Free trial VS Money-back Guarantee 💰

Matej Cabadaj
22 replies
Which one do you prefer as a user? Do you have experience with one of them in your startup? 🤔

Replies

Rajesh Bhimani
Personally, I prefer the free trial approach, as it allows me to explore the product's full functionality upfront.
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Matej Cabadaj
@rajesh_bhimani Thanks a lot, Rajesh! Would you say that requirement of credit card before (when starting the trial) is a problem? Or do you prefer when there is no CC required?
Rajesh Bhimani
@matej_cabadaj I personally don't see the credit card requirement as a problem. I believe it adds a meaningful level of commitment, helping to streamline the conversion process for genuinely interested users. What's your take on this?
Jasmine Butters
Free trials are beneficial for users to experience the product's features, interface, and performance before committing financially. Conversely, a money-back guarantee provides the flexibility of full access after purchase, with the assurance of a refund if expectations aren't met.
Virginie Cazol
Free trial! Usually if an app ask for any payment, even if I can ask for a refund, I will look for a competitor
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Avery Jolly
I don't have any experience with this from a startup founder's perspective. But from a user's perspective I feel like a free trial is the most common way to go these days. That's especially true for software and other services we buy online. I feel like nowadays I see money-back guarantees offered more for physical goods I might buy over the phone and have shipped to my house. Maybe that's just me?
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Matej Cabadaj
@avery_jolly Yeah, I see the same - software usually has trials, courses or physical goods have money back guarantees 🤔 Makes sense, thanks a lot for the insight!
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Tyler Loyd
A free trial allows users to access the full functionality of a product or service for a limited time without payment. In contrast, a money-back guarantee involves purchasing the product or service upfront, and if dissatisfied within a specified period, the buyer can request a refund.
Claudiu Cogalniceanu
Great topic Matej. It actually made me reflect on myself😀 I plan to add on my startup a 14 day free trial (no card required) for monthly and annual plans, and a 30 day money back for the lifetime deal. But as a user, the free trial with no card required is a much more appealing offer. No risk on my part, and if I need the service, I’ll gladly pay for it.
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Matej Cabadaj
@claudiu_cogalniceanu Thanks a lot for the great answer! I think you're right! 🤔 This morning, I was reading an interesting article, maybe you will find it helpful too ☺️: https://www.quicksprout.com/what...
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Claudiu Cogalniceanu
@matej_cabadaj that was a great read! Thanks for sharing! In the end, I think it all depends on the audience. If you have an expensive product (over $1000/month), a money back guarantee would work better. If you have a cheap one (under $50/month), a free trial would be best - maybe with limited features🤔 I will definitely test this myself
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Matej Cabadaj
@claudiu_cogalniceanu Exactly what I'm thinking as well. Seems like free trial is the way to go for me 🤓
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@claudiu_cogalniceanu I agree, personally. If I don’t have to enter credit card, I’m about 90% more likely to try it unless it’s solves a problem I desperately need and it’s superior than competitors.
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Matej Cabadaj
@slimmy82 So you would recommend asking for CC after the trial period? 🤔 I had in mind I would ask for it before, but you would be charged after trial ends. Perhaps it is better to ask for it when it is ending 🤔
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Indiana Joshi
Free trials are beneficial for users to experience the product's features, interface, and performance before committing financially. Conversely, a money-back guarantee provides the flexibility of full access after purchase, with the assurance of a refund if expectations aren't met.
Max
Great question! As a user, I personally prefer a money-back guarantee. It gives me the peace of mind to try out a product or service without the pressure of a limited trial period. Plus, if I'm not satisfied, I know I can get my money back. In my startup experience, we've actually implemented a money-back guarantee, and it has worked really well for us. It helps build trust with our customers and encourages them to take the leap and try out our product without any hesitation. What about you? Have you had any experience with either of these approaches in your startup? Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
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Matej Cabadaj
@stylar_max Thanks a lot Max, very helpful! So you have not added trial period into your startup? 🤔 So the user had to pay before testing, right? Did you focus more o highlighting the main features on the landing page then? 🤔 😊 I am just facing this decision right now for my upcoming mental health platform 😅 (soon I will be able to finally show more 🤩) As a user, I actually like free trials, but when I feel like I really need the product, I don't care too much whether it requires payment or has a trial. But this changes once the price is higher than a few bucks.
Swati Thampi
Free trial is great idea.
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