Monetizing Fundr's SaaS platform with an upgrade paywall system

Monetizing Fundr's SaaS platform with an upgrade paywall system

Monetizing Fundr's SaaS platform with an upgrade paywall system

Monetizing Fundr's SaaS platform with an upgrade paywall system

Expected to streamline the upgrade process and increase Fundr's client base by 5% within the first 6 months

Expected to streamline the upgrade process and increase Fundr's client base by 5% within the first 6 months

Sep - Nov 2023

Sector: Enterprise, SaaS platform

Team: Company CEO, 1 developer

Client: Fundr, stealth startup, USA

My Role: UX/UI Designer, 10 weeks

User group: Investors (VC firms, accelerators, and angel groups)

Impact: Expected to streamline the upgrade process and increase conversion rates by 5% within the first 6 months

Hola hola!

Hola hola!

This is my final prototype

This is my final prototype

Scroll down and see how this upgrade saved Fundr and its users endless hours of work.

Scroll down and see how this upgrade saved Fundr and its users endless hours of work.

Background & problem

Background & problem

Fundr hired me to design a monetization strategy for their app

Fundr hired me to design a monetization strategy for their app

The Fundr team struggled to successfully monetize their app as their strategy involved 1:1 sales calls, which was unscalable.

Users’ main pain point is investing time in the lengthy, manual upgrade process of taking a call and sending emails.

The Fundr team struggled to successfully monetize their app as their strategy involved 1:1 sales calls, which was unscalable.

Users’ main pain point is investing time in the lengthy, manual upgrade process of taking a call and sending emails.

The Fundr team struggled to successfully monetize their app as their strategy involved 1:1 sales calls, which was unscalable.

Users’ main pain point is investing time in the lengthy, manual upgrade process of taking a call and sending emails.

I identified three key shortcomings in this strategy:

I identified 3 key shortcomings with this strategy:

  • 1

    No way to upgrade

    There was no system in place for clients to upgrade on their own.

  • 2

    Complex pricing

    The pricing structure proved to be overly complex for potential clients.

  • 3

    Not enough value

    Users were unmotivated to upgrade as their low-tier plans did not offer enough value.

1

No way to upgrade

There was no system in place for clients to upgrade on their own.

No way to upgrade

There was no system in place for clients to upgrade on their own.

2

Complex pricing

The pricing structure proved to be overly complex for potential clients.

Complex pricing

The pricing structure proved to be overly complex for potential clients.

Complex pricing

The pricing structure proved to be overly complex for potential clients.

Complex pricing

The pricing structure proved to be overly complex for potential clients.

Complex pricing

The pricing structure proved to be overly complex for potential clients.

3

Not enough value

Users were unmotivated to upgrade as their low-tier plans did not offer enough value.

Not enough value

Users were unmotivated to upgrade as their low-tier plans did not offer enough value.

Starting to solve

Starting to solve

Tackling challenge #1: Putting a system in place for users to upgrade

Tackling challenge #1: Putting a system in place for users to upgrade

I designed a paywall system that solved the need for information, social proof, and plan status using undisruptive CTAs. To do this, I mapped out the flow based on a competitor analysis of other SaaS platforms, financial institutions, and sales funnels.


I found out that one of the most common and efficient patterns is to bridge the gap between the CTAs and the conversion point. Based on this, I designed three types of info pages and infographics:

  • A scrollable sales funnel that includes the pricing page.

  • Large pop-ups with info about a specific feature.

  • A Large pop-up that shows available ad-ons for the user's specific account.


I designed a paywall system that solved the need for information, social proof, and plan status using undisruptive CTAs. To do this, I mapped out the flow based on a competitor analysis of other SaaS platforms, financial institutions, and sales funnels.


I found out that one of the most common and efficient patterns is to bridge the gap between the CTAs and the conversion point. Based on this, I designed three types of info pages and infographics:

  • A scrollable sales funnel that includes the pricing page.

  • Large pop-ups with info about a specific feature.

  • A Large pop-up that shows available ad-ons for the user's specific account.


1.

CTA

2.

Content

3.

Conversion

Solution

Solution

Multiple types of CTAs increase the chances of users upgrading

Multiple types of CTAs increase the chances of users upgrading

I designed a static CTA repeated throughout the app; however, research showed that systems with combined methods achieve better results than relying on one type of CTA alone.

Fundr's platform needed CTAs that would be reliable, encouraging, and informative, capturing users' attention at different moments in their journeys.

I selected and designed three types of CTAs:

Collapsible menu: Expanded by default, informing feature status.

Static buttons: Available on every page.

Popup upgrade cards: Appears from triggers, allowing users to continue their work.

Initially, I designed a static CTA repeated throughout the app; however, research showed that systems with combined methods have proven to achieve better results than relying on one type of CTA alone.

Fundr's platform needed CTAs that would be reliable, encouraging, and informative, capturing users' attention at different moments as they use the app.

I selected and designed three types of CTAs:

Collapsible menu: Expanded by default, informing feature status.

Static buttons: Always available on every page.

Popup upgrade cards: Appears from triggers, encouraging users to continue their work.

My design intent was to provide users with a smooth experience while being offered premium features they could take advantage of at any given time.

There are three types of CTA’s in this design:


Collapsible menu: Expanded by default


Static buttons: Always available on every page


Popup upgrade prompts: Appears from triggers

1

2

3

1

2

3

Solution

Solution

From CTA to information

From CTA to information

Users are more likely to convert when they trust and value the product they need.

I added value-based infographics following each CTA, allowing the users to make informed decisions while keeping them from feeling overwhelmed. 

These include:

  • A preview of the premium feature, if relevant, adding visual impact.

  • Feature benefits

  • Social proof

  • Final CTAs to checkout or to view plans in full

Users are more likely to convert when they trust and value the product they need.

I added value-based infographics following each CTA, allowing the users to make informed decisions while keeping them from feeling overwhelmed. 

These include:

  • A preview of the premium feature, if relevant, adding visual impact.

  • Feature benefits

  • Social proof

  • Final CTAs to checkout or to view plans in full

Users are more likely to convert when they trust and value the product they need.

I added value-based infographics following each CTA, allowing the users to make informed decisions while keeping them from feeling overwhelmed. 

These include:

  • A preview of the premium feature, if relevant, adding visual impact.

  • Feature benefits

  • Social proof

  • Final CTAs to checkout or to view plans in full

Infographic: Detailed information about X feature

Infographic: Detailed information about X feature

Solution

Solution

Tackling challenge #2: Designing a more clear, value-based pricing structure

Tackling challenge #2: Designing a more clear, value-based pricing structure

Users were confused about the pricing structure. They had difficulty detecting which plan would offer them the most value.

I designed a simpler pricing page by highlighting the best value offer, showing fees up-front, incentivizing customers to switch to annual plans, and keeping investor and startup plans on separate pages.

Users were confused about the pricing structure. They had difficulty detecting which plan would offer them the most value.

I designed a simpler pricing page by highlighting the best value offer, showing fees up-front, incentivizing customers to switch to annual plans, and keeping investor and startup plans on separate pages.

Users were confused about the pricing structure. They had difficulty detecting which plan would offer them the most value.

I designed a simpler pricing page by highlighting the best value offer, showing fees up-front, incentivizing customers to switch to annual plans, and keeping investor and startup plans on separate pages.

For many SaaS companies, pricing is the most overlooked way to drive growth. But pricing actually affects the bottom line nearly four times over: Monetization has a 12.7% impact on the bottom line compared to the 3.32% bottom-line impact of customer acquisition.


~ Patrick Campbell - Expert in pricing, data, and metric analytics

New pricing page

Highliting CTA

  • Emphasizing "per user"

Highliting CTA

  • Emphasizing "per user"

Highlight one option

  • Helps users decide and see value

Transparency up-front

  • Creating trust in potential clients

Incentivizing plans

  • Long-term savings

Arrow to Startup pricing

  • Separating types of users: Ivestors and starups

Startup pricing

  • Separating types of users: Ivestors and starups

Solution

Solution

Tackling challenge #3: Designing a new low-tier dashboard that offers enough value for users to want to upgrade

Tackling challenge #3: Designing a new low-tier dashboard that offers enough value for users to want to upgrade

Fundr’s original idea was to offer the insights dashboard to high-paying customers; I persuaded them to consider having two types of dashboards:

  1. Basic: Limited and appropriate features that still provide an overall valuable package.

  2. Premium: All advanced features available, more graphs, and more data.

Research shows:

SaaS platform users are more likely to convert when they fully understand the benefits they would receive and have therefore gained trust in the brand.

A free-trial experience has shown to be effective in allowing users to test before they invest.

Fundr’s original idea was to offer the insights dashboard to high-paying customers; I persuaded them to consider having two types of dashboards:

  1. Basic: Limited and appropriate features that still provide an overall valuable package.

  2. Premium: All advanced features available, more graphs, and more data.

Research shows:

SaaS platform users are more likely to convert when they fully understand the benefits they would receive and have therefore gained trust in the brand.

A free-trial experience has shown to be effective in allowing users to test before they invest.

Fundr’s original idea was to offer the insights dashboard to high-paying customers; I persuaded them to consider having two types of dashboards:

  1. Basic: Limited and appropriate features that still provide an overall valuable package.

  2. Premium: All advanced features available, more graphs, and more data.

Research shows:

SaaS platform users are more likely to convert when they fully understand the benefits they would receive and have therefore gained trust in the brand.

A free-trial experience has shown to be effective in allowing users to test before they invest.

Basic dashboard

Premium dashboard

Expected Impact

Expected Impact

We expect users to have a streamlined experience making more informed business decisions

We expect users to have a streamlined experience making more informed business decisions

  • 50% decrease in the need for 1 on 1 sales calls: Sales representatives would be able to allocate more time to onboarding calls.

  • 5% client-base growth in the next 6 months.

  • 40% increase in user satisfaction after surveying users.

  • 50% decrease in the need for 1 on 1 sales calls: Sales representatives would be able to allocate more time to onboarding calls.

  • 5% client-base growth in the next 6 months.

  • 40% increase in user satisfaction after surveying users.

Let's Chat?

torrespoloc@gmail.com

Jackeline Torres © 2024

Designed and built in Framer

Let's Chat?

torrespoloc@gmail.com

Jackeline Torres © 2024

Designed and built in Framer

Let's Chat?

torrespoloc@gmail.com

Jackeline Torres © 2024

Designed and built in Framer

Let's Chat?

torrespoloc@gmail.com

Jackeline Torres © 2024

Let's Chat?

torrespoloc@gmail.com

Jackeline Torres © 2024

Designed and built in Framer

Let's Chat?

torrespoloc@gmail.com

Jackeline Torres © 2024

Designed and built in Framer