Making trial-to-paid conversion rates more meaningful with cohorts
The Trial-to-Paid Conversion report in ChartMogul shows you what percentage of trial users upgrade to a paid plan — and when. By grouping users into cohorts (time-based segments), you can see whether conversions happen quickly or take weeks to materialise.
This tutorial shows you how to compare short-term and long-term trial-to-paid conversion rates using cohort analysis in ChartMogul.
Before you begin
- Understand how ChartMogul calculates trial-to-paid conversion rates.
- Learn how to apply filters and segmentation in ChartMogul.
- Review the basics of cohort analysis.
How to Compare Short-Term and Long-Term Conversion Rates
- Open the Trial-to-Paid Conversion report in ChartMogul.
- Add a filter: set Trial to paid in days to less than 30.
- Add a second filter: set Trial to paid in days to greater than 90.
- Enable Compare to view both cohorts side by side.
Your report should look like this example report. The screenshot below shows what to expect:
How to Interpret Your Cohort Results
Here's what the comparison reveals. Each line in the chart represents a cohort — one group of users who converted within 30 days, and one group who converted after 90 days:
- Conversion speed varies: Some users convert within 30 days; others need more time.
- Delayed conversions are real: A significant share of users upgrade after their trial ends. Post-trial follow-up drives these conversions.
- Nurturing extends conversions: Follow-up campaigns and extended trials push upgrades past the 30-day mark.
What to Do Next
Use what you've learned to dig deeper:
- Apply the same segments to the MRR Report to see revenue growth from each cohort.
- Compare conversion rates by customer segment — for example, small businesses vs. enterprises.
- Test different trial lengths and measure the effect on conversion rates.
Share Your Results With Us
Have you discovered an interesting trend using trial-to-paid cohorts? Share your findings with us!