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Jan 21, 2025
Yatrik Raithatha
Let me read this one article, please!
What if accessing articles on big platforms like NYT, Wall Street Journal, or Apple News didn’t mean committing to a full subscription? Imagine unlocking just what you need.
Ever clicked on a juicy headline, only to be met with a subscription paywall?

Yeah, me too! That moment of despair, mixed with the urge to start a free trial you know you're going to forget to cancel, is too real!
I'm not an avid reader, and I imagine many people are the same.

Often, all I need is access to a single article. The idea of subscribing to an entire publication just for one piece of content feels excessive. it's like buying a car when all I need is a ride to the grocery store.

Subscriptions serve a purpose for dedicated news consumers, but there's a clear gap for occasional readers who simply want to access specific information.
Let’s look at some data
Numbers
01
Average cancellation rate for all news publications in the first 24 hours is
8.6%
Numbers
02
A NiemanLab survey, polling 500 people, gives us an insight into the subscriptions people are ditching most.
Numbers
03
Turns out, about a third of people cancel subscriptions for the same reasons I do 😆.
Let's investigate how many people are caught off guard by unexpected charges from "free" trials months later, when they review their credit card statements.
Numbers
04
Forgetting to cancel subscriptions before the billing cycle is a common problem. It's certainly been a problem for me.

(Dad, if you are reading this I am sorry, I am more careful now 🙂).
Source: crresearch
The Problem is real!

It’s a lose-lose situation: Publications miss out on revenue from casual readers, and readers miss out on the stories they care about.
Let’s solve this with
Ridiculous Design
WHAT IF



there was a way to avoid free trials, forgotten renewals, and surprise charges—while still getting the stories you care about?
Introducing Pay-Per-Article:

Instead of forcing users into subscriptions, publications could let readers pay $1 (or a similar micro-fee) to unlock individual articles. No strings attached. No surprise charges.
So, what could go wrong?
1.Designing a Payment Flow That Doesn’t Feel Like a Chore
For casual readers who stumble upon an interesting article, convenience is everything. Asking them to go through a lengthy payment process—like entering card details, creating an account, or verifying emails—just to pay $1 could lead to significant drop-offs. The friction here lies in the low perceived value of $1 compared to the effort required to pay.

Low Motivation:
A single article doesn’t carry the same weight as a subscription, so users may abandon the process if it feels inconvenient or time-consuming.


Mental Cost vs. Financial Cost:
For a low-cost transaction like $1, even a small hassle—like finding your wallet—feels disproportionate to the benefit.
2. Existing Subscribers Might Cancel and Switch to Pay-Per-Article
Introducing Pay-Per-Article could unintentionally cannibalize the subscription model. Current subscribers might realize they don’t read enough to justify their subscription cost and switch to a per-article model instead, potentially reducing long-term revenue.

Perceived Value Shift:
The availability of a $1 option could make subscribers rethink the value of their $10/month subscription. This might also highlight the "guilt" of unused subscriptions.


Loyalty vs. Flexibility:
Subscriptions are built on loyalty, while Pay-Per-Article caters to flexibility. Mixing these models without cannibalizing one is a delicate balance.
3. Publishers May Be Hesitant to Adopt Pay-Per-Article
From the publisher’s perspective, subscriptions provide stable, predictable revenue, while Pay-Per-Article introduces unpredictability. Publishers may fear that this model will dilute their revenue streams, lower overall customer value, or require additional operational complexity.

Revenue Dilution:
If too many users opt for Pay-Per-Article instead of subscribing, publishers could lose high-value, recurring subscription revenue.


Brand Positioning:
Many premium publishers pride themselves on being subscription-first, offering “all-access” content. Pay-Per-Article could dilute this premium positioning and make them seem “cheap.”
Would you pay $1 for a single article?
Takes
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