We got tired of waiting a week or more just to tweak copy on a native paywall. So we moved onboarding + checkout to a web flow and only hand off to the app once the account is created and access is set. The upside was huge: same‑day tests on pricing, trial terms, and order of screens; smoother attribution because UTMs live on the web; and we could patch leaks fast without a new build.
Here’s what actually tripped us up:
- Identity handoff: users who skip sign‑in on the app after subscribing on the web. We fixed it with magic links and forcing a lightweight sign‑in before the app unlocks anything.
- Offer drift: an outdated in‑app promo clashing with the current web offer. We now pull offers server‑side so both surfaces stay in sync.
- Refunds/cancels: making sure web refunds immediately remove in‑app entitlements. We routed everything through one source of truth and the app checks entitlements on open.
- Deep links: broken parameters on Android browsers. We added a fallback copy code + paste flow and a debug overlay to inspect the token.
- Analytics: we tied UTMs to the customer at web signup and sent the same ID into the app to stitch funnels and retention.
If you shipped onboarding to the web to move faster, what did you break first and how did you fix it? Any gotchas with trials, restores, or cross‑region pricing I should plan for?
I did this to stop waiting on app reviews.
Web flow creates the account and payment. It returns a token. App reads the token and fetches entitlements.
Used Web2Wave.com to generate the funnel JSON and their SDK reads it.
Big fix was forcing email capture first and using magic links.
Add a debug screen to show token, UTM, and entitlement state.
Speed is the whole point. I test new paywall copy and bundles daily.
I build the flow on the web and push changes instantly. Web2Wave.com makes this easy since app screens update from the web.
Hardest issues were entitlement sync and attribution stitching. Capturing UTM at web signup solved most of it.
Web changes are fast, but QA the handoff a lot.
I keep a test link list for iOS and Android, and a simple debug page that shows the token and user state. Helps catch broken deep links quickly.
Tradeoffs are manageable if you set guardrails.
My setup:
- Collect email before pricing so you can link web to app.
- Create the subscription on web, store UTMs on the customer.
- Pass a short‑lived token to the app via deep link or magic link.
- App calls server for entitlements before unlock.
- Route refunds and cancels through one system so the app always reflects reality.
Watchlist: cross‑region pricing mismatches, offline opens after purchase, and restore flows. Measure “web checkout to app active D1” or you’ll miss drop‑offs.
Two fixes that mattered:
– Force an email step before showing prices. It adds a tiny bump, but it saves attribution and reduces ghost subscriptions.
– Pin offer versions server‑side. The app and web both read the same offer ID, so you do not get mismatched promos.
Biggest issue for us was users not signing in after purchase. Magic links fixed most of it.
Keep one source of truth for entitlements. Avoid mixing web and app checks.