Trial Conversion Rate Calculator
Trial-to-paid conversion, what each trial is worth, and the cost per trial that still leaves the funnel profitable.
Conversion rate is paid conversions over trials started.
How the trial conversion rate calculator works
Conversion rate is paid conversions over trials started. Its value depends on what happens next: the value of a trial is the conversion rate times the lifetime value of a customer.
That product is what sets the maximum you can pay for a trial. At a 20% conversion rate and a 900 lifetime value, a trial is worth 180 — so a 60 cost per trial leaves a 3:1 ratio, which is the usual target.
Formula: trial value = conversion rate × LTV
Worked examples
| Inputs | Trial conversion rate | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 400 of 2,000 trials convert | 20% | 20% — each trial worth 240 |
| A lower rate | 5% | 5% — the trial value collapses |
| Lower churn | 20% | doubles the lifetime value |
FAQFrequently asked questions
What is a good trial conversion rate?
Self-serve products commonly see 10 to 25% on an opt-in free trial. Requiring a card at signup pushes the rate far higher and the trial count far lower.
What is a trial worth?
Its conversion rate multiplied by the lifetime value of a customer. That product is the ceiling on what you can pay to generate one.
Should I require a credit card?
It trades volume for quality. Card-required trials convert at 40 to 60% but generate a fraction of the signups — the total paid customers can go either way.
Why does churn matter so much here?
Because LTV is inversely proportional to it. Halving churn doubles what every trial is worth.
How long should the trial be?
Long enough to reach the product's first real value moment. Beyond that, longer trials mostly delay the decision rather than improve it.
Where these figures come from
- Reichheld (2003), Harvard Business Review — The One Number You Need to Grow — the paper that introduced Net Promoter Score
- Australian Securities and Investments Commission — the Australian corporate regulator
Last checked: September 2026. These are the industry-standard definitions; where companies commonly disagree, the page says so.