How Long Should Your Free Trial Be? A Guide for Subscription Apps

Updated Oct 10, 2026

On this page (7 sections)

1. Quick answer
2. What the data says (cited)
3. Match trial length to time-to-value
4. Trial length by plan (monthly vs annual)
5. iOS introductory offer rules
6. Measuring trials beyond trial-to-paid
7. FAQ

Your free trial should last long enough for a typical user to reach the app's core value at least once or twice, and no longer. For a daily-use app, that's often a few days; for an app used weekly, about a week or more. RevenueCat's 2026 data shows longer trials convert at a higher median rate, but you should test against your own revenue, not just conversion.

Quick answer

How long should a free trial be for an app?

Match trial length to time-to-value: how long a new user takes to experience the main benefit. Daily-use apps can often use 3 to 7 days; weekly-use apps usually need at least 7. Longer trials tend to convert a higher share, according to RevenueCat's 2026 report, but delay revenue, so test lengths and compare revenue per install.

What the data says (cited)

RevenueCat's State of Subscription Apps 2026 reports that trials of 17 to 32 days had a median trial-to-paid conversion of 42.5%, compared with 25.5% for trials of four days or less. It also reports that the share of apps using trials of four days or less rose to 46.5% in 2026. (RevenueCat summary)

Read this carefully:

• These are medians across many apps, not a prediction for yours.
• It's a correlation. Apps that choose long trials may differ in other ways (category, price, audience).
• A higher trial-to-paid rate doesn't mean more revenue. A longer trial delays every payment and can lower the share of installs that start a trial at all.

So use the data as a reason to test a longer trial, not as proof that one will win.

Match trial length to time-to-value

Ask: how many sessions does a new user need before they "get it," and how far apart are those sessions?

RevenueCat's own guidance points the same way: daily-use apps can get away with a 3-day trial, while weekly-use apps may need 7. (RevenueCat: Freemium tier design)

Is a 3-day or 7-day trial better?

It depends on how quickly your app shows value. A 3-day trial suits apps people use every day and understand in the first session. A 7-day trial suits apps whose value builds over several sessions. RevenueCat's 2026 medians favor longer trials for conversion, but run your own test and compare revenue per install.

Trial length by plan (monthly vs annual)

You don't need the same trial on every plan:

• Annual plan with a trial is the most common pairing. The trial lowers the risk of a large upfront charge.
• Monthly plan without a trial can work, because the first month is already a low-cost commitment.
• Different lengths per plan are possible, because each subscription product can have its own introductory offer.

If you show both plans on one paywall, make it obvious which plan has the trial. Ambiguity here causes refunds and complaints.

iOS introductory offer rules

On iOS, a free trial is a type of introductory offer on an auto-renewable subscription. App Store Connect offers three types: Free (free trial), Pay as You Go (a discounted price for a number of periods) and Pay Up Front (one discounted payment for a set duration). (App Store Connect Help: Set up introductory offers)

Key rules to know:

• A customer can redeem one introductory offer per subscription group, even across different products in that group.
• New subscribers, and lapsed subscribers who never used an introductory offer in that group, are eligible. Existing subscribers aren't.
• Introductory offers are set per storefront.
• Check eligibility in your app (StoreKit offers an eligibility check) so you never show a trial to someone who can't get it.

Can I combine a free trial and a discount on iOS?

Not in one introductory offer. Each subscription product's introductory offer is one type: free, pay as you go or pay up front, and a customer gets one introductory offer per subscription group. To offer a discount later, use Apple's promotional offers or offer codes for eligible users, which are separate from the introductory offer.

Promotional offers: Set up promotional offers. Your paywall must state the trial length and the price after the trial clearly; see the paywall optimization checklist.

Measuring trials beyond trial-to-paid

Trial-to-paid is only one step. Judge a trial length on the whole chain:

1. Download-to-trial: does a longer or shorter trial change how many people start one?
2. Trial-to-paid: how many trial users convert?
3. First renewal: do converted users stay after their first paid period?
4. Refunds: do users feel surprised by the charge?
5. Revenue per install over a fixed window, such as 60 days.

The fifth number is the tiebreaker. A shorter trial might convert fewer trial users and still win on revenue per install because more people start it and money arrives sooner.

For the qualitative side (why people don't convert), see qualitative and quantitative user research for conversion. Timing a rating prompt around the "aha" moment can also help; see iOS rating prompts: what the data says. Introductory offer setup is covered in App Store Connect Mastery.

GROWNX pulls your App Store Connect and RevenueCat data into one free-to-start dashboard, so you can see whether your keyword, metadata and paywall changes actually move revenue. Free plan available.

FAQ

Do longer trials convert better?

At the median, yes. RevenueCat's State of Subscription Apps 2026 reports 42.5% median trial-to-paid conversion for 17 to 32 day trials versus 25.5% for trials of four days or less. That's a cross-app correlation, not a guarantee for your app, and longer trials delay revenue, so test it.

Should every app have a trial?

No. A trial helps when users need to experience premium features to see their value. Apps whose value is obvious in the first session, or freemium apps with a generous free tier, may not need one. RevenueCat notes trials aren't a requirement and should be used strategically. Test with and without.

When should I remind users the trial is ending?

Before it ends, with enough time for the user to decide calmly. A reminder a day or two before the first charge builds trust and can reduce refunds and angry reviews. Keep the reminder honest and specific: what happens next, on which date, and the exact price they'll pay.