TLDR: WATCH THE VIDEO (click above)
🎬 Watch the video. Summary below is only a snippet of the examples in the video. Only takes 5 minutes at 2x speed. ⏩
Last time, we looked at how top apps keep users engaged and coming back for more. This time, we’re peeling back how they turn that engagement into paid conversions. 💵
Let’s be clear, getting people to pay for your app is hard. You need a strong product market fit and features that drive a high willingness-to-pay. The good news is that there are patterns from top apps you can learn from. In this teardown, I summarize what tactics Headspace, Duolingo, Strava, MyFitness Pal, Slack and AllTrails are using to get you from free to paid.
How top consumer apps increase willingness-to-pay
Below is a snippet of takeaways from the video for you skimmers. Pro tip—watch the video for the full deep dive and screenshots.
1️⃣ Show, don’t tell.
These apps are world-class at showing you the counterfactual of what life could be like with and without paid features. The marketing of paid features goes beyond your classic pop-up or banner; it’s integrated into the user’s workflows. They weave them into the experience, surfacing them just when you’re likely to want more.
For instance, Slack’s free version is basically unusable for serious business users. Why? It caps your message history at 90 days. You’re told about this limit within your key workflow and while sending messages. You can (and do) imagine how annoyed you’d be in 90 days when you can’t access something that’s critical to your job.
AllTrails knows that before a hike into the wilderness you’ll be looking to download a map. They know wi-fi won’t work where you’re going and offline maps are the only way not to get lost. 📍This is a paid feature. Good one, AllTrails. 💪
MyFitnessPal doesn’t just say “Upgrade for more features”—it adds fields within the “log food” screen that are only accessible for Premium users. You see the Time of Day field, but you have to upgrade to add anything. You see how many carbs are in each food you log, but the total carb count per day is hidden unless you upgrade. You can still reach for that muffin, but first you’ll probably reach for your credit card. 💳
2️⃣ Build anticipation and commitment. The other way these apps are getting people to pay is by taking them on a journey. Duolingo makes users go through several steps, saying “yes” at every step of the way before they even see a price. This may create a psychological commitment that makes payment more likely. It’s a lesson in the power of pacing and how the journey to conversion can be as critical as the offer itself. 🍿
3️⃣ Use “this or that” pricing. Another big pattern across these apps is that they’re all keeping it simple with two pricing options. This simplifies decision-making and increases conversions. Unlike enterprise apps, which might present three or more options, they’re offering you a straightforward choice: “this or that.” (Parents of toddlers will understand this one—you never ask a child “if” they want to put on a coat. 👶 You ask “which coat”).
TL;DR: Give users two options, both of which are acceptable to you.
🆓 Bonus insight: Use the power of “free.” These apps often lead with buttons like “Start Free Trial”. This leverages our natural attraction to anything labeled as free. Slack has used this tactic effectively, tweaking their messaging to entice users to upgrade. The trick here is that “free” isn’t just an offer—it’s a tool to lower the barrier to entry and create a seamless path to conversion.
Big takeaway: Design for high-willingness users
The real secret? Know your audience. Strava, MyFitnessPal, and AllTrails target users who are already deeply invested in their domains. Strava goes after the competitive users, MyFitnessPal reels in the data-driven health buffs, and AllTrails locks in the adventurers who need that off-road map. These are the people who will pay for tools that enhance their experience. ⚙️
Overall: headnod to these top apps. If you build products, you know it’s not easy to hit product-market fit. You also know it’s not easy to translate product-market fit into willingness-to-pay at scale. These apps have done this. It’s hard.
The good news is that across the board, they leverage similar patterns and tactics. And ideally, you can leverage these too to help people use, love, and pay for your app.
📧 And if you need help, shoot me an email: kristen@irrationallabs.com.
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TLDR: WATCH THE VIDEO (click below) for the deep dive with tactical examples! 💎
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How the top consumer apps get you to pay them: Product lessons, part 2