Paywall Optimization

---
name: paywall-optimization
description: "Design or optimize a paywall / upgrade screen to convert free users to paid without killing trust. Use when asked to improve a paywall, upgrade prompt, or free-to-paid conversion, or to decide what to gate. Produces the gating strategy (what's free vs. paid and why), the paywall placement and moment, the screen's copy and plan layout, and the metrics to watch — conversion that respects the user."
---

# Paywall Optimization Skill

The paywall is where free turns into revenue — and where a clumsy one turns users off forever. Getting it right
is about *what* you gate, *when* you ask, and *how* you frame the upgrade. This skill designs or tunes a paywall
that converts by making the paid value obvious at a moment of real intent — not by holding core value hostage.

## Required Inputs

Ask for these only if they aren't already provided:

- **The model & current state** — freemium / free-trial / hard paywall; what's free vs. paid today; current conversion if known.
- **The value** — what users come for, the "aha" moment, and the features worth paying for.
- **Plans & pricing** — tiers and prices (or that they're open to design).
- **The trigger context** — where users hit the wall today, and where they feel the most value/intent.

## Output Format

### Paywall plan: [product]

**1. Gating strategy** — what stays free vs. what's paid, and *why*. The free tier must deliver a real aha (so users want more); gate the value that scales with success/usage — not the thing that proves value in the first place.

**2. The moment** — *when* to show the paywall: at a point of demonstrated intent or hitting a real limit, ideally just after the user has felt value — not on first open. Soft wall (prompt, keep browsing) vs. hard wall (must pay), with a rationale.

**3. The screen** — layout and copy:
- **Headline** — the value/outcome, not "Upgrade now".
- **Plan presentation** — tiers, the anchor/recommended plan highlighted, billing toggle (annual discount framed clearly).
- **Value reinforcement** — what they unlock, in benefit terms; social proof; risk-reducers (trial, money-back, cancel anytime).
- **Friendly exit** — a graceful "maybe later" so a non-buyer isn't lost (and can be re-prompted).

**4. Experiments to run** — the highest-leverage tests (trigger timing, what's gated, plan framing/anchor, annual default), each with the metric it moves.

**5. Metrics & guardrails** — free→paid conversion, trial-start and trial→paid, ARPU — *and* guardrails: free-user retention, refund/chargeback and churn rate (a paywall that converts but spikes churn isn't a win).

## Quality Checks

- [ ] The free tier still delivers a genuine aha — core value isn't held hostage
- [ ] The paywall triggers at a moment of real intent/limit, after value is felt — not on first open
- [ ] Plan presentation has a clear anchor/recommended option and honest framing
- [ ] Risk-reducers and a graceful exit are included
- [ ] Both conversion metrics *and* guardrail metrics (retention, churn, refunds) are tracked
- [ ] Experiments are prioritized by leverage, each tied to a metric

## Anti-Patterns

- [ ] Do not gate the core aha — users who never feel value never pay
- [ ] Do not hit users with the wall on first open, before any value — it just bounces them
- [ ] Do not use dark patterns (hidden cancel, forced continuity, fake urgency) — short lift, long-term churn
- [ ] Do not optimize conversion while ignoring churn/refund guardrails
- [ ] Do not present plans without a clear recommended/anchor option — choice overload kills conversion

## Based On

Freemium / subscription conversion practice (value-based gating, trigger-at-intent, plan anchoring, conversion vs. retention guardrails).