Skip to main content
Mobius
Beginner

What is NPS

Full name: Net Promoter Score

Also known as: net promoter score

Definition

NPS (Net Promoter Score) is a loyalty score from one question, how likely you are to recommend us from 0 to 10: the % of 9s and 10s minus the % of 0 to 6.

Why it matters

NPS is a quick signal of loyalty, not a forecast.

Common mistakes

Reading the average answer instead of the three groups. In the illustrative clinic on this page the 20 answers average 7.8, which sounds fine, while the NPS is only +20, because NPS ignores the 7s and 8s and counts every 6 against you.

Related terms

Worked exampleIllustration

Twenty customers answer after a treatment

Illustrative: a fictional cosmetics clinic, invented answers, no real customer.

  1. Answers

    Of 20 customers, 9 gave 9 or 10, 6 gave 7 or 8, and 5 gave 0 to 6.

    9 + 6 + 5 = 20

  2. Percentages

    Promoters are 9 of the 20 answers, detractors 5 of them.

    45% and 25%

  3. Score

    The percentage of promoters minus the percentage of detractors.

    45 - 25 = +20

  4. Passives

    The six customers who gave 7 or 8 count in the total of 20, and add nothing to the score.

    0

  5. Change

    The clinic calls the detractors and fixes two complaints. Next time those two answer 7 or 8, so detractors fall to 3 of 20.

    45 - 15 = +30

The fastest points are in the 6s, not in the 8s.

Illustration

Twenty answers, one score

Promoters 9 of 20 (45%), detractors 5 of 20 (25%). NPS is 45% minus 25%: +20.-1000+100+20NPS
Answers per score from 0 to 10: 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 4, 4, 500010213141526274849510−0+
  • Detractors, 0 to 6Count against the score
  • Passives, 7 to 8Count in the total, add nothing
  • Promoters, 9 to 10Count for the score

Promoters 9 of 20 (45%), detractors 5 of 20 (25%). NPS is 45% minus 25%: +20.

The clinic's 20 answers from the example, one column per score from 0 to 10. Pick a score and move one answer up or down: a 7 or an 8 changes nothing, a 6 counts against you.

Definition

NPS is a loyalty score built on one question: "How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?", answered from 0 to 10. Customers who answer 9 or 10 are promoters, 7 or 8 passives, and 0 to 6 detractors. The score is the percentage of promoters minus the percentage of detractors, so it runs from -100 to +100. Fred Reichheld introduced the question in Harvard Business Review in December 2003.

Why it matters

A study in the Journal of Marketing (Keiningham and colleagues, 2007) found no support for the claim that it predicts growth better than other customer satisfaction measures, so read it next to how many customers come back and buy again. Its most useful part is the follow-up question, the reason behind each score, which tells you what to fix.

Directly related: LTV, Retention, Upsell.

Formula

Promoters (%) - Detractors (%)

Improvement tips

  • Ask the follow-up question "What is the main reason for your score?" It tells you what to fix.
  • Start with the 6s: moving a 6 to a 7 raises the score as much as moving an 8 to a 9, and it is usually one fixed complaint away.
  • Ask at a fixed moment, such as after each treatment, so this month's score compares with last month's.

Common mistakes

  • Treating a score from a few answers as precise. With 20 answers each one is 5% of the total, so one detractor who becomes a promoter moves the score 10 points.
  • Asking only when customers are happy, which makes the score look better than it is.

Related terms

FinanceIntermediate

LTV

LTV (customer lifetime value) is the gross profit one customer brings over the whole relationship. You compare it with the cost of winning that customer (CAC).

ProductIntermediate

Retention

Retention is the share of customers who keep buying or using your product over a set period, counting only those you already had at the start.

SalesBeginner

Upsell

An upsell is an offer to buy a higher tier or bigger version instead of the basic one, so the same sale is worth more. An add-on next to it is a cross-sell.

StrategyBeginner

KPI

A KPI (key performance indicator) is one of the few numbers a business tracks against a target and a date to see whether it is on course.

StrategyBeginner

Leading Indicator

A leading indicator is a number that moves before your results do, such as trial requests this week, so you can act before sales drop.

FinanceIntermediate

Churn

Churn is the share of customers, or of recurring revenue, lost in a period: those who left in a month divided by those at its start. 5% a month is 46% a year.

Quick check

A customer answers 7 to the NPS question. What does that answer do to the score?

Choose an answer

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to track NPS before I start my business?
No. Before launch you have no customers to ask. Get your first sales, then add the question once people have used what you sell.
When does NPS first become relevant for a new startup?
Once customers have used what you sell long enough to have an opinion, for example after a first treatment or a first month. With only a handful of answers, read the reasons more than the number.
How often should a new company send out NPS surveys?
There is no rule for how often. Ask at a fixed moment, for example after each treatment or once a quarter, and keep the moment the same so the scores compare.
Should an aspiring founder use NPS as their main business metric?
No. At the start, revenue, cash and whether customers buy again tell you more. NPS is a useful check next to them, not a replacement.
Why does NPS matter for a business already running?
It gives you a regular reading of how willing customers are to recommend you and, through the follow-up question, a list of what to fix. Read it next to how many customers return, because on its own it does not predict growth.
What goes wrong when a business ignores its NPS feedback?
The reasons customers gave stay unanswered, and the same complaints repeat. You also miss your promoters, the people most willing to recommend you if you ask them.
How do I start collecting NPS scores without stopping day-to-day operations?
Send the one question and the follow-up through a free online form after each purchase or visit, and read the answers once a week. Count the three groups in a sheet.
What should I do if my business receives a very low NPS score?
Read the reasons the detractors gave, find the complaint that repeats, and fix that first. Then call a few of them and tell them what changed.
What does NPS actually mean in plain words?
NPS stands for Net Promoter Score. You ask customers how likely they are to recommend you, from 0 to 10, and subtract the share of low answers (0 to 6) from the share of top answers (9 and 10). It measures willingness to recommend, not satisfaction in general.
Is setting up NPS complicated or expensive?
No. One question and one follow-up in a free online form are enough. The counting fits in a sheet: three groups, two percentages, one subtraction.
Do I need a customer success team to handle NPS?
No. In a small business the owner can send the question, read the answers and call the detractors.
How is the NPS score calculated?
Take the percentage of answers that are 9 or 10 and subtract the percentage that are 0 to 6. Answers of 7 and 8 count in the total but add nothing. The result runs from -100 to +100: 45% promoters and 25% detractors give +20.

Sources: Bain & Company, "Measuring Your Net Promoter Score", the Net Promoter System site (netpromotersystem.com), Frederick F. Reichheld, "The One Number You Need to Grow", Harvard Business Review, December 2003 (hbr.org), Timothy L. Keiningham, Bruce Cooil, Tor Wallin Andreassen and Lerzan Aksoy, "A Longitudinal Examination of Net Promoter and Firm Revenue Growth", Journal of Marketing 71(3), 2007 (doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.71.3.039), Net Promoter®, NPS®, NPS Prism®, Net Promoter System®, and the NPS-related emoticons are registered trademarks of Bain & Company, Inc., NICE Systems, Inc., and Fred Reichheld. Net Promoter Score℠ is a service mark of Bain & Company, Inc., NICE Systems, Inc., and Fred Reichheld.

Last reviewed: 2026-09-24

I have worked with

What Clients Say

From different fields, at different stages of business

Dan Manto

Eclipse Capital

Real Estate Investment and Finance, USA

Arty McLabin

GameReady

Game Development Education and Outsourcing, International

Anna, Beautician

Anna

Beautician

After I finished a cosmetology course at a leading company, I was confused. I didn't know how to open a business, what to sell from home, or how to bring in clients. Since I reached out to Mobius, everything has changed. We built an organized plan with clear steps and no unnecessary risks. Today I see results, and I'm growing and developing every month.

Mark, Massage therapist, Gan Yavne

Mark

Massage therapist, Gan Yavne

When I finished a massage course, I imagined a different world. I found out it's a hard field, and financial stability isn't easy to find. When I came to Mobius, something changed. We started an organized process and built a business plan. Without Mobius? I probably would have given up. Today I believe in myself and in my own path.

Want more of your leads to become customers?

Alex helps Israeli businesses build a sales process that closes. The first call is free.

+972 055-248-6151. Better on WhatsApp: I am in meetings most of the day and answer as soon as I am free.