What actually happens in the first 7 days
A trial is a small program with a deadline. On day 0 the student has the most motivation she will ever have and the least knowledge of your app. By day 2 the motivation has dropped and the habit has either started or it has not. Between day 3 and day 5 she decides, usually silently, whether this is worth money.
So the conversion work is front loaded: the welcome and the first session carry more weight than any offer, and the offer works only on someone who has already trained.
Day 0: get the first session done within 24 hours
The welcome message has one job: link to the first session and say how long it takes. For example: 'Your first session is 14 minutes, here is the link, do it today.' Keep that session short and winnable, and end it with a visible result: a completion celebration, the first milestone badge and a streak counter that just started.
Remove every step between the install and the first move, and keep access sequential so the student never faces a menu of 30 workouts. In FitCoUp the day 0 welcome fires automatically, and the player's follow along mode, countdowns and rest timers make the first session feel guided.
Day 1 and day 3: the nudge and the first measurement
If the first session is not done by day 1, send a nudge that lowers the bar: a shorter alternative, a reminder of the goal from the quiz, a single tap into the player. Students who completed it get a short congratulation and the next session. Segmenting on behavior is what makes these messages feel personal.
On day 3 ask for the first measurement: fold distance or a progress photo for flexibility, a baseline set for strength. It gives the student proof that she started and creates the comparison point for the result she will see later. Health data is stored only with consent, so ask for it in the same step and explain why.
Day 5: the conversion offer, two days before the end
By day 5 the student has either trained two or three times or she has not, and the offer should differ. For the active student it is about commitment: the annual plan at a saving, or 3 months at a small discount, with her first results referenced. For the inactive student it is about a fresh start: a shorter program, an alternative session or a check-in from the coach.
Send it two days before the end, which leaves time to decide and to ask a question. FitCoUp fires the day 5 offer as a default rule with editable templates, and the quiz answers and session history make it specific.
The renewal notice and the honest end of the trial
Two days before the trial ends, send a service notice with the renewal price, the date and a cancel link. It protects you from refunds, chargebacks and angry reviews, and students who convert after a clear notice stay longer because they chose to pay.
After conversion the monthly rules take over: a habit confirmation after three sessions in week one, a streak at risk message the day before it breaks, inactivity nudges at 3, 7 and 14 days with a pause offer, and a renewal notice three days before every charge.
Paid trials versus free trials
A free trial maximizes starts; a paid trial maximizes the share that converts. The right one depends on your traffic source and how much coaching time a trial student costs you.
- Free trial. more starts, more inactive users, more weight on the day 0 to day 5 sequence.
- Paid trial, for example 7 days for 1 EUR. fewer starts, a card already on file, fewer refund requests.
- Cold paid traffic favors a paid trial that filters for intent; a warm audience that already trusts you can start free.
- Both. for new students only, with the renewal price shown before the end; FitCoUp supports both on one product.
Free trial conversion rate: the metrics to watch
Measure each moment separately, because the fix depends on where the drop happens. FitCoUp shows trial conversion, the funnel by traffic source and quiz drop-off in analytics on Pro and above.
- Install to first session within 24 hours. if low, shorten the first session and simplify the welcome.
- Sessions completed by day 5. if below two, rework the day 1 nudge and the early difficulty.
- First measurement taken. if low, move the request earlier and explain the consent.
- Trial to paid conversion by traffic source and by quiz answer.
- Refund rate on the first charge. if high, the renewal notice is late or unclear.