Open Paywall Gallery — A public dataset of 1410 iOS app paywalls and onboarding flows for product research.
Analyzed by Sai Pavan Gopularam · Mobile · Data · View on GitHub
- Stars: 781
- Forks: 123
- Commits last 30 days: 10
- Health: Active (10 commits this month)
- Language:
- License: Other
What It Is
Imagine having a curated library of how 1400+ top iOS apps ask users to subscribe. This GitHub repository is exactly that: a public dataset of screenshots, pricing models, and onboarding flows from real-world, high-performing subscription apps.
It solves the problem of guesswork in app monetization. Instead of relying on intuition, app developers, product managers, and designers can study successful paywall strategies to inform their own design, pricing, and growth decisions.
License Verdict
Custom License — Commercial Use Restricted — No Competing Products or Bulk Resale
This dataset comes with a custom license that explicitly forbids using it to build a competing commercial paywall intelligence product, bulk copying, repackaging, or reselling the data. While you can use it for learning, research, and internal product reference with attribution, be very careful not to cross the line into direct competition with PaywallPro. Screenshots are copyrighted by their respective app developers.
How to Use It
This repository is a collection of Markdown files, each representing an app's paywall and onboarding details. To get started, you simply clone the repository to your local machine and navigate through the `apps/` directory, or browse directly on GitHub.
Prerequisites:
- Git
- Web Browser
Estimated setup time: 1 minutes.
git clone https://github.com/paywallpro/paywall-gallery.git
cd paywall-gallery
ls apps/What I'd Build With This
App Paywall Pattern Analyzer for Niche Categories (micro-saas)
Build a tool that lets developers upload their app's paywall screenshots and compares them against patterns found in a *specific, narrow category* from this dataset (e.g., 'meditation apps' or 'budgeting apps'). It could identify common elements, offer design suggestions, and flag deviations, without providing the raw data or competing on broad intelligence. Charge a monthly fee for automated analysis and trend reports.
Effort: 2 Weeks Build Time · Target: Indie iOS App Developers in Niche Markets · Pricing: $39/mo
Paywall Design Inspiration & Template Generator (saas)
Create a web application that allows UX designers to browse paywall *design elements* (not the full paywalls themselves) from the dataset. Users could filter by UI patterns, CTA types, or pricing display methods, then generate design mockups or templates based on these inspirations. The product would focus on design aid, not competitive intelligence, and offer exportable UI kits.
Effort: 1 Month Build Time · Target: UX/UI Designers, Product Teams · Pricing: $99/mo
Custom Paywall Strategy Workshops & Reports (enterprise)
Offer consulting services to larger app companies. Use the dataset as a foundational reference to conduct in-depth workshops and create bespoke reports on paywall best practices, competitor analysis (using publicly available info combined with this dataset's patterns), and monetization strategy. This service sells expertise and analysis, not the raw dataset, adhering to the license by not building a 'competing commercial paywall intelligence product'.
Effort: Ongoing Service · Target: Mid-to-Large Mobile App Studios · Pricing: $5,000+ per project
Sai Pavan Gopularam's Take
This dataset is a goldmine for anyone looking to build or optimize a subscription app. While the license prevents building a direct competitor, the insights are invaluable for informing your own product strategy. I'd consider building a niche tool that helps indie developers validate paywall design choices, potentially generating $500-$1000/month by charging for advanced pattern matching.
Watch Out For
- License Restrictions: The custom license explicitly prohibits using this data to build a competing paywall intelligence product, bulk copying, repackaging, or reselling. This severely limits direct commercialization of the dataset itself.
- Subset of Data: This repository is only a curated public subset of PaywallPro's full database. You won't find historical versions, full screenshot sets, or advanced revenue signals here, which are reserved for the paid platform.
- Copyrighted Screenshots: All screenshots included in the dataset are copyrighted by their respective app developers. You cannot freely use these images for commercial purposes without explicit permission from the original app owners.
- Markdown Format: The data is stored in Markdown files with YAML frontmatter. While machine-readable, you'll need to parse these files to extract structured data programmatically, rather than having a direct API or database access.
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