Limited-time and lifetime promos: how promo strategies shape early adoption of Mac/iOS apps

Limited-time and lifetime promos are reshaping how early adopters jump into Mac and iOS apps. Prism, Historia, Unprompted, and the AI Quiz Game are testing price timing and scarcity as growth levers.

Prism – Focus & Screen Time offered Free Lifetime Premium Access to the first 1,000 users, a move that quickly boosted signups—and the offer has since expired. The update confirms the milestone and that early feedback is shaping future promos. ^[1]

Historia invites users to download for free and explains a lifetime option is available. Onboarding shows the lifetime option after swiping through 3 prompts for the next 24 hours. Historia’s creator notes the aim is to make history feel addictive and easy. ^[2]

Trivia Game Knowledge is Power is promoting 'FREE for 24 hours' Lifetime Premium Access. To grab a code, download the app and DM the developer; the post also asks for a rating to help reach more players. ^[3]

Unprompted shows the lifetime free option after onboarding, while standard pricing is still visible: 3 free daily prompts or all features for a one-off $14.99, annual $6.99, or monthly $0.99. ^[4]

Taken together, these promos sketch a pricing playbook: spark early traction with limited-time or lifetime access, then steer expectations toward paid plans on Mac and iOS. If this trend holds, early access becomes part of what users expect from new apps.

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