“So many apps are so focused on getting that subscriber that they're not seeing the forest for the trees — there are so many cohorts that would be casual users that they could still monetize via ads and maybe nurture over time to become a subscriber.”

Freemium + Ads Lets You Monetize Users Who Would Never Subscribe

The Weather Company monetizes its massive casual-user base through advertising while reserving subscription prompts for identified high-intent cohorts. Host David Barnard highlights this as a valid alternative to pure subscription models — especially for utility apps with large traffic. Casual users who monetize via ads today may become paying subscribers later as they deepen engagement with the product.