Been tweaking our subscription flow for months but conversion rates are still stuck around 12%.
Tried different trial lengths and pricing tiers but nothing really moved the needle.
What actually worked for you when optimizing subscriptions?
Freemium hooks worked better than trials for us. Let people use the basic version until they actually need premium features.
The real jump came from fixing our paywall timing. We moved it from day 3 to right when users hit their first real friction point. Conversions went from 11% to 19%.
Also tested social proof - showing how many people upgraded this week. Small thing but it added 2-3% lift consistently.
Price anchoring worked wonders. We began by displaying the annual price first, followed by the monthly price. This makes the monthly rate feel reasonable, while the annual option appears as a deal.
We also switched from a generic label like “Premium” to specific benefit names such as “Unlimited Access” and “Pro Tools.” Clarity helps users understand exactly what they are purchasing.
Lastly, tracking drop-off points in the payment process was crucial. We discovered that 40% abandoned the flow at the Apple ID step, so we added progress indicators and explanation text to reduce that.
Push notifications helped us a lot. Send them right before trial expires with clear benefits.
Remove friction from the payment screen. That’s where most drop.
The biggest improvement came from showing value directly instead of hiding features.
I placed key benefits in the free experience so users can see what they would get. This way, the upgrade seems like a natural step when they hit limits.
I also tried shorter onboarding flows because many left before reaching the subscription screen.