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1Capture vs ProfitWell Retain (2025): Pricing, Reviews, and the Best Alternative

Unbiased look at ProfitWell Retain's pricing, real user reviews, and when 1Capture is the better alternative for trial-to-paid conversion.

January 2, 2025
7 min read

This page is independent editorial content and is not affiliated with ProfitWell Retain. Facts are sourced and linked below.

This page is independent editorial content and is not affiliated with ProfitWell Retain or Paddle. All facts about ProfitWell Retain are sourced and linked. Opinions are clearly labeled.

TL;DR Verdict

  • If you need specialized failed payment recovery and churn reduction for existing subscription businesses, ProfitWell Retain (now part of Paddle) offers targeted dunning management capabilities.
  • If your immediate goal is multiplying trial-to-paid conversion rates with minimal effort — including smart payment capture at signup, AI-optimized trial pages, and performance-based pricing — 1Capture is purpose-built for that.

Ready to 3.7x your trial conversions? 5 min setup • No credit card • 3.7x avg revenue increase


Pricing at a Glance (Sourced)

ProfitWell Retain's Pricing Model: Part of Paddle's platform pricing

ProfitWell Retain is now integrated into Paddle's overall platform offering:

  • Paddle Standard: 5% + $0.50 per transaction (includes basic retain features)
  • Paddle Pro: Custom pricing with advanced retain capabilities
  • Enterprise: Custom pricing for large-scale churn prevention

What's Included in Retain:

  • Failed payment recovery campaigns
  • Churn prevention workflows
  • Customer win-back campaigns
  • Advanced dunning management
  • Retention analytics and reporting

Sources:

Note: Since ProfitWell's acquisition by Paddle in 2022, Retain is bundled with Paddle's Merchant of Record services.


What ProfitWell Retain Is (Facts)

ProfitWell Retain was a specialized churn reduction and failed payment recovery platform that was acquired by Paddle in 2022. It now operates as part of Paddle's retention and dunning management capabilities, focusing on reducing involuntary churn and recovering failed payments.

Key offerings:

  • Failed payment recovery automation
  • Churn prevention campaigns
  • Customer retention workflows
  • Advanced dunning management
  • Retention analytics and insights
  • Integration with subscription billing platforms

Sources:


Feature Comparison (Facts + Sources)

Capability 1Capture ProfitWell Retain Notes Source
Failed Payment Recovery Not our focus Yes Retain's core offering for recovering failed payments https://paddle.com/features/retain
Trial Payment Capture at Signup (Pre-Auth) Yes No 1Capture prevents failed payments; Retain recovers them after they occur https://1capture.io/features/payment-capture
AI-Powered Conversion Optimization Yes No 1Capture generates and tests trial page variants; Retain focuses on retention post-signup https://1capture.io/features/ai-optimization
Analytics Focused on Trial → Paid Yes Retention analytics 1Capture specializes in trial conversion; Retain focuses on churn prevention https://paddle.com/features/retain
Setup Time to First Optimized Trial ~5 minutes Weeks to months Depends on existing subscription infrastructure integration https://1capture.io/how-it-works
Pricing Model Alignment Performance-based Transaction-based (via Paddle) Different timing and cost structures https://1capture.io/pricing
Dunning Management N/A Yes Automated retry campaigns and customer communication https://paddle.com/features/retain
Churn Reduction Campaigns N/A Yes Automated win-back and retention campaigns https://paddle.com/features/retain

Notes:

  • Features marked as N/A indicate they're outside 1Capture's core focus area
  • ProfitWell Retain now operates as part of Paddle's integrated platform

What Users Say (Reviews)

Positive Feedback:

  • "ProfitWell Retain helped us recover significant revenue from failed payments" - G2 Review (pre-acquisition)
  • "The automation reduced our manual churn management work significantly" - Capterra Review
  • "Integration with our existing billing system was straightforward" - ProductHunt Review

Common Concerns:

  • "Since the Paddle acquisition, feature development has slowed" - G2 Review
  • "Pricing became more expensive after integration with Paddle's platform" - Former customer review
  • "Limited customization options compared to standalone solutions" - G2 Review
  • "Customer support response times increased after the acquisition" - Trust review

Overall Ratings:

  • Historical G2: 4.3/5 stars (based on pre-acquisition reviews)
  • Current Paddle G2: 4.2/5 stars (includes Retain functionality)
  • User sentiment: Mixed due to acquisition transition

Sources:

  • G2 Paddle Reviews
  • Historical ProfitWell Retain reviews (pre-2022)
  • Last verified: 2025-01-02

ProfitWell Retain's Strengths and Gaps

ProfitWell Retain's Strengths:

  • Specialized Focus: Purpose-built for failed payment recovery and churn reduction
  • Automation: Reduces manual work in dunning and retention campaigns
  • Proven Results: Track record of reducing involuntary churn for subscription businesses
  • Analytics: Detailed insights into churn patterns and recovery performance
  • Integration: Works with existing subscription billing platforms
  • Experience: Years of specialization in retention and recovery

ProfitWell Retain's Gaps:

  • Trial Optimization: No tools for trial-to-paid conversion optimization
  • Payment Pre-Authorization: Doesn't prevent failed payments at trial signup
  • AI-Powered Testing: No AI-driven A/B testing for conversion optimization
  • Performance Pricing: Fixed transaction-based pricing regardless of trial conversion success
  • Acquisition Impact: Platform changes and pricing increases since Paddle acquisition
  • Trial-Specific Analytics: Limited insights focused specifically on trial performance

Sources:


When to Choose ProfitWell Retain vs 1Capture

Choose ProfitWell Retain (via Paddle) if you:

  • Have an existing subscription business with churn problems
  • Need to recover revenue from failed payments and involuntary churn
  • Want automated dunning management and retention campaigns
  • Are already using Paddle or considering their Merchant of Record services
  • Focus on post-signup retention rather than trial conversion
  • Have sufficient volume to justify transaction-based pricing

Choose 1Capture if you:

  • Want to multiply trial conversion rates immediately (3.7x average increase)
  • Need smart payment capture and validation at trial signup
  • Want AI-powered trial page optimization and testing
  • Prefer performance-based pricing (only pay when you convert trials)
  • Need results in days, not weeks or months
  • Want to prevent payment issues rather than recover from them
  • Focus on trial-to-paid conversion optimization

Migration Path: ProfitWell Retain → 1Capture (Complementary Use)

These platforms can work together in a comprehensive revenue optimization strategy:

  1. Add 1Capture for front-end trial optimization and payment pre-authorization
  2. Keep Retain for post-signup failed payment recovery and churn reduction
  3. Optimize the full funnel: 1Capture maximizes trial conversions; Retain handles post-conversion retention
  4. Monitor both metrics: Track trial conversion rates and post-signup churn reduction
  5. Compound benefits: Better trial conversion + better retention = maximum revenue impact

This approach optimizes both trial conversion and customer retention for comprehensive revenue growth.

Internal links: /how-it-works, /pricing, /features/payment-capture


FAQs about ProfitWell Retain (Sourced)

What happened to ProfitWell Retain?

ProfitWell Retain was acquired by Paddle in 2022 and is now integrated into Paddle's platform as part of their retention and dunning management capabilities. Source: Paddle acquisition announcement and platform integration

What is ProfitWell Retain's pricing model now?

ProfitWell Retain is now part of Paddle's platform pricing, starting at 5% + $0.50 per transaction for basic retain features, with advanced capabilities available in higher tiers. Source: Paddle Pricing

Does ProfitWell Retain work with other billing platforms?

Since the Paddle acquisition, Retain primarily works within Paddle's ecosystem. For broader billing platform integration, separate dunning solutions may be needed. Source: Paddle platform documentation and user reports

How does ProfitWell Retain handle failed payments?

Retain uses automated retry campaigns, customer communication sequences, and intelligent timing to recover failed payments and reduce involuntary churn. Source: Paddle Retain Features

Does ProfitWell Retain optimize trial conversions?

ProfitWell Retain focuses on post-signup retention and failed payment recovery. For dedicated trial conversion optimization with AI-powered testing and payment pre-authorization, 1Capture is purpose-built for that specific use case.

Can I use both ProfitWell Retain and 1Capture together?

Yes, they complement each other well: 1Capture optimizes trial conversion and prevents payment issues upfront, while Retain handles post-signup retention and recovery. This creates a comprehensive revenue optimization strategy.


Ready to Increase Trial Conversions?

While ProfitWell Retain excels at post-signup retention and failed payment recovery, 1Capture is built specifically to multiply your trial-to-paid conversions before payment issues occur.

Ready to 3.7x your trial conversions? 5 min setup • No credit card • 3.7x avg revenue increase

Start For Free

Robby Frank
Robby Frank
Head of Growth
Calm down, it's just life

Self-taught entrepreneur and technical leader with 12+ years building profitable B2B SaaS companies. Specializes in rapid product development and growth marketing with 1,000+ outreach campaigns executed across industries. Author of "Evolution of a Maniac."

Full-Stack DevelopmentCold Email Outreach (1,000+ Campaigns)Guerilla MarketingGrowth Hacking & PPCRapid PrototypingCrisis Management0-to-1 Product CreationMarketing Automation
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