Trial Conversion Rate
Definition
Trial conversion rate is the percentage of users who move from a free trial or freemium plan to a paid version of your product or service.
It measures how effective your trial experience is at convincing users to become paying customers.
Good or Bad?
Good?
A high trial conversion rate means your product value is clear and compelling.
Bad?
A low rate suggests poor onboarding, unclear benefits, or mismatched expectations.
Why does it matter?
This metric directly reflects your ability to turn interest into revenue.
If many users try your service but few convert, it could signal friction in the user journey or missed opportunities to highlight key features.
Common Mistakes
- Offering too much in the free trial and leaving no incentive to upgrade
- Failing to follow up with users during or after the trial period
- Complicated upgrade process or unclear pricing
- Not showcasing premium features early
- Lack of onboarding or educational content during the trial
How to Improve It?
- Set clear goals for the trial and guide users toward achieving them
- Use email sequences or in-app prompts to encourage upgrades
- Show real examples of success or benefits in action
- Make upgrading frictionless with simple, transparent pricing
- Limit trial access to just enough to showcase the value without giving everything away
Recommended Plugin
Name Your Price: Make a Price Offer for WooCommerce by WPFactory
You can use this plugin as a conversion tool by allowing users to try products or digital services with flexible pricing during the trial period, and then gently guide them into committing to a standard or minimum price.
Real-World Example
A SaaS store offers a 7-day free trial. Only 3 out of every 100 users convert.
After implementing a better onboarding flow and email reminders on days 3, 5, and 7, the conversion rate improves to 12 percent.
Related Terms
- Customer Lifetime Value
- Average Order Value
- Abandonment Rate
- Email Retargeting
FAQs
What’s a good trial conversion rate?
Anywhere between 10 to 30 percent is considered healthy, depending on the industry.
Should I collect credit card info for free trials?
It can increase conversion quality but may lower sign-up volume. Test both models.
How long should a free trial last?
7 to 14 days is common. Long enough to demonstrate value but short enough to create urgency.
