TL;DR
There are two pricing plays and they pull in opposite directions. A lower price grows your user base fast and builds momentum; a higher price earns more from each subscriber but converts fewer. Pick the one that fits your goal for this app right now, and know when to switch.
Most pricing confusion comes from trying to do two things at once. You want lots of users and you want lots of revenue per user, but a single price cannot maximize both. A lower price grows the base; a higher price grows the take from each subscriber. The builders who win are honest about which play they are running before they set the number.
When fast growth is the right play
Early on, a bigger user base is often worth more than a bigger price. More users mean more reviews, more word of mouth, and more real feedback to improve the app. A lower price or a generous free tier gets more people through the paywall and builds the momentum a new app needs. If you are still learning what people value, price for growth and treat the users as your teachers.
When max revenue is the right play
Once your app clearly delivers value and people renew, you can shift toward earning more per subscriber. A higher price or a strong annual plan pulls more revenue from the same audience, and users who already love the app will accept it. Max revenue is the play when you have proof of value and want the app to pay for the time you put into it.
How to choose the play for your app
- 1Ask what this app needs most right now: more users and feedback, or more revenue per user.
- 2If it is new and unproven, price for growth with a low entry price or a strong free tier.
- 3If it clearly delivers value and people renew, price for revenue with a higher tier or annual plan.
- 4Set the price to match that goal and ignore the other play until your goal changes.
Know when to switch plays
Pricing is not permanent. Many apps launch cheap to grow, then raise prices for new users once value is proven, grandfathering existing subscribers so nobody feels punished. Watch your conversion and renewal rates: if growth has slowed and people clearly value the app, it is time to shift toward revenue. RevenueCat and the store consoles let you change price and run tests without shipping a new build.
The one rule that never changes is honesty about your goal. A price only works when it is aimed at a clear outcome. Decide whether this app is chasing users or revenue today, price boldly for that, and revisit the choice as the app grows rather than drifting into a muddy middle.
Common questions
Should a new app price for growth or revenue?
Usually growth. Early on, more users mean more reviews, more word of mouth, and more feedback to improve the app. A lower price or a strong free tier builds the momentum a new app needs. Shift toward revenue later, once the app clearly delivers value and people renew.
What is wrong with a price in the middle?
It does neither play well. A middle price is too high to grow fast and too low to maximize revenue, so it converts poorly and earns little per user. Pick a clear goal, price boldly for it, and let the other play wait until your goal changes.
How do I know when to raise my price?
Watch your conversion and renewal rates. If growth has slowed and users clearly value the app, it is time to shift toward revenue with a higher price or annual plan. Many apps raise prices for new users while grandfathering existing subscribers so nobody feels punished.
Can I change my price after launch?
Yes. Pricing is not permanent. RevenueCat and the store consoles let you change price and run tests without shipping a new build. A common path is to launch cheap to grow, then raise prices for new users once value is proven, keeping existing subscribers on their old rate.
Does a higher price scare users away?
It converts fewer people, but the ones who subscribe value the app more and often stick around longer. A higher price is right when you have proof of value and want the app to pay for your time. If almost nobody converts at all, the value story, not just the price, needs work.
What if I want both users and revenue?
Everyone does, but one price cannot maximize both at once. Sequence them: price for growth first to build a base and prove value, then shift toward revenue with a higher tier or annual plan. Trying to do both with a single middle price usually achieves neither.
Keep going
Pick the pricing play that fits your app right now
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