Have you ever signed up for a free trial of something only to be met with the requirement that you provide your credit card information? It’s a common practice, but it can be frustrating if you’re not expecting it.
After all, if something is free, why do they need your credit card information?
When you sign up for a free trial, the company is hoping you’ll forget to cancel before the trial period is up. If you don’t cancel, they’ll start charging you for the service. Oftentimes, people will input their credit card information and then completely forget about the service until they see a charge on their statement a few weeks later.
But, why do companies ask for credit cards for free trial?
The answer, surprisingly, is two-fold. In some cases, requiring a credit card for a free trial is simply a way to prevent fraud. In other cases, it’s actually a marketing tactic designed to convert free trial users into paying customers.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these reasons in turn.
Why Do Free Trials Require Credit Cards?
As it turns out, there are actually a few reasons why free trials require credit card information.
The first reason why free trials might require a credit card is to prevent fraud. For some businesses, the number of people taking advantage of free trials can be astronomical. If every single person who signed up for a free trial took full advantage of it without ever converting to a paying customer, the business would quickly go bankrupt.
To combat this, some businesses require that users provide their credit card information when signing up for a free trial. That way, if the user doesn’t cancel before the trial period is up, the business can automatically start billing them for the service. This helps to reduce fraud and keep the business afloat.
The second reason why businesses might require credit card information for free trials has to do with conversion rates. Studies have shown that people are more likely to convert from a free trial to a paid subscription if they have already provided their payment information upfront.
In other words, if you make someone sign up for a free trial and then enter their payment information later on down the road, they’re more likely to cancel their subscription before they’re ever charged. On the other hand, if you collect their payment information upfront, they’re more likely to stick around and become a paying customer.
Studies have shown that people are more likely to follow through with their commitments when they have skin in the game, so to speak.
And what better way to show that you’re committed than by inputting your credit card information?
However, when our own money is on the line (even if it’s just a small amount), we’re much more likely to actually use the product or service during our trial period. This allows us to get a better idea of whether or not we’ll actually want to continue using it after our trial period is over.
Conclusion
So there you have it—that’s why free trials usually require a credit card. The companies want to ensure that people will actually use the service and see whether or not it’s worth paying for before their free trial period is up.
All in all, it’s not a bad deal—you get to try out the service with no commitment and cancel anytime if you’re not happy. Just be sure to set a reminder so you don’t forget to cancel before you’re charged!
Also Read: SamCart Free Trial