This paywall tweak took me from $3k to $30k MRR

September 30, 2025

Hey there,

Puff Count was stuck at $3,000 MRR for what felt like forever.

I had downloads. I had users. People were coming back consistently.

But my revenue wouldn't increase.

I'd watch the analytics every day. Thousands of people hit my paywall, but only a handful were actually paying.

I was making every mistake in the book:

Offering a free trial first.
Letting users skip the paywall.
Giving them too many options.

I thought being "generous" would convert more people. Instead, I was just training them to expect everything for free.

Then I discovered a tool called Superwall that let me A/B test every element of my paywall without pushing app updates. 

The pricing. The wording. The button copy. Even the emojis.

I started testing like crazy.

$8 weekly vs $12 weekly.
"Start Free Trial" vs "Get Full Access."
Different social proof testimonials. Different urgency elements.

But here's what actually moved me from $3k to $30k MRR: I switched to a hard paywall.

No more "skip for now." No more free trials. You either paid to access the features or you didn't get in.

Sounds harsh, right?

But by that point in the onboarding, users had already confessed their vaping struggles and seen testimonials from people just like them. They were emotionally invested.

The hard paywall became a commitment device, not a barrier.

The difference between a 3% conversion rate and a 20% conversion rate is your paywall psychology.

Most founders leave money on the table because they're guessing at their paywall instead of systematically testing it.

Peace,
Steven