Ask HN: Is a free trial a bad idea for my startup? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Is a free trial a bad idea for my startup?

1 pointhabosa4 comments

I'm making a B2B product that I expect to cost $30/mo for eventual business users. I want to increase adoption, so I was thinking that my product would have a 3 month free trial before requiring any payment. Does anyone have any data or anecdotes to suggest whether this will improve or hurt my chances of getting a paid customer? A lot of people lately are saying "charge from day one", so I'd like to hear what HN thinks.

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I don't think you will get an acceptable answer on here. Especially without giving details of your product.

That being said, the only way you can know for sure is to test it with real customers (your target customers). Invalidate your assumptions!

First determine what an acceptable conversion rate is. Then I would start with a comprehensive feature tour and good copy. Show the customer how you are going to make their life easier. Drive everything through that page. Track your conversion rate. Even if your conversion rate is acceptable, offer a short trial - track your conversion rate. tweak, test, track...

I think you need a trial, but not 3 months. How long does it take someone to realize they can't live without your product? Make that the trial length, even if it's only a day.

I do want to keep the trial short, however this is a user-facing product for small businesses and I want to allow for some time for the customers to become familiar with my service before the business makes a decision on buying it.

If you have a long trial period it gives the user too much time to slack off using the product, then not convert at the end of the trial. If someone is paying they are more likely to use the product and thereby making it more valuable to them.

The 1 day thing was just a bad joke, but without knowing anything about your product it's hard to imagine giving 3 months for any trial.

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