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Latest News & Insights
The Behavioural Economics of Subscription Monetization
Subscriptions live and die on behaviour, not features. Last week at Appsforum San Francisco, Daniel Saxon, Senior Product Manager for Subscriber Acquisition at CNN, explained how small quirks in human psychology shape conversion, average revenue per user (ARPU) and retention, and how product teams can use them. The subscription page that shouldn’t have worked Saxon opened with a well-known experiment built on an old Economist subscription page. Students were shown two options
5 hours ago
Blueprint for Global Expansion: What Babbel Learned Scaling Across Markets
Julie Hansen, Chief Revenue Officer & US CEO at Babbel, opened the morning with a candid look at what it really takes to grow internationally – and why the details you'd never think to test are often the ones that matter most. Babbel did global expansion backwards. Most consumer software companies start in the US and push outwards; Babbel started in Berlin nearly 20 years ago and had to find its way into America. "There are not that many software companies that are successful
Oct 26
What Locked Chats Tell Us About Privacy UX
People now tell AI assistants things they wouldn't tell a search bar. Health worries, money stress, a job hunt their boss doesn't know about. The chat history has quietly become a diary. OpenAI's new locked chats feature is an admission of that. It lets users tuck chosen conversations behind a 4-digit PIN or Face ID, out of the main history and search. On the surface it's a small settings toggle. Underneath, it's a useful case study for anyone building apps that hold personal
Oct 22
User Acquisition
Why Revolut Bundles Duolingo: The Economics of Subscription Partnerships
Bundling Super Duolingo into Revolut's paid plans works for both sides because the cost is low and the payoff is retention. Revolut gets a perk that makes its subscription harder to cancel. Duolingo gets paid distribution to users it might never have converted on its own. For app marketers, this is a useful case study. Partner bundles are increasingly how subscription apps reach new audiences without paying full acquisition costs. Here is how the economics most likely work, b
The Web2App Blueprint: Why Web Funnels Are More Than a Way Around the App Store
Web funnels aren’t just a way around the App Store fee. Learn how to build a web-to-app funnel that turns interest into intent and converts.
The real cost of a churned user in a high-CPI world
For years, mobile growth has been built around a simple equation: acquire users, convert them and keep the funnel moving. But as customer acquisition costs continue to put pressure on app businesses, there is a growing realisation that the most expensive user might not be the one you fail to acquire, it could be the one you acquire and then lose. When every install comes at a cost, churn has consequences far beyond a shrinking user count. Acquisition doesn't end at the instal
Appsforum London 2026: That’s a Wrap
And just like that, Appsforum London 2026 has come to an end! Over two packed days, senior app growth and revenue leaders came together to tackle the challenges shaping one of the world’s most competitive mobile markets. With 500+ app developers, publishers, marketers and industry experts and 60+ leading speakers, there was plenty of opportunity to learn, connect and share what’s really working in the world of apps. Two days focused on sustainable growth This year’s conversat
The Conversations Shaping Appsforum London
The app industry is moving fast. User expectations are changing, acquisition is becoming increasingly competitive, and new technologies are creating opportunities while raising just as many questions. As the industry comes together at Appsforum London on 7–8 September, these are some of the conversations likely to be at the heart of the event. Where does sustainable app growth come from now? Growth has never been straightforward, but the traditional playbook is becoming harde
Appsforum London: The AI Sessions That Go Beyond the Usual Conversation
AI is everywhere and something that is becoming increasingly prominent within the apps industry. As the conversation develops, however, the questions facing leaders are becoming more difficult and more important. It is no longer enough to ask “How can we use AI?” The real questions are: Are we building what users actually need? Is AI creating genuine value? And what happens to the app itself when AI starts changing how people discover, choose and use products? At Appsforum Lo
Monetization
The Behavioural Economics of Subscription Monetization
Subscriptions live and die on behaviour, not features. Last week at Appsforum San Francisco, Daniel Saxon, Senior Product Manager for Subscriber Acquisition at CNN, explained how small quirks in human psychology shape conversion, average revenue per user (ARPU) and retention, and how product teams can use them. The subscription page that shouldn’t have worked Saxon opened with a well-known experiment built on an old Economist subscription page. Students were shown two options
Why Revolut Bundles Duolingo: The Economics of Subscription Partnerships
Bundling Super Duolingo into Revolut's paid plans works for both sides because the cost is low and the payoff is retention. Revolut gets a perk that makes its subscription harder to cancel. Duolingo gets paid distribution to users it might never have converted on its own. For app marketers, this is a useful case study. Partner bundles are increasingly how subscription apps reach new audiences without paying full acquisition costs. Here is how the economics most likely work, b
Appsforum London 2026: That’s a Wrap
And just like that, Appsforum London 2026 has come to an end! Over two packed days, senior app growth and revenue leaders came together to tackle the challenges shaping one of the world’s most competitive mobile markets. With 500+ app developers, publishers, marketers and industry experts and 60+ leading speakers, there was plenty of opportunity to learn, connect and share what’s really working in the world of apps. Two days focused on sustainable growth This year’s conversat
The Conversations Shaping Appsforum London
The app industry is moving fast. User expectations are changing, acquisition is becoming increasingly competitive, and new technologies are creating opportunities while raising just as many questions. As the industry comes together at Appsforum London on 7–8 September, these are some of the conversations likely to be at the heart of the event. Where does sustainable app growth come from now? Growth has never been straightforward, but the traditional playbook is becoming harde
Web2App Funnels in 2026: Where the Leaks Are and How to Find Them
Web2App funnels are becoming an increasingly important part of mobile growth. Instead of sending users straight from an ad to the App Store, brands can use the web to build intent, personalise the experience and qualify users before asking them to install. But every extra step creates another opportunity for users to drop off. In 2026, the challenge isn't simply getting users into the app. It's understanding where intent disappears between the first click and revenue. Where a
Subscription fatigue is real. Here's how the best paywalls are evolving
It is safe to say that consumers are now feeling the weight of subscriptions. From streaming services and fitness apps to productivity tools and mobile games, default payments have become the standard business model for digital products. However, the cost of living is increasing and many people are watching their monthly spend. Consumers are becoming more selective about where they spend their money and as a result, subscription fatigue is becoming one of the biggest problem
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