Free Trials
Offer a free trial before the first paid renewal: configure it per product, charge nothing at checkout, and convert automatically when the trial ends.
On this page
What this does
A free trial lets a customer start a subscription without being charged today. The subscription and its license are created immediately and are fully active; the first payment is deferred until the trial ends.
Trials are configured per product, and apply to recurring products only.
Where to find it
Products → [your product] → Product data → Subscriptions Settings, in the Free Trial section.
The settings
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Enable Free Trial | Offers a free trial period before the first paid renewal starts. |
| Trial Duration | Length of the trial. Must be a positive number. |
| Trial Duration Unit | Days, Weeks or Months. |
| Trial Behavior After End | Start paid subscription automatically if a payment method exists, or Require manual payment (send a pay link). |
| Trial Label (optional) | Shown at checkout and on the customer dashboard. Leave blank to generate it from the duration — for example “14-day free trial”. |
| One trial per customer | Prevents the same customer claiming this product’s trial more than once. |
Variations inherit their parent product’s trial configuration.
What the customer sees
At checkout, the product’s line item is set to $0 and the order review shows the trial clearly. Nothing is charged.
On the dashboard, a trial subscription shows:
- a Free Trial badge — that is what the
trialingstatus is called in the interface; - the trial end date and days remaining;
- the next payment date;
- whether a payment method is on file, with an Add Payment Method button when none is.
What happens when the trial ends
The first paid renewal is attempted only when the trial ends — never before.
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| A saved WooCommerce payment token exists, and behaviour is automatic | The renewal is charged off-session and the subscription converts to active. |
| No payment method, or behaviour is manual | A pending renewal order is created and a one-click pay-link email is sent. |
| The charge fails | The customer is asked to update their payment method. |
| Nothing is paid | The trial expires. |
Plan availability
| Capability | Starter (Free) | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Configure a trial on a product | ✅ | ✅ |
trialing status and dashboard display |
✅ | ✅ |
| Nothing charged during the trial | ✅ | ✅ |
| Automatic conversion at the end of the trial | — | ✅ |
| Scheduled trial emails | — | ✅ |
Trial emails (Pro)
A Free Trial group in the Email Center covers the trial lifecycle. Every one ships disabled, so switching to Pro changes nothing for your customers until you turn them on.
| When it is sent | |
|---|---|
| Trial Started | The trial begins |
| Trial Ending Soon | Scheduled reminder before the end date |
| Trial Ended — Payment Due | The trial ended and payment is needed |
| Trial Converted To Paid | The first payment succeeded |
| Trial Payment Failed | The first payment could not be taken |
| Trial Expired | The trial ended with no payment |
They add these placeholders: {trial_start_date}, {trial_end_date},
{trial_days_remaining}, {next_payment_date} and {payment_method_status}.
See the Email Placeholder
Reference.
In the admin
- Licenses gains a Trial Ends column, showing the trial end date or
—. - A trialing license carries the
trialingstatus.
Step-by-step
- Open Products → [your product] → Product data → Subscriptions Settings.
- Make sure the product is a recurring subscription product.
- In Free Trial, tick Enable Free Trial.
- Set Trial Duration and Trial Duration Unit.
- Choose Trial Behavior After End. On Starter, pick manual — automatic falls back to it anyway.
- Optionally set a Trial Label, and tick One trial per customer.
- Update the product.
- On Pro, go to SubscriptionFlow → Email Center → Free Trial and enable the emails you want. Trial Ending Soon is the one that matters most.
Tips & best practices
- Ask for a payment method up front if you want the trial to convert on its own. Without a token, even Pro falls back to a pay link.
- Enable Trial Ending Soon. A customer surprised by a charge is a refund request; a customer reminded three days earlier is not.
- Use “One trial per customer” on anything worth having twice.
- Keep the label honest. It appears at checkout, where it sets the expectation the charge has to meet.
Limitations
- Trials apply to recurring products only. A one-off product has nothing to defer.
- A trial cannot be unlimited, and cannot exceed 365 days.
- Automatic conversion and scheduled trial emails need Pro.
- Existing products, licenses and subscriptions are unaffected — the storage
change was additive, adding the
trialingstatus and two nullable columns.
Frequently asked questions
Is the customer charged anything at checkout?
No. The line item is set to $0 and the order review shows the trial.
Does the license work during the trial?
Yes. The subscription and license are created immediately and access is active until the trial end date.
What if the customer cancels during the trial?
Nothing is charged. The first payment is only attempted when the trial ends.
Can I offer a trial on the free plan?
Yes. Configuring the trial, the trialing status and the dashboard display all
work on Starter. Automatic conversion and the scheduled emails are Pro.
Can the same customer take the trial twice?
Not if you tick One trial per customer on that product.
Do variations need their own trial settings?
No. Variations inherit the parent product’s trial configuration.
Will a customer be charged twice if something retries?
No. The renewal locks that protect ordinary renewals also cover trial conversions.
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