Web-to-App vs. App-to-Web in Subscription Apps: Why Hybrid Funnels Win

Subscription apps do not just sell features — they sell behaviors. Think about it: no one pays for a meditation app just for background music; they’re paying for the rhythm of winding down every night. Fitness apps? It’s not just workouts; it’s consistency. Language apps? They’re monetizing the daily drip of progress.

That’s why the path users take, from their very first click to their first payment, matters more than most founders realize. Some apps focus on web-to-app funnels, while others lean into app-to-web flows. And then there are the smart ones mixing both.

But what do these terms actually mean, and why are more subscription brands blending them? Let’s break it down.

Web-to-App: Starting on the Web, Finishing in the App

Think of a fitness ad on Instagram promising, “7 days to your healthiest self.” Instead of sending you straight to an app store, it leads to a clean landing page. The page loads quickly, explains the value, and ends with a simple call-to-action: “Continue in the app.” With one tap, you download. Inside the app, onboarding collects your preferences, shows you a quick win, and then presents the subscription paywall.

This is web-to-app in practice.

Here’s the play:

1. A user discovers the brand through SEO, ads, or content marketing.
2. They land on a mobile-optimized landing page with clear messaging.
3. The page highlights benefits and shows a strong call-to-action.
4. A deep link directs them to the App Store or Google Play.
5. Inside the app, onboarding flows personalize the experience.
6. The subscription paywall is presented at the right moment.

For marketers, the purpose is clear: acquisition. Users often find apps through search engines, paid ads, or blog content. The web is where curiosity grows, but the app is where habits take hold. Mobile apps offer push notifications, gamified streaks, and personalized onboarding flows that keep people engaged in ways the mobile web cannot match.

App-to-Web: From Free Trial to Payment

Now flip the script. A user downloads a productivity app, enjoys a free trial, and then sees a prompt to upgrade. Instead of handling payment inside the app, the upgrade button sends them to a web checkout page. There, they find flexible plans, more payment methods, and sometimes even lower pricing. Once the purchase is complete, premium access is activated instantly in the app.

This is app-to-web.

Here’s the flow:

1. A user downloads the app and starts using free features or a trial.
2. The app prompts them to upgrade after usage or at the end of the trial.
3. A call-to-action routes them to a secure web checkout page.
4. The user chooses between multiple subscription plans.They complete payment using flexible methods such as credit card, PayPal, BNPL, or local wallets.
5. Premium access is unlocked and synced back into the app.

The purpose here is monetization. By shifting payments to the web, brands avoid app store fees of 15 to 30%. More importantly, they gain freedom to test offers, create bundles, and use payment methods that fit local markets. At scale, the savings and flexibility are significant.

Why Apps Mix Both (and Why You Probably Should Too)

Here’s the kicker: most successful subscription apps don’t choose. They blend.

1. Spotify

The music streaming giant has famously mastered the hybrid funnel by prioritizing web-based sign-ups to avoid paying high app store commissions on new subscribers. 

• Web-to-app strategy: Spotify runs ads on search engines and social media that direct users to its website. There, users can sign up for a premium subscription, often with a promotional offer such as “€0 for 1 month then €11.99 per month after”. Once subscribed, they are encouraged to download the app, with deep links sending them straight to the right place.
• App-to-web strategy: The Spotify app itself remains a primary driver of engagement and retention. Users who enjoy the service on a free plan might receive an email or see a targeted ad encouraging them to upgrade to a premium subscription via a link to the Spotify website. This moves the billing off the app stores for higher revenue margins. 

2. Netflix

Netflix is a classic example of using the web for sign-ups and the app for engagement. Although Netflix recently reintroduced in-app purchases on some platforms, its hybrid strategy remains prominent. 

• Web-to-app strategy: For many years, and still commonly today, Netflix directs prospective customers to its website to begin a subscription. The website handles the entire payment and account setup process. Once complete, the user is invited to download the app and sign in to their new account. This was done specifically to avoid paying app store commission fees.
• App-to-web strategy: The Netflix app is the primary interface for content consumption, leveraging native features for a seamless, TV-like experience. While many billing functions are now accessible in-app, Netflix still directs users to its website for certain account management tasks, reinforcing a web-based ecosystem for important transactions. 

3. Duolingo

The popular language-learning app effectively uses a hybrid approach to maximize conversions and retain revenue, sometimes offering different pricing on the web versus the app stores. 

• Web-to-app strategy: Duolingo uses web funnels to acquire new users by offering a full, engaging lesson directly on its website. By providing a tangible, enjoyable experience, it builds trust and demonstrates value before asking the user to commit. At the end of the lesson, the user is prompted to download the app to continue their progress, often with a deep link that recognizes their activity.
• App-to-web strategy: For users on the free app, Duolingo's retention team might reach out via email with exclusive web offers for its "Super Duolingo" subscription. This not only bypasses store fees but also allows Duolingo to test different pricing models.

4. Bumble

The dating app uses a hybrid approach to offer promotional pricing and handle billing outside of the traditional app store system for certain offers. 

• Web-to-app strategy: Bumble uses quizzes and content on its website to acquire new users with better attribution and lower fees. They can use web campaigns to offer discounts on the initial subscription, which wouldn't be possible through an in-app purchase that is regulated by app store policies. Once a user signs up on the web, they are sent to the app to start using the service.
• App-to-web strategy: While users can purchase premium features inside the app, Bumble can also use email marketing to existing users to drive renewals or special promotions to the website, capturing the full revenue. For example, a user with an expired subscription might receive an email for a special "welcome back" price, directing them to the web to re-subscribe. 

5. Noom

The weight loss app built its early growth on a web-to-app funnel, using it as a central pillar of its marketing strategy. 

• Web-to-app strategy: Noom is famous for its web-based onboarding quiz. The quiz collects personal goals and data, building trust before the app download. Once complete, users are nudged into the app to begin their weight-loss journey.
• App-to-web strategy: While the app is crucial for daily engagement, the initial web funnel allowed Noom to gather first-party data for better targeting and optimization. This data can be used to re-engage users through email or other web-based channels, directing them to the web for special upgrade offers. 

Why the two-step dance? Because acquisition and monetization are different battles. You need the app to build sticky user behavior, but you need the web to protect margins and test offers freely.

It’s like running a café: you want people walking through the door (that’s web-to-app), but you also don’t want to pay a middleman every time someone buys a latte (that’s app-to-web).

The Hybrid Funnel: A Visual Snapshot

Picture three funnels side by side:

• Web-to-App: Discovery → Landing Page → App Install → Subscription in App
• App-to-Web: App Download → Free Trial → Web Checkout → Premium Access in App
• Hybrid: Discovery → App Install → Engagement in App → Payment on Web → Long-Term Retention in App

This method combines reach with control. Brands acquire users broadly through the web and then monetize on their own terms, while keeping the app as the daily engine of engagement.

The Challenge of Measurement

Hybrid funnels create new opportunities but also new problems. Users move back and forth between web and app, and attribution becomes messy.

Which ad brought the install? Did the subscription happen on the web or in-app? Which funnel delivers better lifetime value (LTV)? Without clarity, spending decisions become guesswork.

That’s where measurement partners like Airbridge step in. Airbridge connects web and app data, giving marketers the full picture: which campaigns drive installs, which checkout flows bring in revenue, and which paths deliver loyal subscribers. With accurate measurement, the hybrid funnel moves from theory to a reliable growth engine.

So, Which Funnel Really Wins?

The answer is neither on its own.

• Web-to-app is the gateway to new installs and engagement.
• App-to-web is the lever that protects revenue and offers payment flexibility.

The real growth story for subscription apps is in combining both. That is what the most resilient apps in 2025 are doing, supported by measurement systems that track every step. Because in subscription apps, the path a user takes matters just as much as where they end up.

👉 Want to measure your hybrid funnels without blind spots? See how Airbridge can help.