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Trial ending email templates

Trial ending emails convert best when they remind people of what they built, not when they count down a clock. These five templates cover the week before a trial ends and the day after it expires.

Templates
5
Templates
Around trial end
Day −7 to +3
Around trial end
Clear price stated
1
Clear price stated

Quick answer

When to send
Seven, three and one day before the trial ends, then once on the day it expires. If your trial auto-converts to paid, the reminders are also a courtesy that heads off surprise charges and disputes.
Goal
Convert active trial users to paid, give inactive ones a reason to come back, and make the price and the date impossible to miss.

The templates

Replace everything in [square brackets] with your own details. Words in double curly braces, like {{name | 'there'}}, are Lumail variables: they are filled per subscriber at send time, and the value after the pipe is the fallback when the field is empty.

  1. 01Day −7 · one week before the trial ends

    The trial recap

    Shows what the user has done so far.

    Subject line
    Your first [week / two weeks] with [Product]
    Preview text
    What you've set up so far, and what's left to try.
    Variables:{{name}}built-in field{{trialEndsOn}}custom field
    Body
    Hi {{name | 'there'}}, You're halfway through your [Product] trial. Here's what you've done so far: - [Usage stat, e.g. "3 projects created"] - [Usage stat] - [Usage stat] One thing you haven't tried yet that most paying customers use: [feature]. [Button: Try Feature] Your trial ends {{trialEndsOn | 'in a week'}}. I'll remind you before then, no surprises. [Your name]

    Why it works: Real usage numbers remind the user of the work they would lose. Pull them from your app at send time and pass them in.

  2. 02Day −3 · three days before the trial ends

    Three days left

    States the date, the price and what happens next.

    Subject line
    Your [Product] trial ends in 3 days
    Preview text
    Here's what happens when it ends, and how to keep everything.
    Variables:{{name}}built-in field{{trialEndsOn}}custom field
    Body
    Hi {{name | 'there'}}, Your free trial of [Product] ends {{trialEndsOn | 'in three days'}}. To keep [what they built], choose a plan: - [Plan name]: [price] per [month], [one-line description] - [Plan name]: [price] per [month], [one-line description] [Button: Choose a plan] [If auto-converts: "Your card on file will be charged [amount] on [date]. You can cancel any time before then from [settings path]."] Questions about which plan fits? Reply and I'll help you pick. [Your name]

    Why it works: Price and date stated up front build trust. If the trial auto-converts, a clear warning reduces chargebacks and angry support tickets.

  3. 03Day −1 · 24 hours before the trial ends

    Last day

    The final reminder before the trial expires.

    Subject line
    Your trial ends tomorrow
    Preview text
    Upgrade now to keep [what they built] without interruption.
    Variables:{{name}}built-in field
    Body
    Hi {{name | 'there'}}, Quick heads-up: your [Product] trial ends tomorrow. If you upgrade before then, nothing changes. Your [projects, data, settings] stay exactly as they are. [Button: Upgrade now] If [Product] isn't the right fit, no action is needed. I'd appreciate a one-line reply on why, though. [Your name]

    Why it works: The message is continuity: upgrading means nothing breaks. Inviting a reply from non-buyers turns a lost sale into product feedback.

  4. 04Day 0 · when the trial expires

    Trial expired

    Confirms the trial ended and keeps the door open.

    Subject line
    Your [Product] trial has ended
    Preview text
    Your data is saved for [days]. Pick up where you left off any time.
    Variables:{{name}}built-in field
    Body
    Hi {{name | 'there'}}, Your [Product] trial ended today. Everything you set up is saved until [date]. Upgrade any time before then and you'll pick up exactly where you left off: [Button: Upgrade and restore access] [If you have a free plan: "Or keep using [Product] for free on the [Free plan], with [limits]."] [Your name]

    Why it works: Telling the user their data is saved removes the pressure of a hard cutoff, and mentioning a free plan if you have one keeps them as a user.

  5. 05Day +3 · only to users who barely used the trial

    The extension offer

    Gives inactive trial users more time.

    Subject line
    Want another week?
    Preview text
    Your trial ended before you had time to try it. Here's 7 more days.
    Variables:{{name}}built-in field
    Body
    Hi {{name | 'there'}}, It looks like your trial ended before you had a real chance to try [Product]. That happens, weeks get busy. If you'd like another [7 days], click below and your trial is back on: [Button: Extend my trial] To get the most out of it this time, start with [the single most valuable setup step]. [Your name]

    Why it works: Users who never activated did not reject the product, they never saw it. A second chance with one clear starting step costs little.

Best practices

  • State the price and date. Every trial-ending email should say when the trial ends and what it costs after. Vague reminders read as tricks.
  • Use their own usage data. "You created 3 projects" is more persuasive than any feature list. Pass usage numbers in when you send.
  • Split active and inactive trials. Active users need a plan recommendation. Users who never set up need a starting point, and maybe more time.
  • Stop when they upgrade. Once the user pays, cancel the remaining reminders. A "trial ends tomorrow" email after upgrading looks broken.
  • Warn before auto-charging. If your trial converts automatically, a reminder before the first charge is good practice and reduces disputes.

Send it with Lumail

  • Send reminders from your app

    Your app knows the trial end date and usage numbers. Send each reminder through the transactional email API with those values in the content.

  • Or run it as a workflow

    Tag trial users and store the end date in a custom field such as trialEndsOn, which the templates read as {{trialEndsOn}}. Then use wait steps to time the reminders. A wait-until step on the payment event moves upgraders out of the reminders.

  • Track the upgrade

    Send a payment event when the user converts so revenue is attached to the subscriber and the right workflows start.

Frequently asked questions

When should I send a trial ending email?

Seven days, three days and one day before the trial ends, plus one email on the day it expires. Shorter trials can drop the seven-day email.

Are trial ending emails transactional or marketing?

A notice that a trial is ending or that a card will be charged relates to the user's account, which is why many teams send it as transactional email. Promotional extras, such as discounts, are marketing. Keep the account notice factual.

Should I offer a discount when a trial ends?

Not by default. Users who got value usually convert at the normal price. Offer extra time to users who never activated instead of discounting for users who did.

What should a trial expiration email include?

The date the trial ended, what happens to the user's data, how to upgrade, and any free plan they can stay on. One clear button to upgrade.

Related

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