How to increase app revenue: Push notifications and targeted messaging

Imagine this: you get 1,000 new downloads… but only a handful convert to paying subscribers. Most apps struggle not because they can’t attract users, but because they fail to guide them at the right moment.

The solution isn’t more downloads. It’s mastering how to speak to the users you already have. With the right push notifications and messages at the right time, you can turn trial users into loyal subscribers, stop churn before it starts, and grow revenue without spending a dollar more on acquisition.

This guide shows you exactly how.

Structure messaging around Day N cohorts

When a user installs your app, they immediately enter a cohort – a group defined by “days since install.”

Tracking and messaging based on user cohorts lets you predict behavior patterns and optimize communication at the exact moments that drive revenue.

Top subscription teams rely on this model:

• Day 0-3 → activation & onboarding
• Day 3-7 → early engagement & value reinforcement
• Day 7-30 → expansion & upselling
• Day 30+ → re-engagement & rescue of at-risk users.

Cohort timing tells you when to act. Messaging is how you convert that moment into revenue.

Day 0-3: Capture user interest early on

The first three days after install are critical. Research indicates that the average app loses 75% of users past Day 1. This initial window is your best opportunity to engage users and demonstrate your app’s value.

1. Personalize onboarding with progressive profiling

Avoid overwhelming new users with extensive forms. Instead, employ progressive profiling: collect essential information upfront and request additional details as users continue to engage. 

MoneyCoach prompts users to input basic financial goals initially, gradually introducing more detailed options as they navigate the app.

2. Utilize geo or device-based dynamic content

Tailor onboarding experiences and initial push notifications based on the user’s location, language, or device type. 

For example, display region-specific promotions or adjust onboarding flows according to the user’s time zone. Such personalization can enhance user engagement from the outset.

3. Encourage сompletion of account setup

Guide users through onboarding checklists, push notifications, or in-app prompts to encourage profile completion, service connections, or preference settings. Data shows that users who complete their account setup are twice as likely to engage with push notifications and remain active in your app. 

Shortly after installation, send targeted push notifications to users who haven’t completed key onboarding steps. For instance: 

Timing is crucial – ensure these messages are sent while user intent remains high.

4. Continuously A/B test your paywalls

Your paywalls are the highest-impact screens in your app. Small changes can dramatically affect conversion rates. Test different layouts, messaging, and visual elements to find what drives users to convert.

ABBYY FineReader used Adapty’s A/B testing tools to compare two paywall versions:

1. A simple layout with only plan pricing
2. A detailed version featuring key benefits, visual icons, and a bold discount badge on the annual plan

The richer, more informative version generated a 58.5% increase in annual subscription revenue.

Day 3-7: Reinforce value and drive subscriptions

By Day 3, users have either decided to stick or they’re one step from disappearing. This window is your best shot to turn browsers into buyers. 

1. Engage users with behavior-based value push notifications

Track what users actually do, then send personalized push notifications. Data shows that personalized push notifications can increase open rates by up to 2x compared to generic messages. 

For example, if a user has opened your budget tracker three times in the past week, you can automatically send them a targeted push similar to:

This level of personalization feels helpful, not intrusive, and encourages the user to take the next step. You don’t need to manage this manually. With behavioral triggers, these campaigns run automatically based on real-time user activity.

2. Chase abandoned subscriptions

Target users who opened your subscription screen but didn’t complete their purchase. These users have already shown intent – they’re interested but not yet convinced. You’re often just one message away from converting them.

The right push notification, sent at the right time, can close the gap. Emotional or urgency-based messages work especially well in this scenario. A push like this can prompt a user to act before the offer disappears.

Notice the push uses a question? This simple trick can improve CTR by up to 20% because it invites the user to re-engage, reflect on their hesitation, and take the final step toward action – subscription.

3. Rescue trial users before they quit

Most apps lose trial users when the free period ends, but you can step in before they disappear.

Offer them an extended trial to give them more time to experience premium features, or remind them of what they’ll lose if they leave. A well-timed push notification works especially well in this case.

For example:

The best way to trigger these messages is by segmenting users by when their trial began.

Apps that implement intent-based segmentation see up to 10x higher push notification engagement rates. This makes pre-expiry outreach one of the most powerful retention tactics for subscription apps.

Day 7-30: Turn engaged users into subscribers 

Users who remain engaged beyond Day 7 are primed for upsell. With the right combination of push notifications, in-app offers, and flexible plan options, this phase becomes the turning point for revenue growth.

1. Tactics to encourage upgrades

Giving users the option to personalize their experience – whether through app themes, color palettes, custom dashboards, or display settings – creates emotional investment. Users who have customized their app are far more likely to stick around and upgrade to premium plans to keep their personalized experience intact.

Beyond emotional investment, many subscription apps focus on micro-targeted upgrades that feel like personal offers. One highly effective tactic is to offer exclusive access to new features via deep links or promo codes. For example, a fitness app could send a personalized push like:

When the user taps, they’re taken directly to a hidden in-app upgrade screen featuring the new premium feature. This creates a feeling of VIP treatment and significantly increases conversion rates.

2. Drive revenue with in-app messages

A timely in-app message can explain the extra value users will enjoy with a premium subscription or appeal to their fear of missing out. As a result, users may feel motivated to upgrade.

Lightroom, for example, prompts upgrading in a series of in-app messages highlighting the app’s premium features:

3. Offer flexible subscription tiers

Capture more customers who may be willing to upgrade in smaller steps.

The wellness app Prosto implemented this successfully. Their original paywall only offered monthly and yearly plans. After testing, they introduced a 6-month plan as an easier entry point for cautious buyers. This small but thoughtful addition expanded their addressable market and encouraged upgrades from users who were hesitant to lock into longer commitments.

Introducing non-standard plans – such as quarterly or half-year tiers – can meaningfully increase ARPU across mobile subscription apps.

4. Boost revenue with referral programs

One of the simplest ways to multiply revenue is to turn satisfied users into brand ambassadors. 

A notable case is the mobile app Flip, a free social video platform dedicated to shopping. To go viral, Flip implemented a referral program that offered users up to $150 in gift cards for new referrals who made purchases. The reward has since been adjusted to $35. This strategy propelled Flip into the top 25 most popular free U.S. shopping apps on iPhone.

By integrating such referral mechanisms, subscription apps can harness the power of word-of-mouth marketing, leading to increased engagement and revenue growth.

Day 30+: Extend re-engagement

Encourage paying users to invest in more expensive plans

Move monthly subscribers into longer-term plans. The wellness app VOS executed this strategy effectively. They targeted highly engaged monthly users with personalized automated messages. 

The push linked directly to an in-app offer packed with premium benefits such as unlimited journal prompts, mental wellbeing analytics, and direct access to experts. VOS reinforced the offer with recognizable media trust badges from Forbes and CNN to increase credibility and urgency. 

Recover users lost to failed payment attempts

Payment failure is one of the most preventable causes of churn. Yet many apps fail to act quickly when a recurring payment is declined. The fix is straightforward: send payment failure alerts with an immediate retry option.

The message should also emphasize what the user will lose if the subscription is canceled:

This approach not only recovers failed payments but also reinforces the perceived value of staying subscribed.

Fight voluntary churn through emails

When a customer actively cancels, email becomes your best opportunity to keep the conversation going. A well-structured email can uncover the reason for leaving and offer just enough incentive to change the user’s mind.

LastPass provides a strong example. When a user initiates cancellation, they send a detailed email combining personal support with a retention offer. The message acknowledges the cancellation request but then offers to help resolve any technical or billing issues. It also provides a 15% discount as a loyalty token to encourage the user to reconsider:

“As a token of our appreciation for your loyalty, we’d like to offer you a 15% special discount on your subscription.”

The email even proactively requests information to speed up the refund process if the customer insists on leaving: “If you still want a refund, I will appreciate it if you can provide the last 4 digits of your card and the expiration date.”

This strategy works on two levels: it shows personal attention and introduces an immediate financial incentive to stay. Offering personalized discounts or special deals at the point of cancellation is an effective way to reduce churn and reinforce loyalty.

Transform user behavior into predictable subscription revenue

Every message you send is an opportunity to connect. With Pushwoosh and Adapty working together, you don’t have to choose between engagement and monetization. Pushwoosh handles real-time, personalized messaging. Adapty manages your subscription logic, payments, and experiments. It’s one connected system built to keep your users active and paying.

You’ve seen what works. Now it’s time to put it to work. 

Author:

Elena Montoya
Head of Marketing at Pushwoosh – an omnichannel customer engagement platform that helps app businesses turn user data into high-converting messaging campaigns and drive revenue at scale.