Net Promoter Score (NPS) Explained: Calculate and Interpret (2026)

Last updated: June 2026 · 6 min read · Business Metrics

Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures customer loyalty with a single question: "How likely are you to recommend us to a friend?" This guide explains the metric, formula, and benchmarks.

The NPS Question and Scale

Ask customers on a scale of 0-10: "How likely are you to recommend [Company] to a friend or colleague?"

9-10: Promoters (loyal enthusiasts)
7-8: Passives (satisfied but not vocal)
0-6: Detractors (dissatisfied, may harm brand)

NPS Formula

NPS = (# Promoters - # Detractors) / Total Respondents × 100

Worked Example

Survey 100 customers and get:

50 Promoters (9-10)
30 Passives (7-8)
20 Detractors (0-6)

NPS = (50 - 20) / 100 × 100 = 30

Interpreting NPS Scores

NPS Range	Interpretation
Above 50	Excellent (world-class)
30-50	Good
0-30	Fair (needs improvement)
Below 0	Poor (more detractors than promoters)

NPS Benchmarks by Industry (2026)

Industry	Average NPS
Software/SaaS	45-55
Retail	30-40
Financial Services	35-45
Healthcare	40-50
Tech Hardware	50-60

How to Improve Your NPS

Ask follow-up questions: "Why did you give that score?"
Focus on converting Passives to Promoters
Address top complaints from Detractors
Track NPS monthly to see trends
Aim for +5-10 point improvement quarterly