What is NPS? The Complete Guide to Net Promoter Score
Everything you need to know about measuring customer loyalty with one simple question.
What is Net Promoter Score?
Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a customer loyalty metric developed by Fred Reichheld in 2003. It measures how likely your customers are to recommend your product or service to others using a single question:
"On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?"
What makes NPS powerful is its simplicity. One question, one number, tracked over time. It cuts through survey fatigue and gives you a clear signal of how your customers feel about your product.
How NPS is calculated
Based on their response (0–10), customers fall into three groups:
Promoters (9–10)
Your biggest fans. They actively recommend you, buy more, and stay longer. These are the customers driving your growth through word of mouth.
Passives (7–8)
Satisfied but not enthusiastic. They won't bad-mouth you, but they're easily swayed by a competitor's offer. The silent middle ground.
Detractors (0–6)
Unhappy customers who may actively discourage others from using your product. They're the most likely to churn and leave negative reviews.
The formula is straightforward: NPS = % Promoters − % Detractors. Passives count toward the total but don't affect the score directly. The result ranges from −100 (everyone is a detractor) to +100 (everyone is a promoter).
What is a good NPS score?
| Score range | Rating | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Below 0 | Critical | More detractors than promoters — immediate attention needed |
| 0 to 30 | Good | Positive but room to grow |
| 30 to 70 | Great | Strong customer loyalty, healthy growth |
| Above 70 | World-class | Exceptional — companies like Apple and Tesla territory |
Context matters more than absolute numbers. A +30 in telecommunications is excellent (industry average is +10 to +25), while a +30 in e-commerce is below average. Always benchmark against your own industry and track your trend over time.
NPS vs CSAT vs CES
NPS isn't the only feedback metric. Here's how the three main ones compare:
| Metric | Measures | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| NPS | Overall loyalty | Big-picture health check, predicting growth |
| CSAT | Satisfaction with a specific interaction | Post-purchase, support ticket follow-up |
| CES | Effort required to accomplish a task | Onboarding flows, self-service experience |
Most companies start with NPS for the overall picture, then add CSAT or CES for specific touchpoints. They're complementary, not competing.
How to get started with NPS
- Choose your channel. Email surveys work for relationship NPS (quarterly pulse). In-app widgets work for transactional NPS (after a key moment).
- Add a follow-up question. "What's the main reason for your score?" turns a number into actionable insight.
- Survey regularly. Monthly or quarterly — NPS is most valuable as a trend, not a snapshot.
- Close the loop. Respond to detractors. Thank promoters. Show customers their feedback matters.
- Track and act. Look at themes in the comments, not just the score. That's where the product insights live.
Start collecting NPS feedback in 2 minutes
Glowed makes it easy — create a survey, embed the widget, and let AI tag every response automatically. Free to start, no credit card required.