Thirty-day free trials had the highest customer acquisition (32%) and conversion rate (56%) of all marketing approaches, reveals the latest study by Whop, a platform for digital products, communities, and software. This approach is also shown to be 28 times more effective than offering free products to customers. Yet, only 25% of ecommerce sellers adopted the approach in 2023.
Of the four free trial periods (3 days, 7 days, 14 days, and 30 days), 30-day free trials are the most effective method of paid customer conversions - almost four times (273%) more likely to convert a customer than a 14-day free trial. The second highest conversion rate was the 3-day free trial at 35%, however, this approach only had 2% total signups.
“As it becomes increasingly challenging to get heard as a product or service in a crowded online space, one of the most powerful methods we've identified is offering 30-day free trials. By providing potential customers with an extended period to explore and integrate a product, businesses and digital creators can significantly boost engagement and conversion rates. This approach allows users to fully understand the value a product brings to their lives," said Cameron Zoub, CGO and Co-Founder of Whop.
The study also found that 30-day trials are followed by more successful signup rates, 16 times more than a 3-day trial and 1.5 times more than 7-day free trials.
Shorter free trials may seem appealing, but data shows that 30-day free trials are more effective for customer engagement and conversion. Longer trials allow customers to better understand the product's value, increasing their reliance on it and the likelihood of becoming paying customers, without additional cost to the business.
