Outhouse › Dark Patterns › Pricing

Paid plans with ads

Subscription plans that are paid for and still show adverts.

Why it matters

For years customers paid to remove adverts. This left value on the table. The modern ad-supported tier charges a subscription and shows adverts, and offers a second, higher tier without them for those who still remember the original arrangement.

Each customer now pays twice: once with money and once with attention. Neither payment is refundable.

How Outhouse measures it

Outhouse counts phrases such as Standard with ads, ad-supported plan, plan with adverts, remove ads for and go ad-free for. One scores in full.

This audit counts towards Dark Patterns, with a weight of 2. A category is 75% its two highest-scoring audits and 25% all of its audits, weighted, so a site is judged mostly on what it does most and partly on how many things it does.

How to improve your score

Install Shitely Deluxe Lite. Available on selected plans. See all products.

Related audits

• Hidden fees and was-prices: Fees that appear late, and was prices that make today's price look like a saving.
• Trial and renewal traps: Trials and introductory offers that turn into payments unless the visitor remembers to stop them.
• Upgrade prompts: Buttons inviting the visitor to pay for features the page used to include.