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20 Types of Mobile App Paywalls for Better Conversion Rates

20 Types of Mobile App Paywalls for Better Conversion Rates

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Amanda Maricle
Product Owner

Explore different types of subscription paywalls from 20 top mobile apps. Learn about paywall design patterns that can help increase your conversion rate.

Table of Contents:

In this blog post:

We’ve studied hundreds of top apps and discovered similarities in the way their paywalls are designed.  Here are 20 types of paywall for mobile apps with design patterns that you can test to help improve your conversion rate.

Featured Product Badge

Guide your users towards purchasing a particular SKU with this simple design pattern. Include a small tag or badge on top of or next to the product with text calling out why the user should buy this option.

Videoleap

The Videoleap app includes a small badge showing the savings if you purchase an Annual Subscription.

featured product badge paywall example videoleap
Videoleap Editor by Lightricks

Wattpad

The Wattpad reading app uses a small ‘Best Value’ badge. Strategic use of their brand color helps to draw the eye towards the  Annual Subscription.

wattpad paywall
Wattpad - Read & Write Stories

Get even more inspiration for paywalls with Featured Product Badges in the Nami Mobile App Paywall library.

List of Benefits

Users like lists! Including bulleted lists of the benefits they will receive by upgrading from the Free plan can be a great conversion tactic.

YouTube Music

The popular YouTube Music app includes a list of benefits with just 3 bullets that are short and easy to read.

youtube music paywall
YouTube Music

Canva

The Canva mobile app provides an enticing product image at the top of their paywall, and then shows a scrolling list of all Pro benefits.

canva paywall
Canva: Design, Photo & Video

BuzzFeed

The Buzzfeed mobile app paywall shows a list of benefit cards with beautiful icons.

buzzfeed paywall
BuzzFeed

See even more paywall examples with Benefit Lists in the Nami Mobile App Paywall library.

Carousel of Images

Mobile app users love to swipe through images. Capitalize on this by including a simple carousel with images of your subscription experience. You can even mix images and text or app reviews in a carousel.

Zombies, Run!

This running app includes a fun carousel of illustrations.

carousel of images paywall design pattern zombies run
Zombies, Run!

Citizen

The Citizen app smoothly embeds a carousel of text and images with real examples of features you will unlock.

carousel of images paywall design pattern citizen
Citizen: Connect and Stay Safe

Find even more examples of Image Carousels in the Nami Mobile App Paywall library.

Embedded Video

When thinking of paywall design elements, you don’t need to limit yourself to just static text and images! Video can be incredibly effective at representing the value proposition of your app, especially if your app is in the Photo & Video category.

Teleprompter

This video teleprompter app includes a tiny embedded video thumbnail. This helps demonstrate the Premium experience without being too distracting.

telemprompter by bigvu paywall
Teleprompter by Bigvu

VSCO

This popular video editing app not only embeds video in their paywall, but embeds it in a carousel to really show off all the features of their app.

embedded video paywall design pattern vsco
VSCO: Photo & Video Editor

Want to see more examples of paywalls with Embedded Video? Check out the Nami Mobile App Paywall library.

Dark Background

A simple black or dark gray background is one of the most popular paywall design patterns, particularly for Music or Entertainment apps.

Calm

The award-winning Calm meditation app has a dark gradient background. This color makes their text and benefits list pop.

dark background paywall design pattern calm
Calm: Sleep & Meditation

MasterClass

This app’s simple black and white color scheme gives a professional and elegant vibe.

dark background paywall design pattern masterclass
MasterClass: Learn New Skills

Want to see more paywall examples from apps with dark backgrounds? Visit the Nami Mobile App Paywall Library.

Tiered Plan

Using a Tiered Plan can be very effective when building a dedicated user base. Introduce users to the app with the ‘basic’ tier plan, and then promote the ‘premium’ plan to engaged users.

Paramount+

The Paramount+ streaming app shows side-by-side plan options. Clicking each plan shows pricing and the list of benefits.

paramount+ paywall
Paramount+

The Washington Post

Washington Post’s paywall includes 2 tiers of plan. A simple checklist shows you the difference in the 2 plans.

tiered plan paywall design pattern washington post
Washington Post

See more examples of apps that use Tiered Plans in the Nami Mobile App Paywall library.

Reviews

Including reviews from satisfied users is a great paywall design pattern that uses social proof to drive new users to purchase.

Flo

The Flo Period tracker app includes reviews from other women, incorporated into the carousel of benefits. Check out this glowing review!

reviews paywall design pattern flo
Flo Period & Ovulation Tracker

Soosee

The Soosee app includes user avatars to give reviews an even more personal touch.

soosee paywall
Soosee - Allergy & Vegan Scan

Find more apps that use App Reviews on their paywalls in the Nami Mobile App Paywall library.

Horizontal Product Buttons

Product Buttons are often displayed in a vertical list, stacked on top of each other. But a horizontal product list is one of the most popular paywall design patterns because it encourages users to compare offers.

Wondery

This popular Amazon-owned podcast app features 2 product options with extra badges on the annual product to encourage purchasing.

horizontal product buttons paywall design pattern wondery
Wondery - Premium Podcast App

Kahoot!

The Kahoot! education app has a simple paywall with 2 horizontal buttons.

kahoot paywall
Kahoot! Play & Create Quizzes

See more top performing apps that utilize Horizontal Product Buttons in the Nami Mobile App Paywall library.

Comparison Table of Benefits

iHeart Radio

Popular music and podcast app iHeart shows a simple list with features for Free, Plus and All Access plans.

comparison table paywall design pattern iheart
iHeart: Radio, Music, Podcasts

Weather Channel

The Weather Channel app has a table of benefits to help drive users towards their paid plan.

comparison table paywall design pattern weather channel
The Weather Channel

See more examples of apps using a Comparison Table in the Nami Mobile App Paywall library.

Emoji

Show off your app’s playful side by using emoji accents.

Greg

The Greg Plant Care app uses emoji in a list to help explain benefits.

emoji paywall design pattern greg
Greg: Easy Plant Care

Check out more top performing apps that use emoji in the Nami Mobile App Paywall library.


       


   

Amanda Maricle is the Product Owner at Nami ML. She has an extensive background in app development and most recently product managed the Connect mobile app platform at HomeSpotter.

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