Using onboarding context to improve upsells

On the podcast: how Duolingo prioritizes clarity over persuasion on their paywalls, why they offer users multiple free trials instead of just one, and how adding friction to their trial reminder flow actually boosted conversions.

This conversation is shorter than usual and will be featured in RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. Each episode in this series will explore one crucial topic and share actionable insights from top subscription app operators.

Top Takeaways:

🎯 Prioritize clarity over persuasion on your paywalls
Show users a timeline of exactly what happens during their trial, when they'll be charged, and how refunds work. Duolingo found that removing uncertainty about the purchase process drives more conversions than trying to sell harder.

⚡Shorter trials compound experimentation velocity
Cutting their free trial from 14 days to 7 doubled Duolingo's experimentation velocity. Faster feedback loops let the team kill losing tests sooner and run significantly more experiments per quarter.

🔬Adding friction to trial reminders can boost conversions 
Duolingo tested letting users pick which day they get their expiration reminder. The extra step signaled transparency, built trust that they wouldn't be surprised by a charge, and gave them time to experience real value before deciding.

About Anmol Tiwari:

🚀 Director of Product Management at Duolingo, the world's most popular way to learn a language.

👋 LinkedIn

🖥️Carers at Duolingo

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• David Barnard - @drbarnard
• Jacob Eiting - @jeiting
• RevenueCat - @RevenueCat
• SubClub - @SubClubHQ

Episode Highlights:
[0:00] Introduction to Anmol Tiwari, Director of Product at Duolingo
 [1:05] Anmol discusses Duolingo’s focus on clarity in free trials and product offerings
 [2:10] How transparency in trial terms and refunds builds confidence and boosts conversions
 [3:45] The benefits of shorter trials for faster experimentation and better user engagement
 [5:10] Why Duolingo offers multiple trials to cater to different user life stages
 [6:30] Using machine learning to personalize subscription offers and in-app ads
 [7:40] How Duolingo uses contextual paywalls to increase conversions
 [8:50] Regional differences in trial strategies, especially in markets like China
 [10:10] The impact of "free tastes" and trial-like experiences in premium tiers
 [11:30] Using timers and reward-based copy to clearly communicate trial benefits
 [13:00] How Duolingo reduces day-zero cancellations and builds trust with users
 [14:15] Personalizing paywalls based on individual user behavior
 [15:30] Experimenting with new creative strategies to promote subscriptions
 [16:40] The role of AI in optimizing engagement and conversions
 [17:50] Understanding global trial preferences, particularly in China
 [19:10] How trust drives conversions and prevents cancellations
 [19:55] Closing thoughts on how transparency, experimentation, and personalization fuel growth