# 10-second video preview before the paywall beat an instant paywall

- Outcome: Won
- Page type: Paywall (App)
- Elements: Paywall design, Paywall timing
- Test run by: [Kovalee](https://liftarchive.com/practitioners/kovalee/)
- Commentary by: LiftArchive (our analysis, not theirs)
- Original source: https://www.kovalee.app/blog/a-b-testing-for-mobile-apps-what-it-is-and-how-we-use-it-to-boost-conversion-rates
- Page: https://liftarchive.com/test/peptalk-10-second-video-preview-paywall/

Letting free users watch the first 10 seconds of a premium video before the paywall appeared gave PepTalk its best paywall conversion in a three-way test. No numbers were shared. Kovalee, an app growth partner, ran the test on PepTalk, a motivational video app, and published it on the Kovalee blog.

## Result

**Variant B beat variant A clearly; both trended above control**

- Paywall conversion: variant B (10-second preview) beat variant A clearly, per Kovalee. No figures were given.
- Both variants trended above the control after the first week.
- Kovalee says the premium-video paywall now converts in line with the app's other paywalls after rolling out variant B.

## Control

Tapping a premium video opened a paywall right away, telling free users they needed premium to watch it.

## Variant

Variant B played the video for 10 seconds, then showed a paywall saying "get premium to continue watching". A second variant (A) added a detail screen with an "unlock" button before the paywall.

## Why it likely won (our reading)

- Ten seconds shows the quality of the content, so users know what they would pay for.
- Stopping mid-video creates a moment where the user wants to keep watching, which makes the offer more relevant.
- The detail screen (variant A) added a step without showing the content itself, which may be why it trailed.

## Caveats

No conversion figures or significance were shared, and it was published by the agency that ran it. The test ran two weeks, starting at 15/15/70 (variants/control) and moving to 33% each after week one.

## How to run this test

- Hypothesis: If we let free users preview the first seconds of premium content before the paywall, then paywall conversion will rise, because users see the value and want to continue.
- Primary metric: Paywall conversion on premium-content taps
- Guardrail: Trial-to-paid conversion
- Guardrail: Free-user retention
- Guardrail: Refund rate
- Who should test it: Content apps (video, audio, courses) where a short sample shows quality. It fits less well when the value comes in the first seconds and a preview gives it away.

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Credit: Kovalee ran this test and owns the result. Summary and commentary by LiftArchive (https://liftarchive.com/test/peptalk-10-second-video-preview-paywall/).
Usage: Free to use, quote and build on, with credit and a link: name the practitioner or organization that ran the test and link to its LiftArchive page. The results belong to the practitioners who ran and shared them; the summaries and commentary are LiftArchive's.