# Do paywalls show the price in the CTA button or only above it?

Source: Lazyweb Research
Author: Ali Abouelatta, Lazyweb Research
Published: 2026-07-07
Updated: July 2026
Sample size: n=1886
Category: [Free-trial framing and reassurance copy on paywalls](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/category/free-trial-framing-and-reassurance-copy-on-paywalls)
Tags: paywall, pricing, monetization, checkout, ux-patterns
HTML: https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/do-paywalls-show-price-in-cta-or-only-above
Markdown: https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/do-paywalls-show-price-in-cta-or-only-above.md

**Answer.** Only 11.6% of 1,886 primary paywall CTAs (219 buttons) embed a price in the button text; a further 8.2% (155) show a price in the copy above the button but keep the button price-free.[1][2] In the extracted copy, 80.2% of primary CTAs have no price in the button or its adjacent copy at all.[3] Putting the price in the button is the minority pattern — most apps keep it out.

> 11.6% of 1,886 primary paywall CTAs (219) embed a price in the button; another 8.2% show price only above it — Lazyweb Research, July 2026.

## The finding

Price-in-button is measured by matching a currency symbol plus digits, or a decimal price plus a period unit (`/mo`, `per year`, etc.), in the CTA text. 219 of 1,886 primary CTAs (11.6%) do this.[1] A separate 155 (8.2%) have no price in the button but do have one in the extracted title/subtitle above it.[2]

| Where the price sits | Share of primary CTAs |
| --- | --- |
| Inside the button | 11.6% (219/1,886) |
| Above the button only | 8.2% (155/1,886) |
| Not in extracted CTA copy | 80.2% (1,512/1,886) |

Real examples of price-in-button: Zeus ('$50.99/year'), iam ('Only $49/year'), Elevate ('Unlock for $3.3 per month').[1]

## How to apply it

If your button shows a price, you are in the 11.6% minority — a defensible, transparency-forward choice, but not the norm. The larger group either keeps price in the offer copy above the button (8.2%) or shows no price in the CTA area at all.

The decision hinges on your offer: a trial-led paywall usually wants the button to say 'Start Free Trial' and the price to sit below as the post-trial terms, keeping the tap frictionless. A direct-purchase paywall (no trial) more often benefits from price-in-button transparency. Match the button to the offer type rather than defaulting either way.

## Caveats

'Price not visible' (80.2%) means no price in the *extracted CTA-adjacent copy* only — prices on plan cards elsewhere on the screen are not captured by this extraction.[3] Frame the 80.2% as 'no price in the button or its immediate copy', never as 'no price on the paywall'. Role-based cuts use the 1,886 primary rows; 39% unknown-role rows are excluded. Figures are a July 2026 pull.

## The numbers

| Stat | Computed from |
| --- | --- |
| 11.6% (219/1,886) | price_in_cta_share: currency+digits or decimal+period-unit in cta_text |
| 8.2% (155/1,886) | price_above_cta_only_share |
| 80.2% (1,512/1,886) no price in extracted CTA copy | price_above_cta_only_share denominator note |

## Methodology

Universe: 1,886 primary paywall CTAs across ~800 tracked apps, July 2026. Price detected via currency/decimal-plus-unit regex over button text and CTA-adjacent copy; 'no price' reflects extracted CTA copy only, not full-screen plan cards.

## Visual references

Real, in-market app screens tracked by Lazyweb Research:

- Mindllama: https://zlfyzdmohcskkucuunmk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/screenshots/health123_mindllama/lazyscreenshots/2025_04_26_18-05-29_9DDEB428.png
- Sincerely: https://zlfyzdmohcskkucuunmk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/screenshots/uploaded_sincerely/paywall/compare/2026-05-29/1780027379417_00_Sincerely-20260529-040259-01.png
- Discord: https://zlfyzdmohcskkucuunmk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/screenshots/social7_discord/lazyscreenshots/2024_07_07_00-34-38_751DDC5A.png
- Themify: https://zlfyzdmohcskkucuunmk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/screenshots/graphics1_themify/lazyscreenshots/2023_12_16_14-59-58_61CC19BB.png

## Sources & citations

- [1] Lazyweb Research analysis of 1,886 primary paywall CTAs (~800 tracked apps), July 2026. Price regex on cta_text; named examples from extracted CTA copy.
- [2] Lazyweb Research analysis of 1,886 primary paywall CTAs (~800 tracked apps), July 2026. Price absent from button but present in extracted surrounding title/subtitle.
- [3] Lazyweb Research analysis of 1,886 primary paywall CTAs (~800 tracked apps), July 2026. 'No price visible' counts only CTA-adjacent extraction, not plan cards elsewhere on screen.

## Related questions

- [What percent of paywall primary CTAs lead with a free trial?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/what-percent-paywall-ctas-lead-with-free-trial)
- ['Continue' or 'Start Free Trial': which paywall CTA verb do apps actually use?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/trial-led-cta-continue-vs-start-free-trial)
- [What trial lengths do paywalls advertise most — 3, 7, 14, or 30 days?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/what-trial-lengths-do-paywalls-advertise)
- [Is a 3-day free trial too short — how many apps actually use it?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/is-a-3-day-free-trial-too-short-paywall)
- [Is a 7-day free trial the default for mobile paywalls?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/is-a-7-day-free-trial-the-default)
- [Should you offer a 14-day free trial, and which apps do?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/should-you-offer-a-14-day-free-trial)
- [How common is 'cancel anytime' reassurance copy on paywalls?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/cancel-anytime-how-common-on-paywalls)
- [How many paywalls say 'no payment due now' or 'you won't be charged'?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/no-payment-due-now-paywall-reassurance)

## Explore the evidence

- [Billing toggle experiment kit](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/billing-toggle-experiment-kit?utm_source=lazyweb&utm_medium=research&utm_campaign=billing-toggle-kit)
- [Cal AI annual-plan and trial presentation](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/cal-ai-paywall-annual-plan-and-trial)
- [Monthly versus annual billing toggles](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/monthly-vs-annual-billing-toggle-pricing)
- [Billing cadence versus plan tiers](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/annual-billing-toggle-vs-plan-tiers)
- [Cal AI trial-introduction screens](https://design.lazyweb.com/flow/cal-ai/onboarding-paywall)

## Continue your research

[Connect Lazyweb to your coding agent](https://www.lazyweb.com/mcp-install)