Subscription Tools to Help New Authors Monetize
Case Study: Prose
Prose, a digital publishing platform for aspiring authors, partnered with Melt Studio to strengthen their product and add monetization tools. Together, we transformed Prose’s MVP—fixing bugs, refining the user experience, and introducing a powerful subscription engine. In just three months, the platform was relaunched with new features that boosted author engagement and revenue potential.
THE CHALLENGE
Build Subscription Features on Top of a Buggy MVP
Prose needed to evolve from a basic MVP into a functional, scalable platform with monetization tools. Key challenges included poor UX, platform bugs (email notifications, post publishing, etc.), and lack of mobile optimization. Subscription features like paywalled content and Stripe payments had to be built from scratch—while improving reliability and preparing the platform for growth.
INITIAL STATE
OUR SOLUTION
From Platform Fixes to Full Subscription Infrastructure
Requirements
Simplification
We reviewed and clarified user stories for better alignment. Our team worked to simplify the tech roadmap, reduce bugs, and lay the foundation for subscription logic—ensuring each feature fit Prose’s business model and user needs.
Application
Building
We implemented Stripe integration, subscription paywalls, author tools for gated content, and gamification features. All features were built with a JavaScript-first stack using React and Node.js, maintaining scalability and user clarity.
Prototype
Release
Over three months, we conducted six demos and rolled out iterative updates. The new version launched with major UX improvements, author monetization tools, and bug fixes—resulting in a 16% revenue lift within two months.
DELIVER STATE
CUSTOMER FEEDBACK
More Monetization, Better User Experience
Authors now access intuitive tools for managing paid content and tracking subscribers. Mobile responsiveness and email flows were fixed, and new analytics help authors monitor growth. The Prose team continues evolving the platform using our foundation.
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Genevieve
Healthy Teen Network
July 23, 2020
After working with other developers I can honestly say that my experience with Melt has been fantastic. First, the teams that have worked on our various projects are talented and diligent. Second, I appreciate weekly meetings where we can see the progress of our apps. Manuel and his team has always kept us abreast of the progress, the problems, and potential solutions to overcome the challenges. I love being able to see in Pivotal the number of stories and how each has been tackled. The openness, honesty and clarity in the communication has been a key for my satisfaction.
July 23, 2020
Brandon Gonzalez
SemGraph
March 18, 2021
Exceptionally high skill and little oversight required, which at the moment allows me to work on other parts of the project. The engineers are self-starters and take initiative on their own. I really look forward to working long-term with you all
March 18, 2021
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