Introductory offers are subscription offers Apple and Google make available only to new subscribers of a given product. Once a user has redeemed an intro offer on a subscription, they can never redeem one on the same product again — eligibility is enforced server-side. This is what differentiates intro offers from promotional offers, which target returning users (winback / retention) and have their own redemption mechanics.
Three standard intro-offer formats
- Free trial (e.g., 7 days free, then $9.99/month). The most common format, drives the highest top-of-funnel volume because the user doesn't part with money to try.
- Pay up front (first period at a flat discounted price, e.g., $4.99 first month, then $9.99). Common when an app wants to filter out low-intent trial users and ensure all "trial" starts are at least somewhat committed.
- Pay as you go (first N periods at a discount, e.g., 3 months at 50% off, then full price). Common for annual plans, where the user commits to a longer initial discount window.
Trial-to-paid conversion is the central metric. Industry medians vary by vertical: consumer utilities / productivity 30-50%, entertainment / dating 50-70% (high emotional commitment by trial end), F2P games with subscription tiers 15-30%. Great apps in any vertical land at 60%+. Trial length matters: shorter trials (3-day) increase trial starts but decrease conversion at the price step; longer trials (14-day) do the opposite. 7 days is the modal sweet spot.
Apple's disclosure requirement changes how you write paywall copy: the post-trial price and terms must be clearly disclosed on the paywall (Apple's Auto-Renewable Subscription guidelines). Users who understand the post-trial commitment churn less — vague disclosures lift trial-start rate but tank conversion. Lead with the trial offer, but always show the full subscription terms below it.