Plain-language questions
Ask for trial conversion rate per month, customer or product in the SQL Explorer with AI. The AI writes the SQL, you see the query and run it yourself; the AI only receives metadata.
KPI · Subscriptions and SaaS
Trial conversion rate: formula and example.
Trial conversion rate is the number of trials that end in a paid subscription, divided by the number of trials started, as a percentage. It shows how well your product and onboarding convince trial users. Calculate it by trial start month, so every group has had the same time to convert.
Trial conversion rate formula
Trials converted to paid ÷ trials started × 100%
Worked example
In July, 250 businesses start a trial with Acme's subscription service. Once the trials have ended, 55 have become paying customers. Trial conversion rate is 55 ÷ 250 × 100% = 22%.
Fictitious figures for Acme Groothandel, a sample wholesaler.
How to read this KPI
A higher trial conversion rate means more trial users see the value of your product and start paying. Compare it by acquisition channel and trial type; a trial that requires payment details attracts fewer but more motivated users than one that does not. Look at activation rate too: trial users who reach your product's key moment usually convert far more often.
Pitfalls with trial conversion rate
- Including trials that are still running, which makes conversion look too low.
- Allocating conversions to the month of payment rather than the month the trial started.
- Reporting trials with and without required payment details together, although they convert very differently.
SQL & DAX
Calculating trial conversion rate in SQL and DAX
Two examples on a fictitious data warehouse for Acme Groothandel: a PostgreSQL query and a measure for a Power BI model. Adjust table and column names to your own model.
SELECT date_trunc('month', trial_started_at) AS trial_month,
COUNT(*) AS trials,
COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE trial_converted_at IS NOT NULL) AS converted,
ROUND(100.0 * COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE trial_converted_at IS NOT NULL)
/ NULLIF(COUNT(*), 0), 1) AS trial_conversion_pct
FROM subscriptions
WHERE trial_started_at IS NOT NULL
AND trial_started_at < current_date - interval '30 days'
GROUP BY 1
ORDER BY 1;Trial Conversion Rate =
DIVIDE(
CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Subscriptions), NOT ISBLANK(Subscriptions[trial_converted_at])),
CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Subscriptions), NOT ISBLANK(Subscriptions[trial_started_at]))
)In ENABLE
Tracking this KPI in ENABLE
In your Power BI dashboard
Define the KPI as a measure in your Power BI model and show it in the portal, with "Last refreshed" next to it. Access profiles and optional row-level security decide who sees which figures.
Custom dashboards (pilot)
Add the KPI as a tile to a custom dashboard, compared with last year. The Dashboard Builder is a pilot and can be switched on per client.
Monthly targets
With the built-in Targets app you set a target for the KPI per month, so you see actuals and target side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate trial conversion rate?
Divide the number of trials that turned into a paid subscription by the number of trials started in the same start month. With 400 trials and 60 paying customers, trial conversion rate is 15%. Wait until all trials from that month have ended.
What is the difference between opt-in and opt-out trials?
In an opt-out trial, payment details are required up front and the subscription is charged unless the customer cancels; in an opt-in trial the customer has to choose actively to pay. Opt-out trials usually attract fewer sign-ups but convert at a higher rate. Compare them separately and also look at churn in the first months.
How can you improve trial conversion?
Help trial users reach the moment they experience your product's value as quickly as possible, for example with a short onboarding and sample data. Send targeted messages to users who get stuck and contact larger trial accounts directly. Measure which actions during the trial are linked to conversion.
Further reading
- KPI librarySaaS KPIs: MRR, churn and more explainedSubscription KPIs track recurring revenue: what comes in, what grows and what drops away. The data comes from your subscription or payment system and your CRM.Read more
- ResourcesHow to build a KPI dashboard: steps and examplesA KPI dashboard is an overview of the key figures you use to steer towards your goals, such as revenue, margin, on-time delivery or absenteeism. A good KPI dashboard does not start with the software, but with the decisions it needs to support. You then choose a limited number of KPIs, define them, sketch the dashboard and only then build it.Read more
- SolutionPower BI dashboard portal: share dashboards securelyShare your Power BI dashboards securely in your own portal, with role-based access.Read more
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