Business

Monetization: Subscriptions vs. One-Time Purchases

Why VCs hate lifetime deals and why users love them.

The standard model is $9.99/mo or $59.99/yr. It works, but conversion rates are dropping as subscription fatigue sets in.

The Lifetime Offer (LTD)

Offering a $150 Lifetime Unlock can drastically improve early cash flow. Use it to fund development. Yes, you lose long-term LTV on that specific user, but the upfront capital is often worth it for bootstrapped founders.

Freemium Limits

Where do you put the paywall? The most successful model in fitness apps is limiting historical data or complex analytics. Let them log workouts for free forever. Charge them to see their 1RM progression chart from 6 months ago.