
With 82% of trials starting the same day a user installs an app, most apps don’t get a second chance at conversion. Every screen and every word counts.
So whether you’re starting day one of building a new app, or trying to surpass $1M ARR, your next steps are simple:
- Pick one experiment to pursue: Test a new design, try shifting the placement of your paywall, or adjusting the trial period. Whatever you do, start small, move fast, and keep evolving.
- Benchmark your metrics: Not sure how to define success? Check how your app stacks up against industry data using the RevenueCat app health score.
- Keep iterating: Every change is a step forward (even when experiments don’t work out!). If something’s not working? Change it.
Now go forth, and start paywalling*. Good luck!
*Not a real word, but we’re trying to make it a thing