Seasons Journaling v1.11 - Subscription Paywall!
by Matt LiThis is a pretty significant milestone, as the foundation for the app's revenue model is now in place. I've heard many say they are in favor of implementing a revenue model from day 1, but as the only one coding, a lot of work had to be put into just building the core journaling features. How can you charge without providing value? In many ways, I still feel as the app is pre-launch. I released the app as soon as I had something functional and collected data and feedback along the way, a decision I will always stand by.
I held off multiple times from prioritizing the paywall. While there is still a ton of uncertainty (pricing, length of subscription period, free trial, what features to put behind it, etc), I feel like the app now (barely) provides enough value to justify a paid experience. The paywall appears when users try to create more than one journal and it unlocks all the customization options that until now could only be bought a la carte.
What's next?
UI updates including transitioning to a tabbed navigation, updating the way a journal is displayed, and revisiting the general brand aesthetic to highlight the ability to visually customize journals.
Feature-wise, first, I want to implement offline journaling (it's been on the back of my mind for a while). Not the most glamorous feature, but needs to be done. Second is TBD and will fit into the new tab navigation and live behind the paywall.
Oh, and some long overdue website updates...
When it's all said and done, I think the app will be ready for a real launch :)
