The save-on-cancel ladder we use (Pause → Discount → Downgrade)
Hey IH — here’s the exact ladder we ship with Cancel Guard (works with Lemon Squeezy; independent).
Principles
• No dark patterns. “Continue to cancel” is always visible.
• Mobile-first, fast, reversible.
Ladder
• Pause: offer a 30–60 day pause to recently active customers.
• Discount: if no pause taken, offer 10–20% off for 3 months.
• Downgrade: offer a lighter “Lite” plan with clear limits.
Copy snippets (steal these)
• “Need a break? Pause—keep access, no charge.”
• “Stay on your current plan with 15% off for 3 months.”
• “Prefer leaner? Switch to Lite—keep your data.”
Want the 1-page checklist? Comment “checklist” for a free Save-on-Cancel PDF—we’ll DM it.
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This is a clean, genuinely helpful ladder, and I appreciate that you’re prioritizing the 'no dark patterns' principle. That's how you protect brand trust.
But as someone who specializes in squeezing conversion out of the tightest funnels, I have to point out where you're leaving money on the floor: the copy's tone is too soft for the moment.
A cancellation page demands Loss Aversion. Your copy currently says, 'Need a break? Pause.' That's a passive suggestion. The copy needs to shift from gentle permission to a sharp reminder of the cost of leaving.
The Rookie Mistake: Focusing on what they gain (a break, a discount).
The Win: Focusing on the exact, measurable outcome they are deleting from their business right now. The copy should highlight the features they actively use and tell them exactly what happens to their data, progress, or team workflow when they click that final button.
We often see the Pause/Discount rate jump 2-3x when the copy changes from 'Need a break?' to something like: 'Confirm you want to delete 6 months of saved data and lose your team's access to [High-Value Feature Name].'
That subtle shift from 'gain' to 'loss' is the secret to maximizing retention at the moment of highest friction. Great work on the ladder itself!
Love this — genuinely appreciate you taking the time to break that down so thoughtfully.
You’re spot on about the loss-aversion angle. We’ve seen the same pattern in other funnels — the more tangible the “what you’re losing” message, the higher the pause/save rate.
For Cancel Guard, we’re trying to balance that with the “no dark patterns” promise. The idea is to make the consequence clear (“you’ll lose access to X reports or data”) without adding emotional pressure or guilt.
We’re experimenting with what we call “ethical loss framing” — clear consequence, no manipulation.
Really appreciate the insight — I might A/B test your suggestion on one of our demo ladders and see what the data says. 🙏
Want the 1-page Save-on-Cancel checklist? Comment “checklist” here and I’ll DM the PDF.