Explain problem and solution before showing paywall to prime users for conversion
For mobile apps with paywall, onboarding flow should first communicate what problem you solve and how you solve it. Get users excited about the value they'll receive. Only then show the paywall - users are primed to pay because they understand and want the benefit.
When to use
For mobile apps with freemium or trial models where paywall appears early in experience. Particularly important when solving less obvious pain points that require education.
Don't do this
Showing paywall immediately before users understand the value leads to low conversion. Users skip or uninstall because they haven't been primed with the 'why this helps me' context.
4 Founders Who Did This
Before showing skippable paywall offering premium trial, onboarding explains the problem (scrolling addiction) and how Curiosity Quench solves it (hobby action plans). Gets users excited first.
Created new paywall and onboarding flow that better explained problem and solution before asking for payment
Runs extensive onboarding explaining the vaping problem and Puff Count's solution approach before showing the hard paywall, priming users for conversion
Explains the problem (unclaimed settlements) and solution (brand matching + claim filing) through emotional onboarding before showing the paywall. Spends as much time on onboarding as core features