Hard Paywall vs. Soft Paywall: Which Yields Higher Conversion Rates?

Hard paywalls show a 10.7% conversion rate versus 2.1–3.5% for soft paywalls, but this gap reflects survivorship bias—hard paywalls filter out 90% of users, leaving only high-intent visitors. Hard paywall users generate 8x more revenue per install and 21% higher lifetime value, yet soft paywalls better serve products requiring habit formation. The key strategic question is not which paywall converts higher, but which fits the product's context and user journey.