How a major national news network used a unified paywall and in-app subscriptions to unlock a new revenue stream across mobile platforms without compromising user experience.
more content per session consumed
crash free rate during purchase flows
The client a major national news and broadcast brand needed to implement a digital subscription model on their news platforms to diversify revenue. Advertising-only monetization was plateauing, and competitors were successfully converting loyal readers into subscribers. The challenge was to introduce a cross-platform paywall on iOS and Android apps (and beyond) seamlessly, without alienating users familiar to free content. They faced tight timelines and the complexity of integrating with existing account systems and app store purchase rules, all while ensuring a smooth reading experience for both free and paying users.
Our team stood up a dedicated Subscriptions Pod spanning iOS, Android, and backend services to deliver a unified paywall experience. Working in agile sprints, developers and UX designers collaborated to build a seamless in-app paywall flow: after a user’s free article limit, a native prompt invites them to subscribe, then handles purchase securely via Apple or Google in-app payments. We engineered the system to be consistent across platforms, using native SDKs on each to optimize performance. The paywall was tailored to match the app’s look and feel, with intuitive messaging that highlighted value (e.g. exclusive content access) rather than disruption. Under the hood, a shared subscription validation service was implemented to sync user entitlements across devices. Rigorous QA and A/B testing were conducted to fine-tune the balance between free sampling and the subscription prompt timing. The result was a frictionless subscription UX that preserved engagement: users could preview content and subscribe within seconds, and returning subscribers were recognized instantly on any device.
“Grandview replaced our legacy vendor and delivered 30% faster.”
-CNN Digital Leadership Team
New revenue channel unlocked:
Launched digital subscriptions on mobile, converting thousands of loyal readers into paying subscribers within the first weeks.
Simultaneous cross-platform release:
Rolled out the paywall on iOS and Android to millions of users at once, ensuring a consistent experience and broad adoption from day one.
High conversion & retention:
Early data showed subscribers view 2× more content per session than free users, indicating higher engagement and retention among the paying audience.
Stable, compliant launch:
Achieved a 99.9% crash free rate during purchase flows at launch and met all App Store/Play Store compliance requirements, a testament to thorough testing and quality engineering.
Let's discuss how we can replicate this success for your organization.
