The Pelcro Blog
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416 articles on subscriptions, billing and paywalls. Browse and filter from the blog home.
Why Publishers Can't Ignore Video in 2025 (and How to
Video consumption has reached a tipping point that publishers can no longer ignore. TikTok alone generates over 1 billion hours of video watched daily, while YouTube reports that users consume more than 2 billion hours of content every single day.LinkedIn has seen a 300% increase in video uploads over the past two years, with video posts generating 5x more engagement than text-based content. Even traditional business audiences are demanding visual content over written articles.Digital video adve
Jul 1, 20256 min readTop Subscription Stories from June 2025
What publishers can learn from broader subscription strategy shifts:The subscription economy continued to shift in June 2025, with key moves from platforms in education, entertainment, and streaming—each offering lessons for digital publishers. From flexible tier upgrades to bundled value-adds and growing ad-supported models, these updates offer clear signals: subscribers want control, options, and perceived value. For media outlets, these strategies can be reimagined to drive loyalty, limit chu
Jun 10, 20252 min readWhat 923 Million Subscriptions Tell Us About the Future of
Subscription media is shifting in a new direction. The focus is changing from rigid monthly fees to flexible, dynamic models that give users more control and better value.In 2025, consumers are prioritizing personalization, convenience, and choice in how they access media, whether it's video, audio, news, or magazines. Rather than relying on a single service, they’re turning to bundles, ad-supported models, personalized mini-plans, and curated content experiences.The DCN Q1 2025 Digital Media Su
Jun 9, 20256 min readWhen Markets Panic: What Tariffs Teach Publishers About
Market turbulence and subscription churn share more than a few similarities. In both cases, external shocks trigger emotional responses, rapid reactions, and potential long-term consequences if not addressed strategically.In early 2025, the S&P 500 was up 1.2 percent year-to-date and had posted a 12-month return of 16.8 percent. However, by the end of April, following the implementation of the tariff policy, it dropped to a negative 5.3 percent. The shift was sudden and driven by uncertainty, pr
Jun 4, 20253 min readPelcro Release 1.87: Streamlined Refunds, ACH Support, and
Platform🟢 Feature: Ability to Cancel Pending Refunds from the PlatformWe've introduced the ability to cancel pending refunds directly from the platform. Collaborators can now select one or multiple pending refunds and use the new "Mark as Canceled" button, located next to the existing "Mark as Processed" action. This button is enabled only when pending refunds are selected, mirroring the behavior of other refund actions. This update is also supported via the core API, offering greater control
Jun 4, 20252 min readHow AI Overviews Are Reshaping Digital Subscription Success
Most subscription businesses collect more data than they know what to do with. Metrics like churn rate, engagement, and revenue are tracked every day—but they rarely lead to clear decisions. The numbers exist, but the meaning behind them often doesn’t.This is where AI overviews come in. Instead of adding more dashboards or reports, they connect the dots. They help teams understand what’s happening, why it’s happening, and what actions are likely to make a difference.Why Traditional Analytics Are
May 27, 20255 min readGoogle’s 150M Milestone Proves It: Smart Subscriptions Are Winning
Google One just reached 150 million subscribers and it’s not because people need more storage. It’s because the subscription now helps them do things faster, easier, and smarter. For anyone in the subscription business, this shows a clear shift: people are no longer paying just for access. They’re paying for intelligence, and for tools that do the work with them and make their lives easier.For years, you might have sold access content, storage, products. But now, Google’s showing us what happens
May 26, 20254 min readTop Subscription Stories from May 2025
What publishers across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. need to know nowThe subscription economy continued to evolve rapidly — with news publishers, magazines, and digital media platforms all navigating new rules, shifting consumer expectations, and emerging monetization models. For decision-makers at newspapers and magazines, these stories highlight the key market shifts shaping revenue strategies this year.These standout stories from May 2025 highlight the shifts shaping subscription models—and
May 22, 20251 min read8 Challenges Every Subscription Business Must Overcome in 2025
In May 2025, subscription businesses posted mixed Q1 results. On one side, reliable recurring revenue kept many forecasts intact—Universal Music, for example, saw subscription income climb by 9.3 %. On the flip side, two new pressures are biting:1. Less spending: Consumers are cutting back and canceling services they don’t use often.2. New rules: Regulators are cracking down on designs that hide the cancel button, sneak fees into fine print, or make you click through many pages just to leave. Th
May 21, 20254 min readSubscription Fatigue Solutions Market Growth Driver, 2025-2034
The world of subscriptions has grown rapidly in the last ten years. People now regularly pay monthly fees for TV shows, computer programs, and household products.However, this growth of subscriptions has led to a new challenge, subscription fatigue. As consumers find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of subscriptions they manage, a new market opportunity has been seen for solutions to help combat this challenge.The subscription fatigue solutions market aims to address this pain point by
May 16, 20256 min readFrom Super Bowl Ads to Steady Fees: What Fox’s Q3 2025
Fox’s Q3 2025 print pairs Super Bowl LIX ad strength with 92% operating cash flow growth — a case study in mixing live sports, Tubi, and affiliate fees.
May 15, 20253 min readParamount's Q1 2025 Results: 79 Million Subscribers Despite
Paramount+ hit 79M subscribers in Q1 2025 and cut streaming losses by $177M YoY — early proof the “grow now, profit later” playbook can actually clear the line.
May 14, 20255 min readTop Paywall Stories from May 2025
May is off to a strong start with major shifts already unfolding across the digital publishing world: major media outlets across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. refined their paywall strategies to adapt to evolving reader behaviors and revenue models. From innovative bundling approaches to the introduction of AI-driven paywalls, these developments offer valuable insights for digital publishers, subscription-based businesses, and media outlets aiming to optimize their monetization strategies.1. Th
May 13, 20252 min readCan Your Customers Cancel in Two Clicks? If Not, You’re at Risk
In April 2025, the FTC finalized the “Click to Cancel” Rule. This rule applies to any recurring payment model, including subscriptions, free trials that convert, and automatic shipments.Expanding beyond prior regulations like ROSCA (internet-only) and the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) (phone-only), the new Rule applies to all mediums, including online, phone, print, and in-person, covering both B2C and B2B transactions.Violating the rule could result in fines of up to $51,744 per violation, con
May 9, 20251 min readWarner Bros. Discovery Q1 2025: Streaming Growth Powers
On May 8 2025, Warner Bros. Discovery reported mixed Q1 performance — fueled by streaming subscriber growth, increased ad-supported revenue, and international expansion, offset by continued decline in traditional linear networks and content revenue.📈 With 5.3 million new streaming subscribers added this quarter (reaching 122.3M total) and streaming revenues up 9%, WBD continues to transform into a digital-first entertainment company despite legacy business headwinds.Scope and Snapshot WBD's bus
May 8, 20258 min readPelcro 1.86 Release: Smarter Access Control, AI-Powered
UI🟢 Enhancement: Customizable Membership Status AccessThe JS SDK now gives you more control over who can access your gated content. Using the new Pelcro.uiSettings.membershipSubscriptionStatusAccess setting, you can define which membership statuses should be allowed access.If you don’t configure this setting, the SDK will default to the following allowed statuses:["active", "extended", "trialing", "past_due"]To customize which statuses are allowed, simply update your configuration like so:Pelcr
May 8, 20251 min readThe New York Times Delivers Strong Q1 2025 Results as
On May 7, 2025, The New York Times reported strong Q1 performance, fueled by growth in digital subscriptions, rising ARPU, and improved profitability. The company’s strategic focus on multi-product engagement, cross-platform bundling, and editorial breadth continues to drive consistent growth.📈 With 250,000 new digital-only subscribers added this quarter and 52% of digital subscribers now in a bundle, The Times is on pace to meet its long-term target of 15 million subscribers by 2027.Scope and
May 8, 20255 min readPelcro Partners with BCC and Satori Software to enable
Pelcro has partnered with BCC Software and Satori to integrate address validation, presorting, and CASS™ Certification tools into its subscription management platform. This collaboration brings industry-standard mailing technology into a digital-first environment, improving the accuracy and efficiency of print fulfillment workflows.This partnership is particularly relevant for Newspapers and other organizations that rely on print and digital subscription channels. Integrating USPS-certified tool
May 7, 20251 min readRelease 1.85: Smarter Segmentation and Enhanced API Filtering
Platform🟢 Feature: Metadata Filtering in Subscription Segments We've introduced Metadata Filtering in Subscription Segments, allowing you to refine customer segments based on specific metadata key/value pairs. For more details, please see here.What's New? Metadata-Based Segmentation: Add custom metadata key/value pairs to precisely segment customers. Flexible Filtering: When defining customer segments, use the "+" icon to add multiple metadata filters. Enhanced Reporting: Generate reports based
Apr 14, 20251 min readTop 3 Subscription Growth Stories from March 2025
This month’s highlights include smart bundling strategies expanding reach, bold advertising campaigns driving digital growth, and niche content like football, fueling a significant boost in subscriptions. Publishers continue to adapt innovative tactics to grow audiences and strengthen retention in an increasingly competitive digital space.1. NYT Bundles Give European Publishers a Subscription Boost • What you need to know: Several European publishers—including El País, Politiken, The Irish Time
Apr 8, 20251 min readTop 3 Paywall Stories from March 2025
March brought bold moves in the paywall strategy. While some platforms embraced openness and removed barriers for key content, others faced criticism for locking previously free features behind a paywall. The contrast highlights the growing tension between access and monetization. 1. Garmin Sparks Outrage With Connect Subscription Paywall — Have Your Say • What you need to know: Garmin’s decision to put health features like Body Battery and sleep tracking behind a new subscription has angered us
Apr 3, 20251 min readThe Subscription Growth Digest - February Edition
Here are the main subscription-related stories from last month. February 2025 showed a clear shift toward digital-first strategies, as publishers focused on retention, personalization, and adapting to changing reader habits.1. 100k Club: 2025 Ranking of World’s Biggest News Publishers by Digital Subscribers • What you need to know: Press Gazette released its "100k Club" ranking, highlighting the top 50 paywalled news publishers worldwide by digital subscribers. The report indicates significant g
Mar 28, 20251 min readCWC Software chooses to transition all of their clients to Pelcro
After 35 years of providing fulfillment and subscription services to Magazines, Newspapers, Associations, Journals, and more, CWC Software is sunsetting its business at the end of 2025. In order to ensure their clients’ success, they elected to have Pelcro be the new platform for all of their clients out of all available print and digital subscription management software solutions on the market."As we sunset QuickFill after over 35 years of subscription fulfillment, CWC is lucky to have found Pe
Mar 26, 20251 min readThe Paywall Review - February Edition
February’s paywall roundup: Daily Mail’s first U.S. paywall, AFL’s move to Foxtel/Kayo, and what each launch signals for publisher monetization.
Mar 20, 20251 min read