Track trials

Memberful supports both free and paid trials. Trials are a powerful way to introduce people to your community and demonstrate the value of your membership before they commit to recurring payments. In this help article, we’ll walk through how trials work, how they’re tracked, and how to use trial data to improve your trial conversion rate.

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Where to find this metric

Go to Revenue → Metrics → Trials in your Memberful dashboard.

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How do trials work?

Memberful offers both free and paid trials.

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Free trials

Free trials let someone access your membership benefits for a set period at no cost (e.g., 30 days free). You can choose whether a credit card is required:

• Credit card required: We automatically charge the card when the trial ends.
• No credit card required: Members will be prompted to add a card one week before their trial expires.

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Paid trials

Paid trials charge a small upfront amount to begin (e.g., $1 for 30 days). They behave like free trials but require payment to start.

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What counts as a trial?

A trial is counted when a member starts a free or paid trial, and the trial is attached to a recurring subscription plan. Trials on one-time plans do not count toward this metric because they don’t create ongoing subscription value.

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What counts as a trial conversion?

A conversion is counted when a member on a free or paid trial begins paying for any recurring plan after the trial ends. Conversions count even if the member moves to a different plan than the one they trialed.

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How trials are tracked

The Trials metric is made up of the following segments:

• Starting: Members with an active trial at the start of the month
• New: Members who started a trial during the month
• Converted: Members who started a recurring payment when their trial ended
• Expired: Members who didn’t start a recurring payment when their trial ended
• Active: Members with an active trial at the end of the month
• Trial conversion rate: Percentage of ended trials that converted

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How to explore your Trials data

The Trials chart shows month-over-month trial activity, including the current (partially complete) month. You can view the last 3, 6, or 12 months. Hover over any bar to see a breakdown of trial activity for that month. Below the chart, you’ll find a table with trial activity by calendar month. Click any non-total value to view the individual members that make up that number. You can export this data. There is no plan comparison view for trials because conversions are attributed to any paid plan — not the plan the member trialed.

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How should I use this metric?

Trials help you measure the effectiveness of your early-stage member experience. The most important number to monitor is your trial conversion rate — the percentage of trial members who continue with a paid recurring subscription. A strong conversion rate usually means:

• Your trial delivers clear value
• Pricing aligns with expectations
• You’re attracting the right audience

A low conversion rate may signal:

• Trial members don’t see enough value
• Pricing or billing frequency feels too high
• Your marketing is attracting the wrong audience

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How do I increase my trial conversion rate?

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Deliver clear value

Make sure trial members experience the core benefits of your membership during the trial period.

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Engage trial members intentionally

Trial members should receive extra support, reminders, or guidance — this window determines whether they become long-term subscribers.

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Experiment with pricing and billing frequency

If conversion drops at renewal, consider adjusting your price or offering quarterly or annual plans that feel more approachable.

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Attract the right audience

Promote your trial to people who resemble your paying members. A free or low-price trial can attract a wide audience — but not always the right one.