Article
Free Trials vs. Discounts: Choosing the Right Startup Incentive
Mercury Free Beginner
A clear breakdown of incentive choices (free trial, discount, pilot fee) for getting first traction without simply giving the product away. Helpful for finding the small, credible offer that still gets a card on file. It reframes the question from free versus paid into which paid adjacent incentive fits your buyer.
- A discount or a pilot fee still captures a real payment signal.
- Free trials work best when they are short and actually convert.
- Match the incentive to how your specific customer prefers to buy.
