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Ask HN: Advise on monetization model for my freemium app wanted

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Ask HN: Advise on monetization model for my freemium app wanted

I'm an indie app dev and looking for some conceptual help with one of my freemium apps. I'm thinking about completely restructuring the business model i.e. the placement of the paywall and what amount of content stays free and what'll move behind the paywall.

To be clear: This isn't meant to be a hidden advertisement for my app. I won't even tell the name (if not explicitly asked for in the comments).

Just for enough context: It's a low-stimulating, stress-free coloring game for children - especially for neurodivergent ones (e.g. ADHD, autism). There are no ads in the app. Images are colored by simple taps and swipes. No mistakes possible.

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The situation: The app is around 1 year old (in the Play Store; it's in review for the App Store rn). It had 3.5 k installs. There's a premium in-app purchase - one-time, not a subscription. It costs 6 $. During the lifetime of the app an amazing amount of 4 users bought premium. That's a conversion rate of ~0.1 %. And also the app only received 5 ratings.

The app is divided into "worlds": Themed level packs with 10 levels each. One level can be finished in 10 - 30 seconds. There are 20 worlds rn. Every second world is a "premium world" that can only be played by premium users - besides the first level, which is free for everyone as a teaser. I regularly add new worlds (always 1 free and 1 premium together). Premium also unlocks the possibility to use own images for coloring.

The app has a structural problem with the paywall as well as the ratings prompt: The game is played by children (4 to 12). The paywall is shown for the first time after 11 levels have been played. At that time the device is most likely in the hands of a child - but the parents have the money, obviously. Similar for the ratings prompt: It is passive rn buried in the settings screen where rarely anybody sees it. And with 110 levels being available for free, there's probably no need at all to buy more content.

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My plan for the new structure:

1. Remove the "zipper" pattern of alternating free and premium worlds. 2. World 1 and 2 will be free to play. 3. All remaining worlds will be premium (maybe I'll keep the first level of each world free as a teaser). 4. Put an info for parents right before the first level that's being played (hoping/expecting that the parents will still have the device in hands at that time or are at least nearby). The info will explain the model (2 free worlds, no ads, no tracking, no subscriptions etc. 20 worlds with 200 levels unlockable for 6 $). 5. Two buttons below: "test for free" and "unlock everything now".

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My questions for you (you don't need to answer all to help me):

1. What do you think about my planned model? Do you think it will work/convert? 2. Do you think it's a fair model? An acceptable price? 3. Where (or probably rather "when") would you show a rating prompt? 4. Would you keep level 1 of each world free? There are different mechanics how an image can be colored (tied to the world), so if I don't keep every first level free, some mechanics can never be experienced before buying premium. 5. Would you put the two best (most fun) mechanics in the first two free worlds to encourage premium buys? Or rather spare them for premium?

Thanks so much to everyone who read this and is willing to help me out with some answers!

Discussion 0 comments · 2 points · neurodiv_dennis · 10h
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