We’ve been stuck with flat subscription numbers for a while, and it’s got me thinking.
What if we offered one-time purchases for premium features? Has anyone found it to significantly improve their revenue?
Keeping subscriptions is safer. One-time purchases can confuse users.
Initial revenue can spike with one-time purchases, but it’s common for it to drop off later.
One-time purchases work great if your app fixes a specific problem people want solved permanently.
I’d start by testing it on extras - think advanced exports or custom themes. Watch how those perform before you mess with your main revenue stream.
Just pick features people actually want that won’t need constant updates.
Tested both models on a productivity app two years back. One-time purchases brought in 23% more revenue that first quarter.
But then the problems started. One-time buyers expected every new feature for free. Support tickets exploded with “I already paid, why isn’t this included?”
The real eye-opener was user behavior. Subscription users engaged 3x more - they felt invested each month. One-time buyers would go hard for a week, then disappear.
If your subscriptions aren’t working, try hybrid pricing. Keep subscriptions but add optional one-time feature packs. You can test revenue without scrapping your current model.
One-time purchases work but they’re risky long-term. Sure, you get that upfront cash spike, but you lose predictable income. I’ve seen apps pivot to this when subscription fatigue kicks in. You might get a short boost, but then users expect constant updates after their one payment. You’re stuck supporting them with zero ongoing revenue. Better approach? Fix why your subscriptions aren’t working. Look at your onboarding, how people actually use features, and where they’re dropping off.