Are you struggling to get more paying customers for your WordPress-powered business? Whether you offer digital products, memberships, physical goods, or services, free trials can be a game-changer.
Think about it: would you rather pay for something upfront without knowing if it‘s right for you, or get a chance to try it risk-free first? If you‘re like most people, the latter is far more appealing.
Free trials are a proven way to:
- Increase signups and leads
- Give users a taste of your offering‘s value
- Overcome hesitations and build trust
- Gather feedback to improve your product
- Boost customer retention and revenue
In fact, a study by Totango found that 44% of SaaS companies offer a free trial, and those that do generate 2x more revenue than those that only provide a free demo or freemium plan.
Free trials work because they harness the power of reciprocity. By giving people value upfront, you trigger a psychological urge to return the favor. In other words, users feel more obligated to become paying customers after getting something for free.
Plus, trials give people a chance to experience your product or service in their own environment and workflow. They can see firsthand how it benefits them, increasing the perceived value and likelihood of converting.
So whether you‘re selling software, courses, physical products, or your expertise, free trials are worth considering. In this guide, we‘ll walk you through four methods to add free trials to your WordPress site, along with tips and examples to optimize them for max results.
Method 1: Easy Digital Downloads – Best for Digital Products
If you sell digital products like ebooks, courses, music, or graphics, Easy Digital Downloads (EDD) is the simplest way to add free trials to your WordPress site. Here‘s how to set it up:
Install and activate the free Easy Digital Downloads plugin. If you need help, check out this guide.
Go to Downloads > Add New to create a new product. Enter a title, description, and price.
In the Download Settings box, check the "Activate Free Trial" option:
Specify the trial length in days. You can set the number of trial downloads allowed and whether to require a credit card upfront:
Publish the download and create a new page with the
[edd_receipt]shortcode to show customers their receipt and download links after purchase.
Now when someone purchases your digital product, they‘ll automatically be enrolled in the free trial. You can customize the length, download limits, and credit card requirement to fit your offer.
Pro tip: Use the Reminder Emails extension to automatically nudge trial users before the period ends. You can filter the list to only those who haven‘t upgraded yet and include a special discount or bonus for converting.
Method 2: MemberPress – Best for Membership Sites
Planning to launch a membership site with gated content, forums, courses, or downloads? MemberPress has your back. This all-in-one WordPress membership plugin makes it a breeze to set up free trials for any of your membership tiers:
Install and activate MemberPress. Here‘s a step-by-step guide if you get stuck.
Go to MemberPress > Memberships and click "Add New" to create a membership level.
Enter a title and description for the level, then scroll down to the Membership Terms section.
Select a Billing Type of "Recurring" and set the Billing Frequency (e.g. monthly) and recurring Price:
Check the box for "Enable Trial" and specify the Trial Duration in days. You can also set a custom Trial Amount (enter 0 for free) and whether to allow the trial only once per user:
Customize the Registration Page and other settings, then publish the membership level.
Create a Pricing Page with the
[mepr-membership-prices]shortcode to display all your available plans and let people sign up for the free trial.
MemberPress will automatically handle the trial period and billing for you. Users who sign up will get instant access to your members-only content for the specified number of days, then be charged the recurring price unless they cancel.
Pro tip: Offer a discount for the first paid billing period to encourage trial users to stick around. For example, you could charge $1 for the first month after the trial, then the regular price thereafter. Use the MemberPress Coupons feature to set this up.
Method 3: WooCommerce Subscriptions – Best for Physical Products
Selling physical products on a subscription basis, like monthly boxes or consumables? WooCommerce Subscriptions lets you add free trials to any product:
Purchase and install the WooCommerce Subscriptions plugin on your WordPress site. Make sure you also have the core WooCommerce plugin active.
Edit an existing product or create a new one and go to the Product Data section.
Change the product type to "Simple subscription":
Configure the Subscription Price, Billing Interval, and Billing Period:
Check the "Free Trial" box and enter the number of days for the trial. You can also specify a custom Trial Price if you want to charge a small amount for the trial period:
Publish the product. On the front-end, customers will see a "Sign up now" button to start the free trial.
WooCommerce Subscriptions handles the rest, automatically charging customers the recurring price after the trial period ends. You can manage all active, pending, and canceled subscriptions from your WordPress dashboard.
Pro tip: Use WooCommerce Subscriptions‘ built-in Renewal Emails feature to engage trial users before and after the free period. You can send personalized messages, product recommendations, and special offers based on their subscription status and value.
Method 4: WP Simple Pay – Best for Services and Custom Offers
Selling a service or custom offer that doesn‘t fit the traditional product mold? WP Simple Pay is a flexible WordPress payments plugin that lets you create Stripe checkout forms with free trial options:
Install and activate the premium version of WP Simple Pay.
Go to Simple Pay Lite > Add New to create a new payment form.
Name your form and select "Subscription" as the Payment type:
Configure the Subscription Amount, Recurring Interval, and Billing Cycle:
Under Free Trial, enter the number of days for the trial period. You can optionally set a custom Trial Amount to charge a small fee for the trial:
Customize the Checkout Fields, Subscription Management, and other options to fit your needs. Then publish the form.
Copy the generated shortcode or block and add it to any post or page to display the free trial signup form.
WP Simple Pay makes it easy to create custom payment forms with free trials for just about anything. The Stripe integration means you can accept credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and more without any extra extensions.
Pro tip: Enable the "Update Payment Method" setting in the Subscription Management options. This will let customers easily update their credit card details from their email receipts if they want to continue after the free trial.
Tips to Optimize Your Free Trial Offer
Now that you know how to add free trials to your WordPress site, here are some tips to make the most of them:
Choose the right trial length. The sweet spot is usually between 7-30 days. Too short and people won‘t have time to experience the value; too long and they may forget about you. Base it on your specific product and audience.
Require a credit card upfront. This may seem counterintuitive, but it dramatically increases conversions by reducing friction at the end of the trial. Just make sure to clearly state that they won‘t be charged until the trial is over, and allow for easy cancellations.
Provide a seamless upgrade process. The easier you make it for trial users to become paying customers, the better. Offer a one-click upgrade option from their account dashboard or email reminders. The less steps and info they have to enter, the higher your conversions will be.
Engage trial users with email. Registering for a free trial is a strong indicator of purchase intent. Nurture those leads with a targeted email series that guides them to success and demonstrates your product‘s value. Offer tips, case studies, and incentives to encourage paid signups.
Analyze and optimize your trial funnel. Use Google Analytics, heatmaps, and your WordPress plugins‘ reporting features to track how people find, start, and convert from your free trial. Look for points of friction and drop-off, then optimize your messaging, UX, and offers accordingly.
Free Trial FAQs
Got questions about implementing free trials on your WordPress site? Here are answers to some common ones:
Q: How do I prevent people from abusing my free trial?
A: Require a credit card upfront and clearly state your cancellation policy. You can also limit trials to one per user, email address, or IP address depending on your setup.
Q: What if someone forgets to cancel before the trial ends?
A: Send reminder emails in the days leading up to the end of the trial, and be clear about when they‘ll be charged if they don‘t cancel. Most plugins also allow for refunds or cancellations within a certain window after the first charge.
Q: Can I offer a free trial without a credit card?
A: Yes, but it typically results in much lower conversions because there‘s no commitment from the user. If you go this route, be prepared to spend more effort nurturing and converting those leads over time.
Free Trial Inspiration: 3 Examples
Need some real-world inspiration for your free trial offer and funnel? Check out these examples of WordPress websites doing it right:
Nextiva – This popular business communications platform offers a 7-day free trial of its all-in-one phone, video, and messaging tools. Signing up is as easy as entering your email and activating the trial from your inbox.
SeedProd – The top-rated landing page builder for WordPress lets you try any of its premium plans free for 14 days, no credit card required. The trial includes access to all the templates, blocks, and integrations to help you build high-converting pages fast.
FreshBooks – This cloud accounting software offers a 30-day free trial of its suite of invoicing, expense tracking, and reporting tools. You do need to enter a credit card to get started, but they make it easy to cancel anytime from your account settings.
Over to You
Free trials are a smart way to attract more leads, demonstrate your value, and boost conversions for your WordPress business. With the right tools and approach, you can craft an irresistible trial offer that turns hesitant prospects into happy, paying customers.
Remember to:
- Choose a trial length that makes sense for your product and audience
- Reduce friction by requiring a credit card and allowing easy cancellations
- Deliver a stellar first experience that wows trial users
- Engage registrants with targeted, value-packed messaging
- Continually test, learn, and optimize based on data
No matter what you‘re selling, free trials can be a game-changer for your bottom line. Follow the steps in this guide and you‘ll be well on your way to free trial success.
Now we want to hear from you: Have you tried offering a free trial for your WordPress business? What plugins, tools, and tactics work best for you? Let us know in the comments!
