I think there’s a tipping point when purchasing articles individually becomes less attractive than paying for a single subscription even if it’s possible to spe

I think there’s a tipping point when purchasing articles individually becomes less attractive than paying for a single subscription even if it’s possible to spend less overall. There’s interface friction associated with making a payment (clicking a button, entering card details / authorising with Apple Pay) but there’s also decision friction: do I want to spend $1 on this article? I think if someone is buying multiple individual articles per month from a publication, and thus trusts the publication is worth reading, then a subscription offers a compelling benefit — no more thinking, just reading! Subscriptions can also offer other benefits: as you say, bundling is a way to increase perceived value, but it can also increase real value, if the publication understands the needs of their readers and bundles valuable things. Access to content earlier is a very common pattern employed across media subscriptions nowadays!