What free trial length tends to work best for converting users to paid customers – 7 days, 14 days, 30 days – and how can we decide the optimal trial period for our product?

Below is a summary answer based on our pricing strategy book, Price to Scale:

• In our experience, there isn’t a one‐size‐fits-all answer like “7 days works best” or “30 days is optimal.” Instead, the best trial length is highly dependent on your product’s complexity, customer adoption curve, and the overall buying cycle. For a simple, low-touch product, a shorter trial (around 7 days) might create urgency and drive quicker conversions. For more complex offerings or products with a longer learning curve, a 14- or 30-day trial could be necessary to showcase value.

• Our book emphasizes that it’s not just about the length: it’s about the quality and behavior during the trial. For example, as discussed in Price to Scale, some companies add a nominal fee (like a $7 charge) to their trial plans. This small friction helps filter out non-serious users and leads to higher conversion rates, especially considering that free trial conversion rates are historically low (often between 2-6%).

• To decide the optimal trial period for your product, consider:

Testing different durations. Use A/B testing or controlled experiments to see which trial length yields better engagement and conversion metrics.
Evaluating customer usage patterns. Look for the point in the trial when users hit “aha” moments or start seeing real value.
Understanding your sales cycle and customer expectations. If your target customers require a longer decision period, then extending the trial might be beneficial.
Balancing resource costs. Longer trials can require more support and infrastructure, so factor in operational efficiency.

• In summary, our saas pricing book, Price to Scale, recommends that instead of picking a trial length based solely on conventional wisdom, companies should rely on data from controlled experiments and customer feedback. Whether that’s 7, 14, or 30 days (or even a nominal fee added to shorten the trial period), the focus should be on finding the sweet spot that maximizes genuine conversions and long-term growth.