Dare to test an ugly paywall? Here’s why you should

Video paywalls, 3D elements, fancy feature lists, and captivating color schemes — the newest and most visually striking paywalls you see circling on LinkedIn may seem like the way to go. But what if I told you there’s a simpler, more effective (and cheaper) way to drive conversions?

Enter the concept of an ugly paywall.

What makes a paywall ugly?

An “ugly” paywall isn’t necessarily unprofessional — it’s one that prioritizes clarity and simplicity over flashy design. This means stripping away anything that might distract from the core message, such as:

• Testimonials and social proof (App Store awards, five-star ratings, user reviews)
• Complex animations and moving design elements
• Lengthy feature descriptions and sales-heavy copy

Over time, many paywalls accumulate extra elements designed to “convince” users to start a trial or purchase, but in reality, these additions can create decision fatigue. At some point, the best experiment left to run might be to strip everything down and test something radically simple.

In fact, I’ve seen this work across both smaller indie apps and industry giants. Even some of the biggest subscription-based apps are shifting from long paywalls packed with benefits and trust signals to something much more streamlined. 

Both Strava and Fishbrain have radically simplified paywalls, using the same structure:

1. Clear, big headline
2. A few bullet points
3. Clear, eye-catching CTA

The backgrounds are boring simple, but the paywalls clearly convey the message as well as the desired user action. These boring paywalls must work, but why?

Ugly paywalls: why they work

At first glance, a stripped-down paywall might seem counterintuitive. Shouldn’t a paywall be visually engaging and packed with persuasive details convincing me to buy NOW? Surprisingly, as you know deep down, less is often more. A minimalist approach reduces friction, keeps the focus on the subscription decision, and creates contrast within your app’s experience. Here’s why:

• Simplicity wins – Removing distractions helps users make decisions faster.
• Clarity sells – A cleaner design ensures the value proposition is immediately understood.
• Standout effect – A bold, minimal paywall can break patterns and capture attention.

Let’s dive into these points for further explanation.

1. Simplicity wins

By stripping down your paywall, you eliminate distractions and focus purely on the decision at hand: to subscribe or not to subscribe, that’s the question. With simplicity, users experience fewer interruptions, making it easier for them to quickly move forward.

A great example of simplicity in action is Headspace’s paywall. As you see, there’s almost nothing there apart from the background, a clear CTA, and pricing options. No testimonials, no star ratings—just a focused decision point for the user. By stripping down your paywall, you eliminate distractions and focus purely on the decision at hand: subscribe or not. Users experience fewer interruptions, making it easier for them to move forward.

2. Clarity sells

A cluttered paywall can confuse users and dilute your core message. By simplifying, you ensure that users instantly understand what they’re getting, leading to better decision-making and potentially higher conversion rates.

Another contribution to clarity is your background color. As seen in all these examples, the backgrounds have been solid with a great level of contrast to the text to ensure it’s clear and easy for the user to read. At Golf GameBook, we were able to prove this concept to be true when we changed from our dark green background to a white background. When turning the brightness of your screen down, our darker paywall was hard to read. A quick adjustment to a white background caused an unexpectedly good jump in the trial conversion rate. 

3. Standout effect

A plain, bold paywall in an otherwise polished and well-designed app creates contrast. This unexpected design shift captures attention, making users focus on what truly matters: the offer itself.

To design your app in a fancy, beautiful way might be exactly what the features of your app need, but the paywall is not a feature. Dare to let the paywall stand out from the rest of your app experience. So, how should you get started?

How to test ugly paywalls

It’s easy to assume that a visually appealing paywall is necessary for success. However, data often tells a different story. Testing an “ugly” paywall isn’t about making your app look bad — it’s about optimizing for what actually converts. Here’s how to do it properly:

1. Define success metrics

Before testing, clarify what success looks like. Beyond just conversion rates, track:

• Trial start rate – Are more users initiating trials?
• Trial-to-paid conversion – Are these trial users converting at a higher rate?
• Churn rate – Are users acquired through a simplified paywall staying subscribed longer?
• LTV Impact – Does a stripped-down paywall drive more long-term revenue?

Using RevenueCat’s built-in revenue tracking, you can go beyond surface-level conversion rates and analyze deeper insights like retention, churn, and customer lifetime value (LTV). This ensures that your paywall optimizations aren’t just increasing sign-ups but actually leading to sustainable revenue growth.

2. Run meaningful A/B tests

Simply designing a “plain” paywall isn’t enough — you need a structured experiment to know what impact you could reach:

• Test multiple variations – Try different levels of simplicity, such as minimal vs. bare-bones. The bolder you are, the bigger change you might see. 
• Run tests for at least two billing cycles – Measuring just short-term conversion lift can be misleading. For shorter billing cycles, you may want to cover at least two weeks or months.

3. Iterate & Optimize

• If the ugly paywall performs better: Analyze why — is it the cleaner layout, clearer pricing, or reduced cognitive load? What’s the experience for the user the seconds before the paywall appears? 
• If it doesn’t: Refine the approach — test copy adjustments, layout changes, or different colors while maintaining simplicity. And if your simple, ugly paywall doesn’t perform as well as you hoped, ask yourself if you really simplified it enough. 

Addressing concerns

Brand impact

A common worry is that a stripped-down paywall will feel off-brand or less polished. However, when done strategically, it doesn’t have to look bad — it should feel clean, modern, and intentional while aligning with your app’s tone. 

Risk vs. reward

What’s the worst that can happen? If an ugly paywall underperforms, you can always revert to your previous design. But if it increases revenue, improves conversion rates, or reduces churn, the upside is huge.

Final thoughts: Dare to test

Challenging conventional design wisdom and testing a radically simple paywall might feel risky. But the only way to know if it works for your app is to test it. You might be surprised by the results.

Extra Tip: Light vs. Dark Paywalls

From personal experience, if you’re choosing between a light or dark paywall color, light often wins. Test it for yourself – maybe you’ll even dare to A/B test Ugly Paywall Light vs. Ugly Paywall Dark to see what your users prefer.