What is the Trials Started Metric?
The Trials Started metric represents the total number of free trial subscriptions initiated within the selected date range. This metric provides a direct count of the number of users who began a free trial, indicating the reach and initial interest in your trial offers.
You can find it in the Cleeng Dashboard under Analytics > Trial Value & Acquisition.
How is it Calculated?
The calculation is a simple count:
Trials Started = Count of free trial subscriptions initiated during the specified period.
This involves counting all instances where a user began a free trial within the given timeframe.
Trial Value & Acquisition Dashboard
What is the Trial Value & Acquisition Dashboard?
The Trial Value & Acquisition Dashboard combines two key trial metrics into a single view: Trials Started and Average Revenue per Trial (ARPT). It helps you understand both the volume of new trials and the revenue those trials generate over time.
Dashboard components:
- Combo Chart Visualization: Displays Trials Started as a bar chart and Average Revenue per Trial as a line chart. This format lets you see whether high-volume periods also bring in high-value users.
- Data Table: Lists the trial start date, Trials Started, and Average Revenue per Trial in the same rows, sorted by date. Data can be exported for further analysis.
You can filter the dashboard by Subscription Acquisition Channel, Offer Title, and Customer Country, in addition to the trial start date range and timeframe selection.
Metrics on this dashboard:
- Trials Started: the total number of free trial subscriptions initiated within the selected date range.
- Average Revenue per Trial (ARPT): the average revenue generated from each new free trial, calculated as total revenue from converted trials divided by total trials started in the same period.
How are Trials Started and Average Revenue per Trial different?
Trials Started is a volume metric. It counts how many free trials began in a given period and tells you about reach and acquisition momentum.
Average Revenue per Trial is a value metric. It tells you how much revenue each trial cohort eventually generates, reflecting trial quality, conversion effectiveness, and subscriber retention after conversion.
Together, they answer two distinct questions: "How many people are trying our product?" and "How much is each trial cohort worth?"
How to Use the Trials Started Metric in a Subscription Business
The Trials Started metric is crucial for understanding the initial engagement with your trial programs. You can use it to:
- Measure Trial Offer Reach: Track the number of trials started to assess the overall reach and appeal of your trial offers.
- Identify Peak Trial Periods: Identify trends in trial starts to understand seasonal variations or the impact of specific events.
- Forecast Future Trial Conversions: Use the number of trials started to predict potential future trial conversions and revenue.
FAQs
What date is shown in the Trial Value & Acquisition dashboard?
The date when the trial started. Both metrics are grouped by trial start date.
Why is my Average Revenue per Trial showing 0?
The trials from that period haven't converted to a paid subscription yet, or the converted subscriptions haven't generated any revenue. Check the Trial Conversions dashboard and the Transactions Report in for more detail.
What revenue is counted in Average Revenue per Trial (ARPT)?
All revenue from subscriptions that started as a trial on a specific date. This means the value will grow over time as those subscriptions renew. Trials started 12 months ago will typically show a much higher ARPT than trials from the current month. Revenue is counted at the subscription level, not the customer level.
Why do older trial cohorts have higher ARPT than recent ones?
This is expected. Older cohorts have had more time to generate revenue. A trial started a year ago has had 12 months of potential payments on a monthly offer, while a trial started this month may not have converted yet.
Can I compare trial acquisition volume against trial quality?
Yes - that's the purpose of the combo chart. If Trials Started spikes but ARPT stays flat or drops, it may indicate lower-quality acquisition. If volume is steady but ARPT is climbing, your trial cohorts are retaining and paying better over time.