The Trap of Chasing Recurring Revenue
Recurring revenue sounds like the dream.
Predictable income. Money coming in every month without launching again. Build it once, earn forever.
So people force everything into subscriptions and memberships, even when the product doesn't justify it.
They create monthly payments for static content. They add "ongoing access" to one-time problems. They build communities no one asked for just to have recurring revenue.
And then they wonder why people cancel, why retention is low, why it feels like constant work to keep members engaged.
This lesson exists to help you choose the model that actually fits the problem, not the one that sounds most appealing.
Recurring revenue is not a goal by itself. It's a structure that works for certain kinds of value and fails for others.
When One-Time Makes Sense
One-time pricing works when the problem is solvable once.
Someone needs to learn something. They learn it. They're done.
Examples of problems that fit one-time pricing:
How to set up a landing page
How to write a cold email
How to price your first offer
How to structure a coaching session
These are skills or processes someone learns and applies. They don't need ongoing access. They don't need updates every month.
Charging them monthly for this creates friction. They paid once, got the result, and now they're being billed for something they already finished.
One-time pricing is honest here. It matches the value.
Read: When One-Time Pricing Is the Right Choice (Even If Recurring Sounds Better)
When Recurring Is Justified
Recurring pricing works when the value is ongoing.
Someone needs continued support, updates, accountability, or evolving content.
Examples of problems that justify recurring pricing:
Ongoing coaching or accountability
A library of templates that gets updated monthly
Access to live office hours or Q&A calls
A community where real-time interaction is the value
Training in a field that changes frequently (tools, platforms, strategies)
The key is this: the value has to be continuous, not just access.
If someone could download everything on day one and never need to come back, recurring doesn't make sense.
If they benefit from coming back regularly, recurring works.
Read: What Actually Justifies Recurring Pricing (And What Doesn't)
When Recurring Becomes a Burden
Recurring revenue sounds passive. But it's not.
When you charge monthly, you're making an ongoing promise:
New content will be added
Support will be available
The platform will stay updated
The community will stay active
If any of those things stop, people cancel. And they should.
Here's what happens when recurring becomes a burden:
You feel pressure to create every month.
Even when you don't have something valuable to add.
You burn out maintaining content no one uses.
Members stay subscribed but don't engage. You're earning money but not delivering real value.
Retention becomes a constant battle.
You spend more time trying to keep people subscribed than helping them get results.
You can't step away without income stopping.
Unlike one-time products that can sell while you're offline, recurring requires ongoing presence.
Recurring works when the ongoing value is real. It becomes a burden when you're forcing it.
Read: The Hidden Cost of Recurring Revenue (And When to Avoid It)
How to Decide Which Model Fits
Here's a simple test:
Ask: Does the value compound over time, or is it frontloaded?
If the value is delivered upfront (a course, a guide, a framework), one-time makes sense.
If the value grows over time (ongoing support, evolving content, real-time community), recurring makes sense.
Ask: Do people need to come back regularly, or can they take what they learned and leave?
If they can leave and still get the full result, one-time.
If staying connected is part of the value, recurring.
Ask: Am I willing to deliver ongoing value every month?
If yes, and you have a plan for what that looks like, recurring can work.
If no, or if you're just hoping to figure it out later, stick with one-time.
The model should fit the problem and your capacity. Not just the revenue goal.
Read: The One-Time vs. Recurring Decision Tree
What Hybrid Models Look Like
You don't have to choose just one.
Some products work best with a hybrid model:
One-time with optional recurring.
Sell the course once. Offer an optional membership for ongoing support.
One-time with annual updates.
Charge once. Offer a discounted rate for yearly access to new versions.
Recurring with a one-time option.
Monthly membership or pay once for lifetime access.
Hybrid models give people choice. But they also add complexity.
Only go hybrid if you've already validated both models separately. Don't start with hybrid.
Read: When Hybrid Pricing Works (And When It Just Complicates Things)
Choose Sustainability Over Trends
Recurring revenue is trendy. Everyone talks about MRR (monthly recurring revenue) and passive income.
But trends aren't strategy.
The right model is the one you can sustain without burning out.
If recurring feels heavy, draining, or like constant obligation, it's not sustainable.
If one-time feels simpler, clearer, and easier to deliver, that's your answer.
You can always add recurring later. But you can't undo burnout.
Read: Why Sustainability Beats Scalability (Especially at the Start)
Bottom Line
Recurring revenue is not a goal by itself.
One-time pricing works when the problem is solvable once. Recurring works when the value is ongoing and you're willing to deliver it.
Don't force recurring just because it sounds better. Don't avoid it if the problem actually justifies it.
Choose the model that fits the problem and your capacity.
Test one model first. Add complexity later if needed.
Sustainability beats trends. Always.
Read: How to Pick the Right Pricing Model Without Overthinking It