Paywall the beloved feature? +20% subs awaits

Today's warm-up: Monetization vs. Community Trust (Senior PM · Growth & Monetization)

Growth has plateaued and leadership wants higher ARPU. The proposal: move “Color Grade” — the free, beloved tool at the heart of your photo app — behind Premium. Data says subscriptions jump 20%.

The community manager says users will revolt and review-bomb you into oblivion. The designer calls it a bait-and-switch: add new value to Premium instead of subtracting from Free.

Twenty percent more subscribers — or the trust of the community that got you here? You can't have both. Choose.