Monetization Strategy

End-to-end monetization guidance for Apple platform apps — from "should I charge?" to "here's your pricing page structure."

When This Skill Activates

Use this skill when the user:

Asks "should I monetize my app?" or "is my app ready to charge?"
Wants help choosing between freemium, subscription, or one-time purchase
Needs pricing tier recommendations
Asks about free trial strategy
Wants to plan monetization for a specific app type (kids, therapy, productivity, etc.)
Mentions "pricing", "revenue model", or "how to make money from my app"
Wants to understand Apple's commission structure

Process

Phase 1: Readiness Assessment

Before recommending a pricing model, evaluate whether the app is ready to monetize. Ask these questions via AskUserQuestion:

1. App Stage

Pre-launch (idea/prototype)
Beta / TestFlight
Live with users (< 1K)
Live with traction (1K+ users)

2. Value Proposition

What problem does your app solve?
Who is the target user?
What alternatives exist (including doing nothing)?

3. Current State

Do you have active users?
What's your retention like? (Day 1, Day 7, Day 30)
Are users asking for features / willing to pay?

Readiness Scorecard

Evaluate against these criteria:

Signal	Ready	Not Ready
Core value	Clear, differentiated	Still finding product-market fit
User retention	D7 > 20%	D7 < 10%
User feedback	"I'd pay for this"	Silence or complaints
Feature depth	Enough for free + paid split	Everything feels essential
Competition	You offer something unique	Commodity feature set
Polish	Professional quality	Rough edges everywhere

Recommendation thresholds:

5-6 Ready signals → Monetize now
3-4 Ready signals → Soft-launch pricing (low price, gather data)
0-2 Ready signals → Focus on product first, monetize later

Phase 2: Pricing Model Selection

Based on app type and user behavior, recommend the right model.

Decision Framework

Is the app used daily/weekly?
├── YES → Does it provide ongoing value?
│   ├── YES → SUBSCRIPTION
│   └── NO → ONE-TIME PURCHASE (with optional tip jar)
└── NO → Is it a utility/tool?
    ├── YES → ONE-TIME PURCHASE or FREEMIUM
    └── NO → Is it content-based?
        ├── YES → SUBSCRIPTION or CONSUMABLE IAP
        └── NO → FREEMIUM with premium unlock

Model Comparison

Read pricing-models.md for detailed comparison of each model:

Subscriptions (auto-renewable)
One-time purchase (paid upfront or freemium unlock)
Consumable IAP (credits, tokens)
Non-consumable IAP (feature unlock)
Tip jar / patronage
Ad-supported with premium upgrade

App-Type Recommendations

Read app-type-guides.md for specific guidance by app category:

Productivity / task management
Health / therapy / wellness
Kids / education
Creative tools
Social / community
Developer tools
Finance / budgeting

Phase 3: Tier Structure

Once a model is selected, design the tier structure.

Subscription Tiers (if applicable)

Two-tier structure (recommended for most indie apps):

FREE                    PRO ($X.99/mo or $XX.99/yr)
─────────────────────   ─────────────────────────────
Core functionality      Everything in Free
Limited usage/storage   Unlimited usage
Basic features          Advanced features
                        Priority support (optional)
                        Early access to new features

Three-tier structure (for apps with clear user segments):

FREE          PLUS ($X.99/mo)     PRO ($XX.99/mo)
────────────  ──────────────────  ──────────────────
Basic use     Power user          Professional/team
Ads/limits    No ads, more quota  Unlimited + extras

Pricing Psychology

Anchor pricing: Show yearly first to make monthly look expensive
Price ending: Use .99 for < $10, round numbers for premium ($19, $29)
Yearly discount: 15-40% off monthly equivalent (sweet spot: ~30%)
Decoy effect: Three tiers where middle looks like best value
Regional pricing: Use App Store price tiers for automatic localization

Free vs. Paid Feature Split

The hardest decision. Follow these principles:

Free tier should:

Demonstrate the core value proposition
Be genuinely useful (not a crippled demo)
Create natural upgrade moments ("you've hit the limit")
Let users invest time/data before hitting the paywall

Paid tier should:

Unlock power/convenience, not basic functionality
Feel like "more of what you love" not "removing annoyances"
Include at least one "hero feature" worth paying for alone

❌ Bad splits:

Free: Can view data → Paid: Can edit data (feels hostile)
Free: 3-day trial → Paid: Everything (no ongoing free value)
Free: Everything → Paid: Remove ads (weak value prop)

✅ Good splits:

Free: 5 projects → Paid: Unlimited projects + templates
Free: Basic tracking → Paid: Insights, trends, export
Free: Single device → Paid: Sync across devices + widgets

Phase 4: Free Trial Strategy

Trial Types

Type	Best For	Apple Support
Introductory offer (free)	Subscriptions	Built-in via App Store
Introductory offer (discounted)	High-value subscriptions	Built-in via App Store
Feature-limited free tier	Freemium apps	N/A (your logic)
Time-limited full access	Productivity apps	Built-in via App Store

Trial Duration Recommendations

App Type	Trial Length	Reason
Daily-use productivity	7 days	Quick to see value
Health/fitness tracking	14 days	Need time to build habit
Creative tools	7 days	One project cycle
Business/professional	14-30 days	Need to integrate into workflow
Education/learning	7 days	One learning cycle

Trial Conversion Tactics

Onboard to premium features during trial (not free features)
Show "trial ending" reminder 2-3 days before expiration
Highlight value received ("You tracked 47 workouts this month")
Offer annual option at trial end (bigger commitment but better price)
Win-back offer if they don't convert (promotional offer after 30 days)

Phase 5: Implementation Guidance

After strategy is set, guide implementation.

Apple Commission Structure

Scenario	Apple's Cut	You Keep
Standard (Year 1)	30%	70%
After Year 1 of subscription	15%	85%
Small Business Program (< $1M/yr)	15%	85%
Small Business + Year 2 subscription	15%	85%

Important: Revenue calculations should always account for Apple's cut. A $9.99/mo subscription with Small Business Program = ~$8.49/mo to you.

StoreKit 2 Implementation

For code generation, refer users to the paywall-generator skill:

Use the paywall-generator skill to create:
- StoreKit 2 subscription management
- Paywall UI (SwiftUI)
- Receipt validation
- Subscription status tracking

Paywall UI Patterns (HIG-Compliant)

Do:

Show feature comparison (free vs. paid)
Display price per period clearly
Highlight savings on annual plan
Include "Restore Purchases" button
Show terms of service and privacy policy links
Use system subscription views where available (iOS 18.4+)

Don't:

Block the app immediately on launch
Use dark patterns (hidden close button, confusing language)
Make it hard to dismiss the paywall
Misrepresent subscription terms
Auto-select the most expensive option

App Store Review Guidelines (Monetization)

Key rules to follow:

3.1.1: In-app purchase required for digital content/features
3.1.2: Subscriptions must provide ongoing value
3.1.3: "Reader" apps can link to web for account management
3.2.2: Unacceptable business models (bait-and-switch, etc.)
5.6: Developer Code of Conduct (no manipulative tactics)

Output Format

Present monetization strategy as:

# Monetization Strategy: [App Name]

## Readiness Assessment
**Score**: X/6 — [Ready to monetize / Soft-launch / Focus on product]

| Signal | Status | Notes |
|--------|--------|-------|
| Core value | ✅/❌ | ... |
| Retention | ✅/❌ | ... |
| User demand | ✅/❌ | ... |
| Feature depth | ✅/❌ | ... |
| Differentiation | ✅/❌ | ... |
| Polish | ✅/❌ | ... |

## Recommended Model
**[Model Name]** — [One-line rationale]

## Tier Structure

| Feature | Free | Pro ($X.99/mo) |
|---------|------|-----------------|
| ... | ✅ | ✅ |
| ... | Limited | Unlimited |
| ... | ❌ | ✅ |

**Annual pricing**: $XX.99/yr (XX% savings)

## Free Trial
**Type**: [Introductory offer / Feature-limited / etc.]
**Duration**: [X days]
**Conversion tactics**: [Bullet list]

## Revenue Projections (Conservative)

| Metric | Estimate |
|--------|----------|
| Monthly price | $X.99 |
| Annual price | $XX.99 |
| Conversion rate (free→paid) | X-X% |
| Revenue per 1K MAU | $XXX-$XXX/mo |

## Implementation Checklist
- [ ] Configure products in App Store Connect
- [ ] Implement StoreKit 2 (use paywall-generator skill)
- [ ] Design paywall UI
- [ ] Set up introductory offers
- [ ] Add analytics for conversion tracking
- [ ] Test with StoreKit Configuration file
- [ ] Submit for review

## Next Steps
1. [First action item]
2. [Second action item]
3. [Third action item]

References

pricing-models.md — Detailed comparison of all pricing models
app-type-guides.md — Category-specific monetization recommendations
paywall-generator skill — For StoreKit 2 code generation
app-store skill — For App Store description optimization
Apple App Store Review Guidelines §3 (Business)
Apple StoreKit 2 documentation