Product–market fit score

Have you found product–market fit?

Enter your answers to the Sean Ellis survey and see how your product scores against the 40% “very disappointed” benchmark used by tech startups.

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said they would be very disappointed

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Responses counted

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More “very disappointed” answers needed to reach 40%

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Response rate

How your users answered

Very disappointed
Somewhat disappointed
Not disappointed
40% benchmark

What this means

Next steps

Run the survey

Send these four questions to active users. Keep it short, and send it to people who have experienced the core of your product, not just signed up.

How would you feel if you could no longer use [product]?Very disappointed / Somewhat disappointed / Not disappointed / N/A – I no longer use [product]
What type of people do you think would most benefit from [product]?Open text. This tells you who your best customers are, in their own words.
What is the main benefit you receive from [product]?Open text. Use the most common answers in your positioning.
How can we improve [product] for you?Open text. Most useful when read alongside the answer to question 3.

How it works

Score = very disappointed ÷ (very + somewhat + not disappointed). “N/A – I no longer use it” answers are left out.
Benchmark (rule of thumb): Sean Ellis found that products scoring 40% or more “very disappointed” usually went on to grow well. Here, 40% or more is a strong signal, 25% to 40% is getting close, and under 25% is not yet.
Answers needed to reach 40% = how many of your somewhat or not disappointed users would need to move to very disappointed, with the same number of responses.
Sample size: with fewer than 40 counted responses the score can swing a lot from a handful of answers, so treat it as a rough read.
Response rate = all responses (including N/A) ÷ users surveyed. Coverage = users surveyed ÷ total active users.
The Superhuman approach (Rahul Vohra): segment to the users who would be very disappointed, learn what they love, then win over the somewhat disappointed users who share that main benefit, and re-run the survey regularly to track the score.

The 40% line is a guide, not a law. A rising score over time, plus retention and growth from word of mouth, tells you more than a single survey.

Bring your numbers to the room

Techcelerate members work through results like these together in Execution Sprints, with tech founders who have built, failed and exited.

How sprints work Become a member

Important information. This tool is provided by Techcelerate Ltd in good faith for general information and guidance only. It is not financial, investment, tax, accounting, legal, employment or any other professional advice, and must not be relied on as such. Techcelerate Ltd does not provide regulated financial or investment advice.

Results are illustrative estimates. They depend entirely on the figures and assumptions you enter and on simplified models, benchmarks and rules of thumb that may not suit your circumstances or reflect current rates, laws or regulations. We make no representation or warranty, express or implied, that this tool, its calculations or its results are accurate, complete, current or fit for any purpose. Always check results independently and take advice from a suitably qualified professional before making any decision.

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