Moving onboarding and pricing to web let us iterate rapidly. We could add or remove screens, change default plans, and run price A/Bs without a store release. That speed let us test many more hypotheses and learn which steps really predicted activation.
One lesson: prioritize tests that change activation behavior, not vanity metrics. For example removing a profile field raised conversions but lowered month one retention. So we shifted to testing pricing and messaging combinations that preserved activation and retention.
What rapid test would you run first to lower activation friction?
I focus on one high friction touchpoint. For us it was a mandatory profile question. Removing it increased signups.
I used a web tool to swap variants and let the growth team own the experiments. That saved engineering time and moved things faster.
I always test the price framing and trial length first. On web I can change trial messaging and see activation and month one retention without new builds.
That fast loop is my biggest edge for lowering friction and finding a profitable path.
We tested one less onboarding screen and conversion jumped.
But track retention. A quick win can backfire if users churn fast.
Test fewer fields first then price
Speed matters but so does the metric. Run split tests on onboarding copy, field count, and price in parallel but isolated. Use proper statistical thresholds and track the same cohorts over time.
Validate wins by checking month one retention and revenue per cohort. A variant that converts more but produces poor retention is a false positive.
We tested price anchoring on web and it moved ARPU. The key was pairing price changes with clearer benefit bullets to avoid regret.
I would A/B a one line benefit above the paywall. It often moves activation.
Keep a safety net. If a test hurts retention revert quickly and learn from feedback.