Currently @ HEYGEN
Currently @ HEYGEN
Currently @ HEYGEN
HEYGEN
Redesigning paywalls & introducing contextual upgrades to improve clarity, conversion, and upsells
Redesigning paywalls & introducing contextual upgrades to improve clarity, conversion, and upsells
Introduction
Introduction
I led the end-to-end redesign of HeyGen’s pricing surfaces across desktop and mobile. This included the primary paywall revamp, a new system of contextual upgrade modals that appeared when users hit gated features, and upsell banners designed to test add-on purchases like Avatar Packs.
By shifting from overwhelming full-page layouts to focused modal flows, layering in contextual prompts, and experimenting with upsell placements, we improved clarity, reduced friction, and introduced a scalable framework for monetization. Together, these initiatives drove a +11% global conversion lift, a 19% increase in Team plan upgrades, and an +18% lift in add-on purchases—all while replacing disruptive paywalls with intent-based prompts.
I led the end-to-end redesign of HeyGen’s pricing surfaces across desktop and mobile. This included both the primary paywall revamp and a new system of contextual upgrade modals that appeared when users hit gated features.
By shifting from overwhelming full-page layouts to focused modal flows, we improved clarity, reduced friction, and introduced a scalable framework for monetization. The combined system drove +11% global conversion lift, a 19% increase in Team plan upgrades, and improved user experience by replacing disruptive paywalls with intent-based prompts.
I led the end-to-end redesign of HeyGen’s pricing surfaces across desktop and mobile. This included both the primary paywall revamp and a new system of contextual upgrade modals that appeared when users hit gated features.
By shifting from overwhelming full-page layouts to focused modal flows, we improved clarity, reduced friction, and introduced a scalable framework for monetization. The combined system drove +11% global conversion lift, a 19% increase in Team plan upgrades, and improved user experience by replacing disruptive paywalls with intent-based prompts.
Year
2024
Industry
SaaS / Generative AI / Growth
Scope of work
Product Design
Timeline
3 weeks
Team
1 Product Designer, 1 Product Manager, 1 Engineer
Overview
Overview
Overview
What are Paywall & Contextual Upgrades and Why it mattered?
What are Paywall & Contextual Upgrades and Why it mattered?
What are Paywall & Contextual Upgrades and Why it mattered?
Paywalls and upgrade modals own the experience of converting free users into paying subscribers whenever they encounter feature limits across HeyGen - from removing watermarks to exporting in 4K, generating premium avatars, or creating custom voices.
Upgrading is one of the most frequent core actions in HeyGen’s funnel, with thousands of users hitting paywalls every day across both desktop and mobile. Mobile in particular is the most common entry point, where users are creating and sharing videos on the go yet it was also where the old paywall performed the worst.
Because these paywalls are triggered at such high-intent moments, the clarity and usability of this experience directly impacts revenue, adoption of advanced AI features, and overall customer trust.
The problem
The problem
The problem
Despite being the core upgrade surface for HeyGen, the legacy paywall created more friction than clarity. Through user feedback, we identified three primary problem areas:
Lack of clarity on feature access
Users struggled to understand which plan unlocked specific features like premium avatars, AI voices, or 4K exports.
Overwhelming and inconsistent experience
The in-product pricing page presented a dense, full-page comparison chart that buried key differences under too much information. Many users began creating with a feature they believed was available, only to discover at the publishing step that they had to upgrade. This late-stage disruption was especially frustrating and led to drop-off.
Upgrade journey not aligned with user intent
Paywalls were triggered in many different places like background removal, watermark removal, premium avatars, running out of video generations - but they all funneled users into the same generic pricing page. This broke context. Instead of being shown which specific plan would unlock the feature they were trying to use, users were forced to parse an entire pricing matrix. The lack of contextual guidance made upgrading harder than it needed to be.
Business opportunity left on the table
Because the upgrade flow was confusing and disruptive, many high-intent users hesitated or abandoned before converting. These frictions not only frustrated users but also directly suppressed conversion and add-on sales.
Despite being the core upgrade surface for HeyGen, the legacy paywall created more friction than clarity. Through user feedback, we identified three primary problem areas:
Lack of clarity on feature access
Users struggled to understand which plan unlocked specific features like premium avatars, AI voices, or 4K exports.
Overwhelming and inconsistent experience
The in-product pricing page presented a dense, full-page comparison chart that buried key differences under too much information. Many users began creating with a feature they believed was available, only to discover at the publishing step that they had to upgrade. This late-stage disruption was especially frustrating and led to drop-off.
Upgrade journey not aligned with user intent
Paywalls were triggered in many different places like background removal, watermark removal, premium avatars, running out of video generations - but they all funneled users into the same generic pricing page. This broke context. Instead of being shown which specific plan would unlock the feature they were trying to use, users were forced to parse an entire pricing matrix. The lack of contextual guidance made upgrading harder than it needed to be.
Business opportunity left on the table
Because the upgrade flow was confusing and disruptive, many high-intent users hesitated or abandoned before converting. These frictions not only frustrated users but also directly suppressed conversion and add-on sales.
Despite being the core upgrade surface for HeyGen, the legacy paywall created more friction than clarity. Through user feedback, we identified three primary problem areas:
Lack of clarity on feature access
Users struggled to understand which plan unlocked specific features like premium avatars, AI voices, or 4K exports.
Overwhelming and inconsistent experience
The in-product pricing page presented a dense, full-page comparison chart that buried key differences under too much information. Many users began creating with a feature they believed was available, only to discover at the publishing step that they had to upgrade. This late-stage disruption was especially frustrating and led to drop-off.
Upgrade journey not aligned with user intent
Paywalls were triggered in many different places like background removal, watermark removal, premium avatars, running out of video generations - but they all funneled users into the same generic pricing page. This broke context. Instead of being shown which specific plan would unlock the feature they were trying to use, users were forced to parse an entire pricing matrix. The lack of contextual guidance made upgrading harder than it needed to be.
Business opportunity left on the table
Because the upgrade flow was confusing and disruptive, many high-intent users hesitated or abandoned before converting. These frictions not only frustrated users but also directly suppressed conversion and add-on sales.
Legacy Paywall
Hypothesis
Hypothesis
Hypothesis
If we redesign the paywall into a clear, responsive modal and introduce contextual upgrades for gated features, we can:
If we redesign the paywall into a clear, responsive modal and introduce contextual upgrades for gated features, we can:
If we redesign the paywall into a clear, responsive modal and introduce contextual upgrades for gated features, we can:
✅ Increase overall free-to-paid conversion.
✅ Provide clarity around plan requirements at the exact moment of user intent.
✅ Encourage more targeted Team plan upgrades.
✅ Improve user experience by reducing disruption.
Process
Process
Process
I rapidly explored over a dozen high-fidelity prototypes across desktop and mobile, testing variations in layout, tier presentation, and upsell placements. Throughout the process, I worked closely with engineering, product, and growth to balance technical feasibility with clarity and conversion goals.
I also conducted a competitive audit of leading SaaS platforms like Canva, CapCut, Synthesia, and Veed to identify recurring patterns in upgrade experiences. Four insights stood out and guided my explorations:
🔲 Modal vs. Full Page
Most modern SaaS platforms preserved user context with modal paywalls instead of full-page takeovers, reducing friction at upgrade moments.
📊 Tier Cards over Dense Tables
Pricing was often simplified into scannable tier cards, with expandable details for power users. This pattern informed our collapsible “See Full Comparison” approach.
⚡ Contextual Prompts at Gated Features
Several competitors surfaced lightweight upgrade prompts tied directly to premium actions, reinforcing the value of upgrading at the moment of intent.
🎯 Add-On Banners for Upsells
Cross-sell placements, such as add-on packs or usage boosts, were increasingly common inside upgrade flows. This validated our decision to test Avatar Pack banners within the paywall.
By combining rapid prototyping with competitive insights, I was able to design a modular system that supported multiple monetization experiments while improving clarity for end users.
I rapidly explored over a dozen high-fidelity prototypes across desktop and mobile, testing variations in layout, tier presentation, and upsell placements. Throughout the process, I worked closely with engineering, product, and growth to balance technical feasibility with clarity and conversion goals.
I also conducted a competitive audit of leading SaaS platforms like Canva, CapCut, Synthesia, and Veed to identify recurring patterns in upgrade experiences. Four insights stood out and guided my explorations:
🔲 Modal vs. Full Page
Most modern SaaS platforms preserved user context with modal paywalls instead of full-page takeovers, reducing friction at upgrade moments.
📊 Tier Cards over Dense Tables
Pricing was often simplified into scannable tier cards, with expandable details for power users. This pattern informed our collapsible “See Full Comparison” approach.
⚡ Contextual Prompts at Gated Features
Several competitors surfaced lightweight upgrade prompts tied directly to premium actions, reinforcing the value of upgrading at the moment of intent.
🎯 Add-On Banners for Upsells
Cross-sell placements, such as add-on packs or usage boosts, were increasingly common inside upgrade flows. This validated our decision to test Avatar Pack banners within the paywall.
By combining rapid prototyping with competitive insights, I was able to design a modular system that supported multiple monetization experiments while improving clarity for end users.
I rapidly explored over a dozen high-fidelity prototypes across desktop and mobile, testing variations in layout, tier presentation, and upsell placements. Throughout the process, I worked closely with engineering, product, and growth to balance technical feasibility with clarity and conversion goals.
I also conducted a competitive audit of leading SaaS platforms like Canva, CapCut, Synthesia, and Veed to identify recurring patterns in upgrade experiences. Four insights stood out and guided my explorations:
🔲 Modal vs. Full Page
Most modern SaaS platforms preserved user context with modal paywalls instead of full-page takeovers, reducing friction at upgrade moments.
📊 Tier Cards over Dense Tables
Pricing was often simplified into scannable tier cards, with expandable details for power users. This pattern informed our collapsible “See Full Comparison” approach.
⚡ Contextual Prompts at Gated Features
Several competitors surfaced lightweight upgrade prompts tied directly to premium actions, reinforcing the value of upgrading at the moment of intent.
🎯 Add-On Banners for Upsells
Cross-sell placements, such as add-on packs or usage boosts, were increasingly common inside upgrade flows. This validated our decision to test Avatar Pack banners within the paywall.
By combining rapid prototyping with competitive insights, I was able to design a modular system that supported multiple monetization experiments while improving clarity for end users.
A/B Tests
A/B Tests
A/B Tests
After iterating through multiple design explorations, we narrowed to two core paywall layouts:
Design 1: Four plan cards, including the Free plan.
Design 2: Three plan cards, showing only the paid tiers (Creator, Team, Enterprise).
To test upsell opportunities, I also designed two avatar add-on banners. Each paywall design was then tested with three variants:
No banner
Avatar Banner 1
Avatar Banner 2
This created a total of six experimental variants.
Contextual Upgrade Modals:
Triggered only at gated features (e.g., background removal)
Smaller, focused prompts with clear “Upgrade to Creator to unlock this feature” messaging
Direct CTA to upgrade, reducing bounce compared to full paywall
Results
Results
Results
Paywall Revamp (V2A1):
For new signups, V2A1 (with Avatar Banner 1) and V2 without a banner tied for first place, each delivering a +11% lift compared to the weakest performer.
U.S. peak conversion at 5.2% (vs 4.0% control)
Upsell Banners: +18% lift in add-on purchases.
Contextual Upgrades:
19% lift in Team plan upgrades for key features
Reduced drop-off compared to old full paywall flow
Improved user trust by showing plan requirements only when relevant
System Impact: Established a modular paywall framework and reusable design system for future monetization surfaces.
Takeaway:
The streamlined three-plan layout proved strongest, while avatar banners demonstrated clear value for upsells and existing user conversions. Together, these projects became the new default monetization framework for HeyGen.
Paywall Revamp (V2A1):
For new signups, V2A1 (with Avatar Banner 1) and V2 without a banner tied for first place, each delivering a +11% lift compared to the weakest performer.
U.S. peak conversion at 5.2% (vs 4.0% control)
Upsell Banners: +18% lift in add-on purchases.
Contextual Upgrades:
19% lift in Team plan upgrades for key features
Reduced drop-off compared to old full paywall flow
Improved user trust by showing plan requirements only when relevant
System Impact: Established a modular paywall framework and reusable design system for future monetization surfaces.
Takeaway:
The streamlined three-plan layout proved strongest, while avatar banners demonstrated clear value for upsells and existing user conversions. Together, these projects became the new default monetization framework for HeyGen.
Paywall Revamp (V2A1):
For new signups, V2A1 (with Avatar Banner 1) and V2 without a banner tied for first place, each delivering a +11% lift compared to the weakest performer.
U.S. peak conversion at 5.2% (vs 4.0% control)
Upsell Banners: +18% lift in add-on purchases.
Contextual Upgrades:
19% lift in Team plan upgrades for key features
Reduced drop-off compared to old full paywall flow
Improved user trust by showing plan requirements only when relevant
System Impact: Established a modular paywall framework and reusable design system for future monetization surfaces.
Takeaway:
The streamlined three-plan layout proved strongest, while avatar banners demonstrated clear value for upsells and existing user conversions. Together, these projects became the new default monetization framework for HeyGen.
Winning Variant Light & Dark Mode
Responsive Layouts
Retrospective
Retrospective
Retrospective
Designing a modular system of paywalls and upgrade modals allowed us to support rapid A/B testing and future add-on monetization without major redesign overhead.
Designing a modular system of paywalls and upgrade modals allowed us to support rapid A/B testing and future add-on monetization without major redesign overhead.
Framework First: Building a modular paywall system ensured scalability for future add-ons and upsells.
Context Matters: Showing upgrade prompts at the moment of user intent improved both clarity and trust.
Balance is Key: Learned to balance overall conversion goals with upsell opportunities, a lesson we now apply to all monetization surfaces.
Let’s connect.
I’m currently open to full-time roles where I can bring my product thinking, design systems expertise, and growth-focused mindset to the table.
Product Designer
Shivangi Mahajan
Let’s connect.
I’m currently open to full-time roles where I can bring my product thinking, design systems expertise, and growth-focused mindset to the table.
Product Designer
Shivangi Mahajan
Let’s connect.
I’m currently open to full-time roles where I can bring my product thinking, design systems expertise, and growth-focused mindset to the table.
Product Designer
Shivangi Mahajan