GuitarTuna

GuitarTuna makes about $2M a month. Its audience is people who want to learn guitar.

The app is a huge success, but its paywall is still confusing.

When I opened the app, I saw three different paywalls at three prices: $15.99, $22.99 and $69.99 a year. It felt like the app was selling me the same tools while trying to get more money out of me.

Why did it feel that way? The benefits section is a single line. And the problems don't stop there. Social proof, the trial reminder and the "most popular" offer all have issues too.

Three screens, three prices, and an empty space where the benefits should be.

What works

• The close button is easy to see. It's visible and has strong contrast.
• The yearly plan is preselected, and the discount math is correct.
• The trial timeline removes uncertainty. Users see what happens on each day of the trial.

What breaks conversion

You can't tell what you're buying

The only benefit is one line: "Unlock all tunings and tools." Nobody can picture a "tool." Is it a metronome? A chord library? Ear training?

On top of that, the blue "Tools" chip in variant 1 looks like a bug.

The hero images sell the wrong thing

Variant 1 uses stock photos of people with guitars. Variant 2 uses famous bands. Both promise "play songs by your favorite artists." But the offer is tunings.

The monthly plan's trial terms are unclear

The yearly plan says "7-day free trial, then." The monthly plan says nothing. If I pick monthly, does the button still say "Try for free"?

"Save 33%" compared to what?

At $1.99 a month, 33% is about $8 a year. That's not a convincing number. The number that would convince me, $1.33 a month, is the greyest text on the screen.

The button is small, far away and vague

It's a medium-sized pill, hundreds of pixels below the plan I just picked. "Try for free" doesn't say what I'll pay after the trial.

Variant 3 costs 4x more and explains less

It asks $69.99 a year and hides the monthly plan behind "See all plans." If I have to tap a link to check your discount, I won't believe your discount.

"Cancel anytime" and "24 hours before" contradict each other

Which is it: anytime, or 24 hours before? Merge them into one clear sentence.

There's no social proof

GuitarTuna has millions of ratings and years of App Store features. None of it is on the screen where people decide whether to trust you with their card.

Fixes

Each redesign changes one thing, so each change can be tested on its own.

Say what they get

Add benefit rows in the empty space, and put all plans on one screen. Splitting plans across paywalls confuses users.

GuitarTuna already has a screen with clear benefit rows. V1 brings that onto the paywall:

Use the credibility you already have

Add one line under the headline, like "★ 4.8 · Trusted by millions of guitarists." It can raise trial starts among new users who don't know the brand yet.

Make the trial feel safe

Remove the fear of a surprise charge. Add one line: "We'll remind you 2 days before your trial ends."

Show the paywall at the right moment

Timing matters. Showing the paywall as soon as the app opens wastes it. Show it when the user wants to play a song. That's the moment of highest intent.

If I could change only one thing

Put all the plans on one screen and add the benefit rows.

Why this over social proof? Users already saw the rating and review count in the App Store before they downloaded the app. They trust it enough already. What they're missing is what they'll actually get.