Interviews with the experts behind the biggest apps in the App Store. Hosts David Barnard and Jacob Eiting dive deep to unlock insights, strategies, and stories that you can use to carve out your slice of the 'trillion-dollar App Store opportunity'.
On the podcast, I talk with Ajay about the fresh opportunities AI is creating for app developers, how they built a cost-effective TikTok growth engine, and why being forced to monetize helped improve their product decisions. Top Takeaways: 🤖 New tech, new apps – AI isn’t just making apps smarter. It’s enabling new categories entirely. Apps built around real-time interaction, emotional context, and personalized content wouldn’t have been possible just a year ago. That means product-market fit ca...
David Barnard and Jacob Eiting analyze RevenueCat's 2025 State of Subscription Apps report, discussing trends in AI app monetization, the iOS vs. Android landscape, and the rise of hybrid monetization. They explore factors impacting app retention and pricing strategies, while emphasizing the importance of delivering unique value to combat cloning and maintain a competitive edge. The conversation also covers cross-platform development frameworks and active renewal rates.
Sylvain Gauchet shares key insights on paywall optimization for subscription apps. The discussion emphasizes the importance of a compelling onboarding story, leveraging loss aversion, and testing multi-screen paywalls. Gauchet also highlights the need to differentiate between onboarding and post-onboarding paywalls, and to balance aggressive monetization tactics with user experience to avoid a "scammy" feeling.
Shane Ly from AppsFlyer discusses the state of user acquisition in 2025, focusing on major channels like Apple Search Ads, TikTok, Meta, and Google. He explains how improved measurement and attribution are boosting confidence in ad spend, despite iOS signal loss. The conversation covers strategies like web-to-app funnels and highlights Reddit as a potentially overlooked acquisition channel, offering actionable insights for subscription app operators.
Lucas Lovell from Paddle discusses strategies for maximizing web subscriptions for mobile apps, highlighting the flexibility in billing models, pricing experimentation, and user acquisition. He emphasizes the importance of optimizing the entire funnel, from onboarding to retention, and leveraging win-back campaigns. The conversation also covers the benefits of offering flexible payment options and creating better customer experiences on the web compared to app stores.
Tammy Taw from Google Play discusses strategies for app developers to increase revenue, including diversifying beyond subscriptions with consumable IAPs, using localized pricing, and optimizing purchase flows. She emphasizes the importance of understanding user behavior and experimenting with hybrid monetization models to capture different buyer segments and increase overall revenue.
This episode is shorter than usual and will be featured in RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. On the podcast: why some apps see 30 times higher revenue on iOS versus Android, the challenges of running a business on multiple platforms, and why you should consider offering a free Android device to employees. 📱 Android expands global reach, but iOS drives early traction iOS dominates in U.S. and premium markets, making it the best platform for an initial launch. Android, however, is e...
This episode is shorter than usual and will be featured in RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. On the podcast: why optimizing for user success drives more revenue than conversion hacks, how to maximize the impact of annual plans, and why relying too heavily on discounts is a trap. Top Takeaways 🏋️♂️Segment early to acquire the right users Long-term retention starts before users even download your app. Ladder segments potential users through quiz-based onboarding, tailoring messagin...
Caroline Walthall from Quizlet shares actionable strategies for re-engaging churned subscription users. She emphasizes understanding churn reasons through surveys, delivering personalized value, and offering flexible subscription options like pausing or shorter durations. The discussion covers targeted discounts, social proof, and the importance of user control to build trust and increase retention.
This episode is shorter than usual and will be featured in RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. On the podcast: how onX Maps tailors freemium and trial strategies to different user needs, the role of user education in driving upgrades, and why experimenting with features and tiers is essential for subscription growth. Top Takeaways: 🔎Educate users about paid features Don’t assume users know they’re on the free tier or understand the value behind premium features. Clearly communicate ...
Jason van der Merwe from Strava discusses strategies for securing first-year subscription renewals by focusing on product engagement and delivering consistent value. The episode emphasizes understanding user behavior, optimizing feature discovery, and the importance of continuous app improvement. Jason also highlights the need to balance aggressive monetization with user retention, suggesting tactics for engaging users during off-peak seasons and the critical role of data-driven decision-making.
This episode is shorter than usual and will be featured in RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. On the podcast: Keeping users engaged through habit-forming experiences, Duolingo’s approach to reactivating churned users, and why building daily habits is the foundation for long-term retention success. Top Takeaways: 🏎️ Act fast - most users don’t come back after a week The best time to re-engage a churned user is within the first three to four days . Duolingo found that users who stay ...
This episode features Anton Derlyatka, CEO of Sweatcoin, discussing the strategies behind the app's viral growth and user retention. Anton explains how Sweatcoin incentivizes physical activity by converting steps into a virtual currency, fostering emotional connections and positive habits. The conversation covers building sustainable growth loops, the role of influencers, gamification techniques, and the transition to a subscription model, offering insights applicable to various app businesses.
This episode is shorter than usual and will be featured in RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. On the podcast: why the Big Mac Index falls short for app pricing, how Flo Health’s regional pricing strategy drives profitable user acquisition in emerging markets, and the importance of aligning pricing with long-term user retention for sustainable growth. Top Takeaways: 💭 Know your audience - not just the economy Don’t rely on basic indexes like the Big Mac Index. Instead, understand yo...
This episode is shorter than usual and will be featured in RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. On the podcast: balancing freemium and premium experiences, how The Weather Company uses AI to predict subscriber behavior, and why focusing on user value rather than monetization is the key to subscription success. Top Takeaways 🎯Target high-value users with personalized experiences Identify your most valuable cohorts through deep segmentation and user research . Tailor paywalls and premi...
On the podcast I talk with Ashley about what makes Google App Campaigns so effective for growth, proven optimization strategies, and why lower CPMs can sometimes be a warning sign rather than a win. Top Takeaways: 📈 Google App Campaigns: Big reach, but fewer levers to pull Google’s ad platform delivers massive scale - search, YouTube, the Play Store - but hands much of the control to machine learning. That tradeoff can work in your favor, but only if you guide the system with structured testing...
On the podcast I talk with Sherina about why performance marketing eventually hits a ceiling, how to think about measure brand marketing, and why sometimes ignoring A/B test results leads to better outcomes. Top Takeaways: 📈 Freemium can’t feel cheap Deezer once took a hardline approach to converting free users – limiting features to push them toward paid plans. The result? Users didn’t upgrade; they just left. The best freemium models strike a balance: give users real value, build habit and tr...
On the podcast we talk with Bruno about putting customers ahead of metrics, why there’s still massive opportunity to build successful apps today, and how a server crash turned into an accidentally successful A/B test. Top Takeaways: 📈 The app ecosystem still holds massive opportunities Developers often assume the app market is saturated, but it continues to evolve with new possibilities. Technologies like AI, AR, and better hardware create untapped opportunities for developers who are willing t...
On the podcast we talk with Nathan about the strategic opportunity of web2app, how and when to use web2app, and why one app found success using webinars in their web2app funnel. Top Takeaways: 🔑 Web-to-app opens up opportunities for small apps Smaller apps can use web-to-app strategies to improve cash flow, gain better attribution data, and test acquisition campaigns with smaller budgets. It’s an effective way to experiment with paid growth without relying solely on app store mechanics. 🎯 Gain...
On the podcast we talk with Phil about how to effectively use benchmarks to aid decision making, the limitations of benchmarks, and why even the best companies aren’t top quartile in every single metric. Top Takeaways: 📏 Benchmarks are a starting point, not a roadmap Treat benchmarks as directional indicators to uncover growth opportunities and prioritize actions, but don’t chase them blindly. They work best as tools for identifying areas to explore rather than metrics to perfect. 🏆 Focus on s...
On the podcast: estimating the revenue potential of an app, crafting an exit strategy, and why LTV is such a terrible metric. Top Takeaways: 🎯 Finding the right market fit – Not all apps have billion-dollar potential, and chasing massive markets often means competing with big players. Instead, focus on markets where your app has room to stand out. By positioning yourself in a "Goldilocks zone"—big enough to scale but niche enough to avoid overcrowding—you’ll lay the groundwork for sustainable g...
On the podcast: the power of user segmentation, executing bold strategic shifts, and why imaginary customer conversations are sometimes better than real ones. Key Takeaways: 💡 Simplification drives growth - Alex shares how transitioning from a freemium to a free trial model simplified V1 Sports' monetization strategy, aligning better with their users and discovering new revenue opportunities. 🤔 Rethink assumptions to uncover opportunities - Alex emphasizes the importance of questioning outdate...
On the podcast: what’s currently working for apps on TikTok, how to create viral content, why you should try working with influencers who don’t have many followers. Key Takeaways: 🔍 Getting noticed: How TikTok’s algorithm amplifies reach - TikTok’s “For You Page” prioritizes engaging content over follower count, so apps can go viral without a big audience. 📈 E-commerce strategies that work for apps on TikTok - E-commerce brands have mastered quick, punchy content on TikTok, and app marketers c...
On the podcast: the risk of ad creative concentration, how to reach older, high-value demographics, and why the ultimate KPI is revenue. Key Takeaways: 🛠️ A unified roadmap eliminates silos - Operating with one shared roadmap ensures alignment across product, marketing, and engineering, promoting collaboration and agility. 💡 Monetization might require more than just subscriptions - Post-IDFA, blending subscriptions with ads and one-time purchases maximizes revenue and reaches non-subscribers. ...
On the podcast: effectively scaling support for an app, why the time to first response is so important, and why you should treat support more like a concierge experience. Key Takeaways: 💡 Personalized customer support is a competitive advantage - Eli emphasizes that providing fast, personal responses to customers sets brands apart from competitors. Even in a world of increasing automation, building a concierge-like experience can boost customer loyalty. 🤖 AI and human support can work in harmo...
On the podcast: the rebound of consumer subscription valuations and investor interest, how to generate Net Revenue Retention in consumer, and why you should pinpoint where your app sits on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Key Takeaways: 📈 The subscription app industry is rebounding in 2024 - After setbacks in 2022 and 2023, surviving companies are now leaner, more focused, and showing strong profitability and retention. This resurgence is reflected in both private transactions and public valuations...
On the podcast: The benefits of building something you personally care about, how to balance user feedback with product intuition, and why process, frameworks, and outside advice are often worth ignoring. Key Takeaways: 🚀 You don’t need complex processes to build a successful product Building something meaningful doesn’t always require elaborate processes or formal business structures. With passion, a clear vision, and consistent execution, developers can create successful products without over...
On the podcast: The impact of Apple Search Ads on organic search, how to save money on brand defense, and why ROAS shouldn’t be the only thing you optimize for. Key Takeaways: 📊 Optimizing brand keyword bids can protect traffic and reduce costs Running ads on brand keywords helps protect your traffic from competitors. By experimenting with lower bids, you can often maintain visibility while reducing costs, ensuring that you capture valuable traffic efficiently. 💸 Long-term ROAS is key for subs...
On the podcast: How to find success with web2app, the value (and challenges) of “owning the transaction”, and why avoiding app store fees isn’t a great reason to experiment with web2app, but might work out anyway. Key Takeaways: 💰 There’s much more to web2app than avoiding app store fees - In fact, looking at app store fees alone disregards the benefits of going via the app store, such as a substantially better conversion rate. Even if web acquisition is cheaper, those users are not worth the s...
On the podcast: Implementing effective offline marketing campaigns for acquiring, engaging, and retaining paid subscribers in the app space. Key Takeaways: 📢 Look beyond digital channels for app growth . Consider offline advertising channels such as radio, linear TV, and podcasts to reach untapped demographics. These channels can help you target non-digital audiences, particularly older, higher-income users who can be more lucrative for subscription-based apps. 🔄 Use diverse methods to measure...
