Introductory offers by leading news brands are proven to be an effective way to grow revenue and units quickly, without sacrificing retention. This strategy is extremely effective when part of a strong, holistic lifecycle strategy that considers dynamic audiences, former subscribers and subscribers at risk for cancellation.

The International News Media Association (INMA) recently published the "6 core motivations for subscribing to news," the latest in a long line of research that confirms that price is a key motivator of convincing users to subscribe.

With price being such a distinct motivator and introductory offers proven to grow subscribers and revenue, we recommend low introductory prices on paywalls, focusing on a $1 price point. These offers should automatically renew to higher monthly rates after the trial period.

This approach attracts new subscribers at scale while building a foundation for sustained revenue growth.

What the research says

Low-cost trials are driving high-value growth

Research from the International News Media Association (INMA) confirms that many top-performing publishers are leaning into steep introductory offers. 

The Boston Globe and The New York Times are among those using trial periods like "$1 for 6 months," followed by a regular price of $20–$30 per month. This strategy balances acquisition and retention by increasing subscriber volume quickly, and giving the publisher a runway to building a lasting habit through the trial period.

"...The long and discounted trial in the end generated the highest revenue, attracting many more customers than the baseline offer and retaining them at a higher rate to the new, full price."

Successful publishers measure LTV

Subscribers who come in on a low trial price tend to retain at similar volumes long term. Aggressive introductory pricing improves the lifetime value (LTV) of a subscriber by combining a strong front-end conversion with long-term billing at full price. 

According to Mather Economics, the key is not the short-term discount, but the automatic step-up to a sustainable monthly rate.

The Boston Globe's $1 experiment proved the model works

Back in 2019, The Boston Globe ran a one-day experiment offering 6 months for $1 and acquired 1,728 new subscribers in just 24 hours. That was nearly ten times more than their usual daily acquisition. Even more impressive, these subscribers were just as likely to renew as those who came in on higher-priced offers. 

The Globe later expanded this model, shifting more than 80% of their new digital starts to 6- or 9-month introductory offers, maximizing revenue without compromising retention. 

In the years since, major news publishers have rigorously tested aggressive offers and landed on this strategy. In 2023, 80% of news publishers were offering promotional pricing, according to Nieman Lab and Toolkits.

Recommendations from BLOX Digital

Based on industry research and performance data from BLOX Audience+ sites, we recommend the following:

• Use $1 introductory pricing to encourage new subscribers to convert. $1 for 3 months is a great starting point, but you can also try $1 per month during the trial, and experiment with different introductory periods.
• Auto-renew into a sustainable monthly rate (e.g., $10 to $30/month).
• Use the BLOX Audience+ dynamic metering and personalization tools to tailor offers to different segments of your audience.
• For Former subscribers, offer win-back promotions such as a low annual rate or a shorter, higher-priced trial. These should differ from first-time offers for tracking purposes, and to discourage abuse.

This strategy is simple, scalable, and sustainable. It brings in new readers while laying the groundwork for long-term reader revenue.

What about free trials, micropayments, and day passes?

Free trials may seem like a low-risk way to get readers in the door, but the data tells a different story. Retention rates for free trial users are significantly lower than those who pay even a small amount upfront. A paid introductory price of even $1 signals commitment—and it works.

Micropayments and day passes also tend to underperform in driving recurring revenue. While they can be appealing to users, they rarely convert casual readers into loyal subscribers. Most studies show that they generate less long-term value compared to subscription models. In fact, many publishers who tested micropayments found little to no upside in total revenue.

That doesn’t mean these tools have no value. Used strategically, micropayments, day passes, and free access can be great for monetizing audiences who are unlikely to subscribe, such as occasional international visitors or one-time article sharers. 

But for the majority of your audience, a low-cost trial that leads into a full subscription is still the most effective path to sustainable growth.

What about save offers?

Retaining an existing subscriber is always more cost-effective than acquiring a new one. That’s why stop-save offers are essential, especially when embedded in the self-serve cancellation flow. By presenting canceling subscribers with a special price or alternative plan, you can often recover the relationship before it’s lost.

Performance data shows that offering a discount or incentive at the moment of cancellation increases the likelihood of keeping that subscriber active. Even if the save offer is lower than their current rate, it still generates more lifetime revenue than losing the customer entirely and later paying to win them back through paid marketing or promotions.

At BLOX Digital, we recommend using automated save offers as part of your churn reduction strategy. These offers should be targeted, tested, and timed thoughtfully to maximize retention and protect your recurring revenue.

Looking for more strategies to increase reader revenue and digital subscriptions? Check out our strategies to drive results and set your subscription business on a path to success in 2025.