Offer free trials for your course

In this article: How to set up a free trial period on a payment plan or subscription price point, what students experience during and after the trial, and tips for converting trial users into paying students. All Plans

A free trial gives students access to your course before their first payment is charged. They enroll, explore your content, attend live sessions, and participate in discussions. When the trial period ends, Stripe charges their card automatically. If they cancel before the trial is over, they're never charged.

Free trials reduce the perceived risk of enrolling, especially for higher-priced programs. A student who's on the fence about a $500 course is more likely to sign up when they can try it first.

When free trials make sense

Free trials are a strong fit in a few specific situations:

• Subscription programs. A monthly membership where students pay as long as they stay. A trial lets them experience the value of ongoing access before committing.
• Higher-priced payment plans. When your course costs $300 or more spread over installments, a trial reduces the barrier. Students can start the course and confirm it's what they expected.
• New courses without testimonials. When you don't have social proof yet, a trial gives potential students a risk-free way to experience your teaching style.
• Competitive markets. If similar courses exist and you're confident your content stands out, a trial lets the quality speak for itself.

For lower-priced courses or one-time purchases where the financial commitment is already small, a trial adds complexity without much benefit. Consider a coupon or discount instead.

Before you start

You need two things in place:

• A connected Stripe account. Free trials use Stripe's billing system. PayPal does not support trial periods through Ruzuku. If you haven't connected Stripe yet, see Connect Stripe for payments.
• A payment plan or subscription price point (or you'll create one now). Free trials are only available on these two types. They're not available on free or single payment price points.

Set up a free trial

1. Open your course and go to Manage Course → Price Points.
2. Click Add Price Point.
3. Choose either Payment Plan or Subscription as the type.
4. Fill in the payment details:
   • For a payment plan: the monthly amount and the number of payments.
   • For a subscription: the recurring amount and billing cycle (monthly or annual).
5. In the Free trial period field, enter the number of days. For example, enter 7 for a one-week trial or 14 for two weeks.
6. Name the price point. Include the trial in the name so students know what they're getting. For example:
   • "Try Free for 7 Days, then $49/month"
   • "14-Day Free Trial — 3 Payments of $99"
   • "Free Week Trial — $29/month after"
7. Click Create Price Point.

Your trial price point is live. Students who enroll through it get immediate course access and won't be charged until the trial period ends.

Add a trial to an existing price point

You can't add a trial period to a price point after it's been created. To add a trial:

1. Go to Manage Course → Price Points.
2. Create a new payment plan or subscription price point with a free trial period (follow the steps above).
3. If you want to replace the old price point, delete it after creating the new one.

Students who enrolled through the original price point keep their existing terms.

What your students experience

Here's the sequence from the student's side:

1. The student visits your sales page and sees the trial price point with the name you gave it (e.g., "Try Free for 7 Days, then $49/month").
2. They click Enroll and enter their payment information. Stripe collects their card details but does not charge them yet.
3. The student gets immediate access to your course. They can go through lessons, join discussions, attend live sessions, and submit assignments, just like any enrolled student.
4. When the trial period ends, Stripe automatically charges the first payment. For a payment plan, the remaining installments follow the regular schedule. For a subscription, billing continues on the normal cycle.
5. If the student cancels during the trial, they're never charged. Their course access is removed when the trial ends.

Students receive a confirmation email from Ruzuku when they enroll and a receipt from Stripe when their first payment processes.

Tips for converting trial users

Getting someone to start a trial is only half the goal. Here's how to turn trial users into paying students:

Front-load your best content. Put your most valuable or engaging material in the first few lessons. If students have an "aha" moment during the trial, they're far more likely to stay.

Use drip scheduling strategically. If your course uses drip-release scheduling, plan the release timing so students see meaningful content during the trial window. Two solid modules in 7 days is better than one intro lesson.

Send a welcome message. Use course messages to send a personal note on day one. Tell trial students what to explore first and what they'll get access to after the trial converts.

Check in before the trial ends. A brief message on day 5 of a 7-day trial reminding students what's coming up in the course can make the difference between a cancellation and a conversion.

Make the value obvious. If your course includes live sessions, schedule one during the trial period. A live interaction with you creates a connection that's hard to walk away from.

Frequently Asked Questions

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