What happened
My November 2023 issue reported Uber One selecting annual by default.
The same issue described Snapchat+ offering a discounted monthly default in September and subsequently returning to annual.
It also described Walmart+ selecting annual in October. The published issue calls these wins and losses but provides no sample sizes, metrics, or effect estimates. This summary supports the observed changes, not a measured revenue conclusion.
The lesson is not “always choose annual”
The lesson is that the default is part of the product. Most people do not treat a pricing screen like a neutral spreadsheet. They look for the obvious choice.
Annual plans can improve cash flow and retention. Monthly plans can reduce the psychological cost of starting. Which one wins depends on the product, the audience, the discount, the price, and how much value the user understands before paying.
What to measure
If you change the selected plan, do not stop at conversion. Track plan selection, checkout completion, annual versus monthly mix, refunds, cancellations, revenue per exposed visitor, and retention after the first renewal.
A default can lift the first transaction while creating worse customers. The only honest answer comes from measuring the whole path.
What I would keep
- Treat the selected plan as a product decision, not a visual detail.
- Separate short-term conversion from revenue and retention.
- Test defaults against the customer’s willingness to commit.
- Do not generalize one company’s winning default to every product.
The takeaway
A pricing screen is not neutral. The selected plan tells customers what the company expects them to choose, so test the whole customer path, not just the first click.
Sources and original research
Historical facts are attributed to these sources. An observed product change does not establish conversion lift.
Updated September 18, 2026. Based on original First 1000 reporting and the sources listed above.