GitHub Marketplace free trial countdown in billing UI
Show the remaining GitHub Marketplace trial days inside the product, because GitHub gives the dates and the buyer should not have to guess when paid access starts.
Why this can grow a startup
A free trial is not just a pricing toggle. It changes what the customer needs to understand during setup and evaluation. GitHub sends the purchase webhook with `on_free_trial`, `effective_date`, and `free_trial_ends_on`, then tells publishers to show the remaining days in a banner or billing UI. That is useful because trial users are trying to answer two questions at once: can this tool do the job, and when will the account become paid. A visible countdown reduces billing surprise and gives the team a natural place to explain what happens next.
Company example
GitHub's purchase-handling guide says apps should read `on_free_trial`, `effective_date`, and `free_trial_ends_on` from the Marketplace webhook and use the end date to display the remaining trial days in a banner or billing UI.
Source and metric
Source: GitHub Docs: Handling new purchases and free trials
GitHub Marketplace free trials have a fixed 14 day length and expose `free_trial_ends_on` in the purchase webhook.
When to use it
Use this when Marketplaces, Onboarding, Retention is relevant to trial conversion, billing clarity, developer tools and you can run a bounded test with a free budget.
When not to use it
Do not use it as a substitute for customer evidence, a clear owner, or a measurable stop condition. Local platform rules and market behavior still need checking.
Founder checklist
- Read GitHub Docs: Handling new purchases and free trials and identify what is directly supported.
- Choose one channel context: Marketplaces, Onboarding, Retention.
- Define the test around GitHub Marketplace free trials have a fixed 14 day length and expose `free_trial_ends_on` in the purchase webhook..
- Set an owner, evidence window, and stop condition before launch.
Explore the context
Apply this with an operator
Choose product surfaces that compound distribution without hiding weak activation or retention.