What Is a Good NPS Score?

How to Understand, Benchmark, and Improve Net Promoter Scores

Net Promoter Score (NPS®) has become one of the most widely used metrics for measuring customer loyalty and satisfaction. It’s simple, intuitive, and can offer a powerful snapshot of how customers feel about your brand. But one question remains at the centre of every discussion around NPS®: what is a good NPS® score?

This post will break down the NPS® framework, explore what constitutes a 'good' score by industry and context, provide real-world published examples from major companies, and share actionable tips for improving your NPS® over time.

What Is Net Promoter Score (NPS®)?

NPS® is a customer loyalty metric developed in 2003 by Fred Reichheld at Bain & Company. It asks a simple question:

“On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our product/service to a friend or colleague?”

Based on their response, customers are grouped into three categories:

• Promoters (9–10): Loyal enthusiasts who will keep buying and refer others, fueling growth.
• Passives (7–8): Satisfied but unenthusiastic customers who are vulnerable to competitive offerings.
• Detractors (0–6): Unhappy customers who can damage your brand and impede growth through negative word of mouth.

Your NPS® score is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters.

NPS® = %Promoters − %Detractors

The resulting score ranges from -100 (everyone is a detractor) to +100 (everyone is a promoter).

So, What Is a Good NPS® Score?

There’s no single magic number for a 'good' NPS® score; it varies depending on the industry, geography, business model, and maturity of the organisation. However, here are some general guidelines:

Benchmarking tip: Never compare your score blindly to others. Always consider your industry’s average, customer expectations, and how your score trends over time.

Real NPS® Score Examples by Industry

Here are some published NPS® benchmarks and examples from real companies to provide context:

1. Apple (Retail / Tech): 61 to 72

Apple has long enjoyed high NPS® scores, often cited in the 60s and 70s, reflecting its loyal customer base and seamless product ecosystem. For example, Apple's retail division reportedly achieved an NPS of 72, according to a 2022 report.

2. Amazon (E-commerce): 62

Amazon’s score typically hovers in the low 60s, thanks to its strong focus on customer service, delivery speed, and ease of use. Their proactive customer service (like instant refunds and one-click purchasing) boosts promoter scores significantly.

3. Tesla (Automotive): 96 (2019)

Tesla once reported an astronomical NPS® of 96. While more recent scores may have dipped, it has still been a good example of intense brand loyalty. In the past, Tesla fans often doubled as brand ambassadors, generating a huge amount of word-of-mouth buzz, although in recent months the reverse is true of course.

4. Netflix (Streaming Media): 68

Netflix has consistently maintained an NPS® around 68, illustrating the power of personalised recommendations, ease of use, and value for money.

5. B2B SaaS Benchmarks

• Slack: 55
• HubSpot: 62
• Zoom: 68
• Dropbox: 40

B2B SaaS companies often benefit from stickiness and daily usage, which improves their NPS® if the product consistently delivers value.

Industry Average NPS® Scores (Benchmark)

Here are some 2024 average scores by industry:

Source: Satmetrix 2024 B2B & B2C NPS® Benchmark Reports

Why Is NPS® Important?

NPS® is more than a vanity metric. Studies by Bain & Co. suggest companies with the highest NPS® in their category outgrow competitors by two times. NPS® correlates strongly with:

• Customer retention
• Referral rates
• Customer lifetime value
• Brand advocacy

But NPS® is most powerful when used as a system, not just a score. Gathering feedback and following up on it is where the real magic happens.

How to Positively Influence Your NPS®

Improving your NPS® is entirely possible with deliberate action. Here are the best ways to do it:

1. Close the Loop with Detractors

Many businesses fail to act on negative feedback. Reach out to detractors with empathy and curiosity. Ask:

• “What could we have done better?”
• “What would change your mind?”

When customers feel heard, they may revise their opinion - and share their improved experience.

Example: Zappos famously used NPS® feedback to empower agents to solve problems creatively, resulting in higher loyalty.

2. Improve Onboarding and First Impressions

A poor start can sour even a great product. Focus on delivering value quickly, especially in B2B SaaS or subscription services. A smooth onboarding process can turn a neutral customer into a promoter.

Tactic: Use welcome emails, tutorials, and check-in calls during the first 30 days.

3. Deliver Consistency Across Touchpoints

A customer’s journey is rarely linear. Make sure every interaction - support, billing, app, email - is consistent in tone, experience, and value.

Insight: Inconsistency is a common NPS® killer. A great product can be overshadowed by poor billing or support processes.

4. Personalise Where Possible

Customers expect more personalised experiences. Use data intelligently to deliver tailored content, recommendations, and service.

Example: Spotify’s Discover Weekly isn’t just a cool feature, it’s a loyalty engine that helps push their NPS® upwards.

5. Track and Share NPS® Trends Internally

NPS® should be visible to all teams, not siloed in marketing or research. Share trends across departments, include verbatim comments, and highlight impact.

• Break down NPS® by channel or cohort
• Highlight how initiatives impact score
• Celebrate Promoter feedback with staff

Tip: Using a professional tool or insight partner can add significant value and simply the process, but the important thing is to capture the feedback and act on it.

6. Use Open Text Feedback for Qualitative Insight

The NPS® score is just the headline. The real gold is in the 'why' behind the score. Encourage customers to share the reason behind their rating, and then analyse trends.

If you don't have a team or insight partner analysing the responses, use keyword analysis or sentiment AI tools (like MonkeyLearn, Thematic, or HubSpot’s feedback tools) to find recurring themes.

7. Follow Up with Promoters, Too

Don’t ignore your promoters. They’re your growth engine. Ask them to:

• Leave reviews
• Refer friends
• Join user groups
• Share case studies

Pro move: Set up an automated email thanking them and offering a referral incentive.

Common NPS® Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced companies make missteps when using NPS®. Avoid these:

❌ Treating NPS® as a vanity metric

NPS® only matters if you act on it.

❌ Over-surveying or bad timing

Survey fatigue is real. Don’t spam customers every time they click a button.

❌ Ignoring cultural or geographic differences

NPS® norms vary—European customers tend to rate lower than Americans.

❌ Not segmenting your NPS® data

Look at NPS® by product, channel, customer age, and usage. Otherwise, you’ll miss what’s driving loyalty or disloyalty.

NPS® isn’t perfect - but It works

Some critics argue NPS® oversimplifies loyalty, or that customers don’t always act on their stated intent to recommend. True—but its strength lies in its consistency, simplicity, and its ability to spark real conversations.

When combined with qualitative feedback and a commitment to action, it becomes a cornerstone of customer experience strategy.

Conclusion: What Is a Good NPS® Score?

A good NPS® score is one that:

• Outperforms your direct competitors
• Improves steadily over time
• Correlates with loyalty and growth
• Drives meaningful conversations inside your business
• Is seen and acted upon to improve operations and support decision making

Don’t chase a number. Chase improvement.

Use NPS® to build a customer-centric culture, one where every voice matters, and every piece of feedback leads to better service, stronger relationships, and long-term growth.

Quick NPS® Checklist

✅ Ask the question regularly (but not too often)
✅ Segment your responses
✅ Act on feedback
✅ Close the loop with detractors
✅ Celebrate and activate promoters
✅ Share results across the company
✅ Benchmark—but stay focused on your trend line

Need Help Measuring or Improving NPS®?

At Kinvale, we help small to mid-sized businesses turn feedback into action. Whether you’re already capturing customer feedback or you’re looking to start from scratch and implement a new NPS® programme, we can help you design, analyse, and act, without the overhead of big consultancy fees.

👉 Contact us for a free consultation.