Case studies

Why the Honest Paywall Won Blinkist's Trial Test

+20 XP

Case study

Why the Honest Paywall Won Blinkist's Trial Test

Blinkist tested two versions of the screen that starts its free trial, and one of them raised trial signups by 23 percent. You will see why the plainer, more honest version won, and how the same idea can be pushed further.

5 min read +20 XP when you reach the end

What you will learn

  • Spot the paywall patterns that quietly erode trust
  • Design around the fear that stops people from starting a trial
  • Keep the promise after signup, so trust turns into retention

Scroll to follow the story. The screen changes with you.

Based on the learnings from Growth.Design: How Blinkist Increased Trial Conversions by 23% (Ethically), presented in our own format.

Variant A
The test screen
Variant B
The test corrected screen

Step 1 of 10

  1. Variant A
    The test screenFeature pitch
    Variant B
    The test corrected screenA timeline

    01

    The setup

    Two trial screens, one clear winner.

    Blinkist, an app that summarizes nonfiction books, tested two screens that start a seven day free trial. Variant A lists features under a bright green header. Variant B shows a simple timeline of what happens during the trial. One of them lifted trial signups by 23 percent.

    TakeawayBefore reading on, decide which one you would ship, and why.

  2. A familiar pattern screenReasons to sign up

    02

    Variant A

    Variant A follows the textbook paywall layout.

    A bold header restates the core offer, a list of four features gives reasons to sign up, and a large green 'Start my 7-day free trial' button closes the screen. On paper, it does everything a paywall is supposed to do.

    TakeawayA layout can follow every best practice and still fail if it ignores how people feel.

  3. Hidden exit screenBarely visible exit

    03

    Problem 1

    The way out is disguised as a faint back arrow.

    The only way to close the screen is a small, low contrast arrow in the top corner of the green header. Removing distractions can help conversion, but hiding the exit makes people feel cornered.

    TakeawayAlways give people a clear way out. Feeling trapped makes them resist.

    ReactancePeople are less likely to adopt a behavior when they feel forced into it. Take away too much freedom and persuasion backfires, which is why a gentle nudge works better than a push.

  4. Fine print screenPrice with asterisk

    04

    Problem 2

    An asterisk and tiny gray text make the price look like it hides a catch.

    The price reads '$99.00/yr*', and the terms sit underneath in very small, light text. Nothing is actually hidden, but the layout looks like a late night TV offer, and that association arrives before any reading happens.

    TakeawayIf your terms are fair, show them at a normal size. Fine print signals something to hide.

    Mental shortcutsAccording to Daniel Kahneman, fast automatic thinking drives most of our judgments. Years of infomercials taught people to file an asterisk with tiny text under 'terms they want to hide', so trust drops in a split second.

  5. The real fear screenCharged after 7 days

    05

    Problem 3

    Variant A talks about features and ignores what people are afraid of.

    Everything on the screen describes the product. Nothing addresses the main worry of someone starting a free trial: forgetting to cancel and being charged a full year's fee.

    TakeawayFind the fear that stops people, and answer it on the screen where they hesitate.

    The top reason people cancelGrowth.Design cites research by Jaycee Day, the designer who ran this test at Blinkist: the number one hesitation at this paywall was forgetting to cancel and being charged. It also explains why about 33 percent of cancellations happened right after users started their trial.

  6. Variant B wins screenDay 5 reminder

    06

    The winner

    Variant B only explains how the trial works, day by day.

    A three step timeline says what happens today, that a reminder arrives on day 5, and that billing starts on day 7 unless you cancel. It mentions no features at all, has a visible close button, and states the price in plain text. That transparency lifted trial signups by 23 percent.

    What changed

    • A timeline replaces the feature list
    • The day 5 reminder answers the fear of being charged
    • The price is stated in normal, readable text
    • A clear close button replaces the hidden arrow

    TakeawayRemoving a fear can move people more than adding another benefit.

    Behavior leversMost products push hopes and desires, like features and benefits. Avoiding pain, such as money wasted on a forgotten subscription, can matter as much or more because of loss aversion. User research is the best way to find which forces are at play.

  7. Variant B
    Going further screenPlain steps
    Variant C
    Going further corrected screenAlready started

    07

    An idea to test next

    A third version could build on B with three small changes.

    Variant C starts the timeline with a step already done, 'Install the app', checked off. It turns the main fear into clear step titles like 'Day 5: Trial Reminder', and uses the lines beneath each step for benefits and reassurance, such as canceling in 15 seconds.

    What changed

    • A completed first step shows the journey has begun
    • Step titles name the reminder and the end date
    • Subtitles carry benefits and answer objections

    TakeawayOnce you find what works, keep testing small improvements on top of it.

    Goal gradient effectMotivation grows as people get closer to a goal. In a well known loyalty card study, a 10 stamp card with 2 stamps already filled was completed faster than an 8 stamp card with none.

  8. Payment
    Keep the promise screenOne week free
    Right after
    Keep the promise corrected screenRemind me

    08

    After the signup

    Right after payment, the app offers to set up the promised reminder.

    Once the trial is confirmed, a screen says 'Your 7-day trial has started!' and asks the user to turn on notifications with a 'Remind me' button. The reminder promised on the paywall now has a clear reason to exist.

    TakeawayAsk for a permission at the moment its value is obvious to the user.

    A different metric moved tooGrowth.Design reports that this flow raised the push notification opt-in rate by about 1,200 percent, from 6 percent to 74 percent.

  9. Permission
    The reminder screenAllow
    Day 5
    The reminder corrected screen2 days left

    09

    The result

    Two days before billing, the reminder arrives as promised.

    Users who allowed notifications get a friendly lock screen message: two days are left on the trial, and they can downgrade in their settings. The app does exactly what the paywall said it would.

    TakeawayTrust is built when the product keeps the promise it made at the paywall.

    Good for both sidesAccording to Growth.Design, the change also reduced cancellations during the trial and cut customer complaints by 55 percent.

  10. Lost
    Before and after screenFine print
    Won
    Before and after corrected screenPlain price

    10

    The takeaway

    Honesty won on conversion, permissions and complaints.

    Variant A used a hidden exit, fine print and a feature pitch. Variant B answered one fear with one clear timeline. Many companies rely on dark patterns and friction to reduce churn, but those experiences make people more reluctant to try the next product.

    What changed

    • Start from customers' needs
    • Stay transparent and ethical
    • Base decisions on psychology and research

    TakeawayStart from customer needs, stay transparent, and let psychology inform the design rather than trick the user.

Every takeaway, in one place

  1. The setupBefore reading on, decide which one you would ship, and why.
  2. Variant AA layout can follow every best practice and still fail if it ignores how people feel.
  3. Problem 1Always give people a clear way out. Feeling trapped makes them resist.
  4. Problem 2If your terms are fair, show them at a normal size. Fine print signals something to hide.
  5. Problem 3Find the fear that stops people, and answer it on the screen where they hesitate.
  6. The winnerRemoving a fear can move people more than adding another benefit.
  7. An idea to test nextOnce you find what works, keep testing small improvements on top of it.
  8. After the signupAsk for a permission at the moment its value is obvious to the user.
  9. The resultTrust is built when the product keeps the promise it made at the paywall.
  10. The takeawayStart from customer needs, stay transparent, and let psychology inform the design rather than trick the user.

Source: Growth.Design: How Blinkist Increased Trial Conversions by 23% (Ethically)

Earn the trial signup by being clear about what happens next.

Paywalls and trial screens are where trust is won or lost. Zyxware can review your pricing and trial flows, find the moments that feel like a trap, and redesign them around what customers actually worry about, then test the result.

Build with Zyxware