We have been putting a lot of work and focus into our Recurring Payments plugin and today we’re excited to announce the next set of improvements. With the release of version 2.6 of Recurring Payments, subscription signups with free trials are now fully supported.

The product edit screen now includes a Enable free trial for subscriptions box that, when checked, allows site administrators to configure a free trial for the product’s subscription.

When a product is configured with a free trial, payment details will be collected from the customer at checkout but they will not be charged until the trial period expires. Once the trial is over, customers are charged automatically and the subscription’s status changes from Trialling to Active.

Offering free trials for your subscription products could dramatically increase your number of paid subscribers. It helps provide a frictionless on-boarding process where customers can safely try your product or service without worrying if they are wasting money.

When asked if free trials are worth it, Forbes said:

Absolutely. A free trial is a great marketing tool and a solid step toward establishing good will with new customers. Trials with products aimed at particular audiences are effective, such as chewing gum geared toward people with dental work, tasty protein bars for athletes or eye shadows that complement certain eye colors.

“Very few people are going to give you a bunch of money to try something if they are already using a product that works,” says Kenn Devane, president and CEO of MineTech, a consultancy that helps companies find patterns in customer data. “I think you have to do a free trial.”

Version 2.6 of Recurring Payments can be downloaded from your account page or through one-click updates inside of your WordPress install. If you’re new to Recurring Payments, the extension can be purchased from the product page.