TL;DR
The strongest default is a monthly and an annual plan side by side, with the annual highlighted as best value. Monthly lowers the barrier to start; annual lifts revenue and retention. Add a free trial if your value takes a moment to land, and only add more plans if a real group of users needs them.
Once you decide to charge a subscription, the next question is what that subscription looks like. Monthly? Annual? Both? A weekly plan? The billing model shapes how easily people start, how much they pay over time, and how long they stick around. There is no single right answer, but there is a strong default that works for most beginner apps, and a few clear reasons to deviate from it.
The default: monthly and annual together
For most apps, offer a monthly plan and an annual plan side by side, and highlight the annual one as best value. Monthly lowers the barrier to start, since a small monthly price feels low risk. Annual lifts your revenue per user and keeps people around longer, because they have committed for the year. Showing both lets each user pick their comfort level while you nudge toward annual.
Why the annual plan matters so much
Annual subscribers are worth more than monthly ones in two ways: they pay more upfront and they churn less, because they are not making a renew-or-cancel decision every month. Price the annual plan as a real discount, often the equivalent of two months free, so it is an obvious deal. That discount pays for itself in retention and in the cash you receive sooner rather than later.
When to use each model
- Monthly plus annual: the strong default for most apps, with annual highlighted as best value.
- Free trial then subscription: use when your value takes a session or two to land, so people feel it first.
- Annual only: rare, for apps where a yearly cycle makes sense, but it raises the barrier to start.
- Weekly: use with care, since it can feel expensive over time and draw complaints unless the value is very high.
Add a free trial when value takes a moment
If your app's value is not instant, a free trial before the subscription lets people experience it before paying. A trial pairs naturally with the annual plan, letting a user commit to a year once they trust the app. Just be honest and clear about when the trial ends and billing starts, because surprise charges lead to refunds and bad reviews that cost you more than the trial ever earned.
Keep it simple and let RevenueCat handle the plumbing
Do not overthink the model or pile on plans. Start with monthly and annual, add a trial if needed, and let RevenueCat manage the subscriptions, trials, and receipts across both stores. RevenueCat also lets you test plan structures against real users, so you can refine the model with data instead of guesses. A simple, well-run subscription beats a clever one users cannot understand.
Common questions
What subscription model should I start with?
For most apps, a monthly plan and an annual plan side by side, with the annual highlighted as best value. Monthly lowers the barrier to start and annual lifts revenue and retention. Add a free trial if your value takes a session or two to land, and keep it simple otherwise.
Why offer an annual plan at all?
Annual subscribers pay more upfront and churn less, since they are not deciding to renew every month. Priced as a real discount, often two months free, the annual plan pays for itself in retention and earlier cash. It is usually the most valuable plan you can offer.
Should I highlight one plan?
Yes. When plans look equal, people freeze. Make the annual plan the hero, mark it best value, and show its low effective monthly price next to the full monthly plan. A clear recommended option lifts conversion because most people want to be told which choice is the smart one.
Do I need a free trial?
Use one when your value takes a session or two to land, so people feel it before paying. A trial pairs well with the annual plan. Be clear about when the trial ends and billing starts, since surprise charges cause refunds and bad reviews that cost more than the trial earns.
Is a weekly subscription a good idea?
Use it with care. Weekly billing can add up to a lot over a year and draw complaints unless the value is very high and obvious. For most apps, monthly and annual are a safer, fairer-feeling structure that users trust more.
How do I manage all these subscription options?
Let RevenueCat handle the plumbing. It manages subscriptions, trials, and receipts across the App Store and Google Play, and lets you test plan structures against real users. That frees you to focus on the offer while the tool handles billing, renewals, and cross-store details.
Keep going
Choose a subscription model that keeps people around
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