Free and Paid Trials Module for WHMCS
Run free, paid or freemium trials on WHMCS products that convert or suspend on their own, with reminders and abuse checks built in.
Which kinds of trial can I offer?
Three: a free trial for a number of days with no payment, a paid trial where the customer pays a small amount such as $1 or $5 for a set period, and freemium, where the account stays open with feature limits until the customer upgrades. One product can carry several trial variants, each with its own length and rules.
What happens when a trial ends?
It converts to the paid plan automatically, or it suspends, depending on how you set the product. Customers get reminder emails three days before the end, one day before and on the day itself. If they let it lapse, a recovery email lets them extend the trial or switch to paid with a single click. Inside the client area a countdown shows the time left, with an upgrade button for anyone ready to pay early.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Usage caps | Limit bandwidth, disk or accounts during the trial only |
| Card at signup | Require a card or not, per product |
| Abuse checks | One trial per email domain, IP address and card BIN |
| Disposable email | Optional check against disposable-email list APIs |
| Analytics | Trial-to-paid conversion by source, product and cohort |
Should a trial ask for a card upfront?
It depends on the plan, which is why the choice is per product. Asking for a card means fewer signups but more of them convert; skipping it brings more signups and fewer conversions. Many hosts run a no-card free trial on a limited tier and a card-backed paid trial on the full one. A paid trial is also a useful signal that the buyer is serious. The cohort reports show which trials convert and which ones lose people, so you can adjust instead of guessing.
What do you need to run it?
Requirements: WHMCS 8.13 (tested), PHP 8.1 or newer, and a cron job running every five minutes so trial expiry events fire on time. Setup is enabling trials on a product, then setting the length and conversion rules.
Limits: the abuse checks cut down repeat signups, but a determined person with new details can still get through. Trial resources are real resources on your servers, so set usage caps you can afford.
Key features
- Free trials for a set number of days
- Paid trials at a small upfront price
- Freemium accounts with feature limits
- Automatic conversion or suspension at trial end
- Reminders three days before, one day before and on the end date
- Recovery email with single-click trial extension or upgrade
- Multiple trial variants per product
- Trial-only caps on bandwidth, disk and accounts
- One trial per IP, email and payment method
- Conversion reports by source, product and cohort
Why customers buy this module
- →Lower the barrier to signing up without giving hosting away
- →Paid trials point you to serious buyers
- →Trials end on schedule without staff stepping in
- →Reports show which trial offers turn into revenue
Frequently asked questions
Do customers need a credit card to start a trial?
<p>You choose per product. Requiring a card usually means fewer signups but a higher share that convert, while no card brings more signups that convert less often. A common pattern is a free, no-card trial on a limited plan and a paid trial with a card on the full plan.</p>
How does the module stop trial abuse?
<p>It limits each person to one trial by email domain, by IP address and by card BIN. You can also connect a disposable-email list API to block throwaway addresses. Trial usage caps on bandwidth, disk and accounts limit the damage if someone does get through.</p>
What if a trial ends while the customer is undecided?
<p>Depending on your settings, the service either converts to the paid plan or is suspended. Reminder emails go out three days and one day before the end and on the final day. Customers who let it lapse receive an email with a single click to extend the trial or convert.</p>
Technical specifications
- WHMCS
- 8.13 tested
- PHP
- 8.1+
- Cron
- Every 5 minutes for trial expiry
- Trial types
- Free, paid, freemium
- License
- Lifetime, 1 year of updates and support included
- Open source license
- $149
- Support renewal
- $19 per year, optional
- Delivery
- Instant download and license key