Paywall Design Patterns
A collection of production-tested paywall layouts that convert. Every pattern includes the psychology behind it, when to use it, and the exact Tailwind markup to ship it.
The Feature Gate
Show a blurred preview of premium content with a clear CTA overlay. Users see exactly what they are missing. Best for content-heavy products where the value is self-evident after a few seconds of scanning.
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Unlock — $9/moThe Hard Wall
No preview. A full-page takeover that explains the value proposition before asking for payment. Use when the free tier is generous enough that users already trust you.
This feature is available on Pro and above.
View plansThe Metered Drip
Give away a fixed number of premium actions per month. The counter itself becomes a retention hook. Ideal for API products and tools where usage correlates with willingness to pay.
Pro tip: The best paywall is the one the user barely notices. Gate the moment of peak curiosity — not the first click. Instrument every wall with anonymous conversion tracking so you can A/B test placement without guessing.