Net Promoter Score (NPS)
Definition
Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a customer loyalty metric introduced by Fred Reichheld in 2003. It's calculated from responses to a single question: 'How likely are you to recommend this product/service to a friend or colleague?' on a 0–10 scale. Responses are bucketed: 9–10 are Promoters, 7–8 are Passives, 0–6 are Detractors. NPS is the percentage of Promoters minus the percentage of Detractors, expressed as a number from -100 to +100. The calculation ignores Passives entirely.
Why it matters
NPS is widely used as a customer loyalty benchmark across industries, which makes it easy to compare scores over time and against competitors. It also produces an actionable segmentation: detractors need follow-up, passives are at risk, and promoters can be recruited for reviews and referrals. The single-question simplicity means high response rates and easy implementation — both reasons it became standard.
How it works
NPS programs typically involve: (1) running the survey at a defined cadence (quarterly is common, but in-app trigger-based timing produces higher response rates); (2) calculating the score and tracking it over time; (3) routing respondents to follow-up guides — detractors get a help conversation, promoters get a review or referral ask; (4) segmenting NPS by cohort, plan, or feature usage to find which user groups drive the score. The score itself is less valuable than the action that comes from it.
Related terms
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
What's a good NPS score?
Industry benchmarks vary: SaaS products typically score 30–50, with top-quartile products at 60+. Anything above 0 is technically positive (more promoters than detractors). The trend over time matters more than the absolute number — a product moving from 25 to 40 is healthier than one stuck at 50.
What's the difference between NPS and CSAT?
NPS measures long-term loyalty ('would you recommend?'). CSAT measures short-term satisfaction with a specific interaction ('how satisfied were you with this support conversation?'). NPS is typically tracked at the relationship level (per customer, over time); CSAT is tracked at the transaction level (per interaction). Both have their uses.
Why do email NPS surveys get low response rates?
Email NPS typically gets under 10% response rates because users have low engagement with product email and the question feels disconnected from their actual product experience. In-app NPS — triggered at meaningful moments inside the product — typically achieves 30–60% response rates and produces more representative answers.