Automated Trial Management

Trials are the easiest way to attract new tenants and turn them into paying customers. With Automated Trial Management, Booknetic SaaS gives you complete control over how trials are offered, how long they last, and what happens when they expire.

You decide which plan is offered as a trial, how long tenants can use it, and which plan they are automatically downgraded to afterward. Combined with automated workflows, this creates a frictionless trial-to-subscription journey that maximizes conversions while preventing abuse.

How It Works

1. Select a Trial Plan

   • Any of your existing subscription plans can be marked as a trial plan.

   • You can:

     • Use your highest-tier plan to give tenants a full taste of every feature.

     • Or create a dedicated trial plan with specific limitations (e.g., restricted staff, services, or payment gateways).

2. Set Trial Duration

   • Define exactly how long the trial lasts (e.g., 7 days, 14 days, 30 days).

   • The system tracks trial start and end dates automatically.

3. Assign an Expired Plan

   • When the trial ends, tenants are automatically downgraded to the expired plan you set.

   • This could be:

     • A Free plan with limited features.

     • A read-only plan that only shows upgrade prompts.

     • A basic plan that keeps the tenant engaged but encourages upgrading for more.

4. Tenant Experience During Trial

   • When signing up, tenants immediately gain access to the trial plan.

   • They enjoy the permissions, features, and resources of that plan until the trial period ends.

5. Expiration & Upgrade Flow

   • At trial expiry, tenants are downgraded automatically.

   • You can set up subscription workflows to notify them before and after the trial ends (e.g., “3 days left on your trial” or “Your trial has expired, upgrade now to continue”).

Benefits of Automated Trial Management

• Hands-Free Operation – Trials activate, track, and expire automatically.

• Conversion-Driven – Expired tenants stay inside your platform, ready to upgrade with a single click.

• Flexible Strategies – Run full-featured or restricted trials depending on your business goals.

• Fair Access Control – Prevents trial abuse while still giving every new tenant a chance to explore.

• Upgrade Funnel Built-In – Expired tenants are guided straight into your subscription plans.

Example Use Cases

• Premium Showcase Trial – Offer a 14-day trial of your top-tier plan. After expiry, downgrade tenants to a Free plan with upgrade prompts.Trial-Only Plan – Create a dedicated “Trial” plan with limited features. After expiry, downgrade tenants to an “Expired Trial” plan that only allows upgrading.

• Seasonal Promotions – Run campaigns with 30-day trials on specific plans. When the trial ends, tenants are downgraded but retain the option to upgrade anytime.

Why It Matters

Trials are often the first experience tenants have with your SaaS. A smooth, automated trial process ensures:

• Tenants get immediate access without manual setup.

• Trials end on time, avoiding abuse.

• Expired tenants are kept engaged with clear upgrade paths.

This professional and scalable approach creates trust, improves conversions, and saves your team countless hours of manual work.

Best Practices for Running Trials

• Choose the Right Length

  • 7 days → Works well for simple services where tenants can get value quickly.

  • 14 days → The sweet spot for most SaaS platforms; long enough for tenants to explore, short enough to keep urgency.

  • 30 days → Suitable for complex services or high-value enterprise clients.

• Use Your Best Plan for Trials

  • Let tenants experience premium features — they’re more likely to subscribe once they see the full value.

  • If you prefer to limit exposure, create a trial-only plan with specific restrictions.

• Send Upgrade Reminders

  • Midway Reminder → Notify tenants when they’re halfway through (e.g., day 7 of a 14-day trial).

  • Pre-Expiry Reminder → Send messages 3 days and 1 day before the trial ends.

  • Expiry Day → Remind them that access will downgrade unless they upgrade now.

• Leverage Multiple Channels

  • Use email for detailed onboarding and upgrade instructions.

  • Use SMS/WhatsApp for quick expiry reminders.

  • Use workflows + webhooks to push notifications into external CRMs or marketing systems.

• Track Conversions

  • Monitor how many trial tenants convert into paying subscribers.

  • Test different trial lengths and reminder timings to optimize results.