# Hard Vs Soft Paywall: Which Do Photo & Video Apps Use?

Source: Lazyweb Research
Author: Ali Abouelatta, Lazyweb Research
Published: 2026-07-07
Updated: July 2026
Sample size: n=218
Category: [Hard vs soft paywalls and dismissal affordances](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/category/hard-vs-soft-paywalls-and-dismissal-affordances)
Tags: paywall, monetization, mobile, ux-patterns, upsell
HTML: https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/hard-vs-soft-paywall-which-do-photo-and-video-apps-use
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**Answer.** Photo & Video runs the hardest paywalls of the four spec verticals: only 41 of 218 screens (18.8%) show a visible exit, versus the 26.2% corpus average [1][2]. Exits break down to 20 X/close, 11 text-link, and 10 restore-only; 177 screens are hard [1]. The cut covers 16 companies and 218 screens [1].

> Only 18.8% of Photo & Video paywall screens (41 of 218) show a visible exit — the hardest spec vertical, Lazyweb Research, July 2026.

## The finding

Across 218 Photo & Video paywall screens from 16 companies, just 41 (18.8%) expose a visible exit — the lowest of the four verticals with enough sample [1][2]. 177 screens (81.2%) are hard [1]. Photo & Video apps lean hardest into the hard-gate default.

## Breakdown

| Exit type | Screens |
| --- | --- |
| Visible X / close | 20 |
| 'Maybe later' text link | 11 |
| Restore-only | 10 |
| No visible exit (hard) | 177 |

Total 218 screens, 16 companies; 41 soft (18.8%) [1]. The three visible-exit types are more evenly split here than in other verticals [1].

## How to apply it and caveats

If you ship a photo/video app, a hard gate is the vertical norm — four in five paywalls have no visible exit [1]. This likely reflects instant-value editing tools where a locked export is the paywall trigger. Caveats: 16 companies is the smallest company sample of the four verticals, so read the 18.8% as directional; figures are lower bounds and what-shipped, not lift [1].

## The numbers

| Stat | Computed from |
| --- | --- |
| 41 of 218 P&V screens (18.8%); X 20, text 11, restore 10, hard 177; 16 companies | exit_share_photo_video |
| corpus average 26.2% | screens_with_any_visible_exit: 710/2,708 |

## Methodology

Photo & Video cut is 218 screens across 16 companies from the exit taxonomy. Read as directional given the modest company sample; lower-bound, what-shipped prevalence. July 2026.

## Visual references

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

- Onx Offroad: https://zlfyzdmohcskkucuunmk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/screenshots/uploaded_onx_offroad/paywall/compare/2026-05-24/1779655793837_02_03-choose-plan.png
- Acadex: https://zlfyzdmohcskkucuunmk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/screenshots/uploaded_acadex/paywall/compare/2026-05-28/1780012634752_00_Acadex-20260528-235714-01.png
- Remini: https://zlfyzdmohcskkucuunmk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/screenshots/photos112_remini/lazyscreenshots/2024_04_21_14-51-09_DEC82681.png

## Sources & citations

- [1] Lazyweb Research analysis of 218 Photo & Video paywall screens (mobile app corpus, 16 companies), July 2026. Exit taxonomy filtered to Photo & Video; extraction-based lower bounds; 16 companies is a modest sample.
- [2] Lazyweb Research analysis of 2,708 paywall screens (mobile app corpus), July 2026. All-corpus visible-exit rate for comparison.

## Related questions

- [Which App Category Has The Hardest Paywalls?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/which-app-category-has-the-hardest-paywalls)
- [Hard Vs Soft Paywall: Which Do Music Apps Use?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/hard-vs-soft-paywall-which-do-music-apps-use)
- [Hard Vs Soft Paywall: Which Do Education Apps Use?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/hard-vs-soft-paywall-which-do-education-apps-use)
- [What Percent Of Paywalls Have A Visible Dismiss Option?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/what-percent-of-paywalls-have-a-visible-dismiss-option)
- [Hard Vs Soft Paywall: How Common Is Each?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/hard-vs-soft-paywall-how-common-is-each)
- [How Do Apps Let Users Exit The Paywall — X Button, 'Maybe Later', Or Not At All?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/how-do-apps-let-users-exit-the-paywall)
- [What Share Of Paywall CTAs Are Dismiss Buttons?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/what-share-of-paywall-ctas-are-dismiss-buttons)
- [What Share Of Companies Run A Soft Paywall Variant?](https://design.lazyweb.com/blog/what-share-of-companies-run-a-soft-paywall-variant)

## 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)