The best paywall platforms for mobile apps in 2026
RevenueCat, Superwall, Adapty, Qonversion, Apphud and BillDog compared on rendering, billing backend, experimentation, what else is included, and published pricing — including where each one beats the others.
A paywall platform does two jobs: it shows the paywall (design, copy, price tests) and it records the purchase (receipt validation, entitlements, renewals, refunds). Some products here started on one side and grew into the other, which is why they feel different in practice even when their feature lists look alike.
RevenueCat started as the billing backend and added a paywall builder. Superwall started as the paywall and experimentation layer and added entitlements. Adapty, Qonversion and Apphud are backends with builders of varying depth. BillDog is a backend and builder that also carries product analytics, messaging and surveys.
We build one of the platforms below, so read the framing with that in mind. Where another platform is the better answer, it says so — and for several common situations it is.
How to choose between them
Do you need native or web-rendered paywalls?
RevenueCat, Adapty, Qonversion and Apphud render natively. Superwall renders through web technology, which buys editor flexibility (Custom CSS). BillDog renders both, chosen per paywall.
How much paywall experimentation will you run?
If you test paywalls weekly, Superwall's editor and A/B testing lead the category. If you test a few prices a quarter, every option here is enough.
Are you buying analytics and messaging separately?
A paywall tool plus Mixpanel or Amplitude plus OneSignal or Braze means three SDKs and three copies of each user. BillDog replaces those; the others assume you keep them.
Which pricing meter suits your revenue?
Most charge a percentage of all tracked revenue; Superwall charges on revenue attributed to its paywalls; Apphud uses a base fee plus steps. Run your own numbers — headline rates alone mislead.
At a glance
| Platform | Known for | Paywall rendering | Also includes | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueCat | Most proven billing backend | Native | Revenue reporting, experiments | Free < $2,500 MTR, then 1% |
| Superwall | Deepest paywall editor and A/B testing | Web / HTML | Entitlements, revenue analytics | Free < $10,000 attributed, then 1% |
| Adapty | Native builder + revenue A/B tests | Native | Revenue analytics | Free < $5,000 MTR, then 1% |
| Qonversion | Lowest headline rate | Native | Revenue analytics | Free < $10,000 MTR, then 0.8% |
| Apphud | Stepped pricing | Native | Revenue analytics | Free < $5,000, then $49/mo + steps |
| BillDog | Paywalls + analytics + messaging + surveys in one SDK | Native and WebView | Product analytics, push/email/SMS/in-app, surveys | Free < $3,000 MTR, then 0.5% |
The platforms
BillDog ships its own billing backend across Apple, Google and Stripe/Web (Amazon Appstore coming soon), plus a paywall builder that renders both natively (SwiftUI / Jetpack Compose) and in a WebView, chosen per paywall. What separates it from the rest of this list is scope: product analytics, experiments, push/email/SMS/in-app messaging and in-app surveys run on the same user profile as the paywall. SDKs cover iOS, Android, React Native, Flutter, Expo, Unity, Capacitor, Cordova and the web, and an MCP server lets AI coding tools set it up.
Strengths
- Dual rendering — native SwiftUI/Compose and WebView, chosen per paywall
- 28 native components including Lottie, haptics and a vector Shape primitive
- Analytics, messaging and surveys included, so one bill replaces three or four
- 0.50% of tracked revenue — half the 1% the category charges
- Can run alongside RevenueCat if you don't want to move billing
Trade-offs
- Smaller template library than Superwall's 200+
- No dedicated Timeline component — RevenueCat and Adapty both ship one
- Newer product with a smaller community and documentation base
- Free tier stops at $3,000 MTR — several rivals run free further
Bottom line: The pick when you would otherwise buy a paywall vendor plus separate analytics and messaging. If a paywall is the only thing you need, the consolidation argument is worth much less.
Best for: Teams that want paywalls, analytics, messaging and surveys on one user record
Pricing: Free under $3,000 MTR, then 0.50% of MTR
RevenueCat is the default most teams start from: the broadest store coverage (Apple, Google, Amazon, Stripe/Web), the most battle-tested receipt validation, and a webhook surface a backend can trust. Paywalls v2 added a capable native editor with templates, a first-class Timeline component, carousels, countdowns and AI paywall generation, plus Experiments for price testing.
Strengths
- Largest community, integrations list and documentation set
- Most proven billing backend and receipt validation
- Strong subscription revenue reporting
- Native paywall builder with templates and a Timeline component
Trade-offs
- Paywalls render native-only — no WebView option
- No built-in messaging or surveys
- Simpler paywall experimentation than a dedicated paywall tool
- 1% of tracked revenue
Bottom line: The safe choice when billing maturity is what you are buying. Most teams pair it with separate analytics and messaging tools.
Best for: Teams that want the most battle-tested billing backend
Pricing: Free under $2,500 MTR, then 1% of MTR
Superwall is known for the deepest paywall editor available: a 200+ template gallery, Liquid templating, Lottie, seven haptic styles and a Custom-CSS escape hatch for when the visual editor runs out. Its A/B testing is the benchmark the rest of the market is measured against. It now also ships entitlements synced from App Store Server Notifications V2 and Google RTDN, purchase APIs, receipt validation and webhooks, so it no longer needs RevenueCat underneath.
Strengths
- Deepest visual paywall editor, with a Custom-CSS escape hatch
- 200+ templates — the largest gallery in the category
- Benchmark A/B testing with holdout groups
- Free to $10,000 of monthly attributed revenue
Trade-offs
- Its entitlement backend is far newer than RevenueCat's
- Web/HTML rendering rather than true native
- No general product-analytics event suite, messaging or surveys
Bottom line: The strongest design and experimentation answer. Pick it when paywall conversion work is the whole job and you already have analytics and messaging elsewhere.
Best for: Design-led teams that run constant paywall experiments
Pricing: Free under $10,000 attributed revenue, then 1% of attributed revenue
Adapty pairs its own billing backend with a mature native Flow Builder — first-class Timeline, Carousel, Countdown and Video, with templates and localization built in. Its revenue analytics and paywall A/B testing are well regarded, and it runs free twice as far as RevenueCat.
Strengths
- Polished native paywall builder
- Strong revenue analytics and paywall A/B testing
- Free to $5,000 monthly tracked revenue
Trade-offs
- Paywalls render native-only — no WebView option
- No built-in messaging or surveys
- Revenue analytics only — no general product-analytics event suite
Bottom line: The closest like-for-like RevenueCat rival with a stronger paywall editor, if you are happy to buy analytics and messaging separately.
Best for: Subscription apps focused on paywall and pricing optimisation
Pricing: Free under $5,000 MTR, then 1% of MTR (Pro)
Qonversion
Subscription backend with a no-code paywall builder and the lowest headline commission.
A RevenueCat-class backend that competes mainly on price: 0.8% against the category's 1%, and free until $10,000 of monthly tracked revenue. It includes a no-code paywall builder, A/B testing and subscription revenue analytics.
Strengths
- Lowest headline commission of the established backends
- Runs free the furthest of the backends here
- Paywall builder and A/B testing included
Trade-offs
- No native messaging or surveys — integrations only
- Subscription-centric analytics, not general product analytics
- Smaller developer community
Bottom line: The cost-led option, with a shallower paywall editor than Superwall or Adapty.
Best for: Cost-sensitive subscription apps
Pricing: Free under $10,000 MTR, then 0.8% of MTR (Growth)
Apphud
Subscription infrastructure priced on a base fee plus revenue steps instead of a percentage.
Apphud charges a monthly base plus a step for each additional $1,000 of tracked revenue rather than an uncapped percentage. Paywall A/B testing and subscription analytics are included.
Strengths
- Stepped pricing rather than an uncapped revenue share
- First $5,000 of tracked revenue is free
- Paywall A/B testing and subscription analytics included
Trade-offs
- A base fee applies from the first paid dollar past the threshold
- No messaging, surveys or general product analytics
- Smaller paywall component library
Bottom line: Worth modelling if you object to revenue share as a model; at high revenue the steps still add up.
Best for: Apps that prefer a fixed monthly floor to a percentage of revenue
Pricing: Free to $5,000 MTR, then $49/mo + $9.99 per extra $1,000 MTR (Pro)
Which should you pick?
| If you are… | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Wanting the most proven billing | RevenueCat | Broadest store coverage, largest community, most battle-tested receipt validation. |
| A design-led team testing constantly | Superwall | Deepest editor, 200+ templates and the benchmark A/B testing. |
| Wanting a native builder plus revenue analytics | Adapty | Mature native Flow Builder and well-regarded revenue A/B tests. |
| Optimising purely for cost | Qonversion | 0.8% and free to $10,000 MTR. |
| Disliking revenue share on principle | Apphud | Base fee plus revenue steps instead of an uncapped percentage. |
| Also paying for analytics, messaging or surveys | BillDog | One SDK and one user record for paywalls, analytics, messaging and surveys, at 0.5%. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best paywall platform for mobile apps?
It depends on what you are optimising for. RevenueCat is the most established billing backend, Superwall has the deepest paywall editor and A/B testing, Adapty has a strong native builder with revenue analytics, Qonversion has the lowest headline rate among the established backends, and BillDog combines paywalls with product analytics, messaging and surveys in one SDK.
What is the cheapest paywall platform?
On headline rate, BillDog at 0.50% of tracked revenue and Qonversion at 0.8% are below the category's 1%. On free tiers, Superwall and Qonversion run free furthest, to $10,000 a month. Because the meters differ, compare total cost against your own revenue rather than rate against rate.
Which paywall platforms render natively?
RevenueCat, Adapty, Qonversion and Apphud render natively. Superwall renders through web technology. BillDog renders both natively (SwiftUI / Jetpack Compose) and in a WebView, chosen per paywall.
Which paywall platforms support Flutter and React Native?
All six offer Flutter and React Native SDKs alongside iOS and Android. BillDog additionally ships Expo, Unity, Capacitor, Cordova and web SDKs from the same package family.
Can I use a paywall platform with my own analytics and messaging tools?
Yes. RevenueCat, Superwall, Adapty, Qonversion and Apphud all forward events to analytics and messaging vendors through integrations. The trade-off is keeping several user records in sync. BillDog includes analytics, messaging and surveys so that sync is not needed, and also integrates with outside tools.
Is there a RevenueCat alternative with built-in analytics and messaging?
BillDog is the one on this list that includes general product analytics, push/email/SMS/in-app messaging and in-app surveys in the same SDK as its paywalls and billing backend. It can also run alongside RevenueCat instead of replacing it.
Superwall bills on revenue attributed to its own paywalls; the other backends bill on all tracked revenue (MTR). Apphud's Pro plan is $49/mo plus $9.99 per additional $1,000 MTR.
Comparison reflects publicly available pricing and feature pages as of 2026-07-26. All competitor names, product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners and do not imply affiliation or endorsement. Features and plan terms vary; verify directly on vendor sites before purchasing.
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