ImpulsePay launches PublishPay to help publishers take their paywall mobile
On the content side, the platform is able to turn any RSS feed (which can be kelp private) into a mobile-friendly website, a potentially cheaper option than building a native app. In turn, that content can then be charged for – and to a reader’s mobile phone bill or pre-pay credit – through ImpulsePay’s support for Payforit, the mobile payments service backed by all the UK’s mobile operators. This provides a fairly frictionless alternative to Premium SMS or credit card payments — see our previous coverage.
Interestingly (or opportunistically), ImpulsePay is pitching the news off the back of the FT’s new HTML5 iPad-optimized version, which as we noted, by being browser-based conveniently bypasses Apple’s in-app purchasing mechanism and in turn the company’s 30% cut. To that end, ImpulsePay says there are no set up or monthly fees and publishers keep 75% of the transaction fee.
In terms of the type of paywall that can be erected, content can be charged per-article or per-day, while the service also allows for subscription payments to be taken, potentially creating a recurring revenue stream.