In short
Net Promoter Score (NPS) is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. Ask "how likely are you to recommend us?" on a 0–10 scale, group the answers, and the formula is: NPS = % Promoters − % Detractors. The result ranges from −100 to +100.
What is NPS?
Net Promoter Score measures customer loyalty with a single question: "How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?" answered on a 0–10 scale. Unlike a satisfaction score for one moment, NPS captures the overall relationship — whether customers like you enough to put their own reputation behind a recommendation.
The three response groups
- Promoters (9–10) — loyal enthusiasts who'll recommend you
- Passives (7–8) — satisfied but unenthusiastic; they don't count in the formula
- Detractors (0–6) — unhappy customers who can damage your reputation
How is NPS calculated? The formula
The Net Promoter Score formula is:
NPS = % Promoters − % Detractors
Passives are excluded from the calculation (though they still count toward your total responses when working out the percentages).
A worked example
Say you collect 200 responses: 120 promoters, 50 passives, 30 detractors.
| Group | Responses | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Promoters (9–10) | 120 | 60% |
| Passives (7–8) | 50 | 25% |
| Detractors (0–6) | 30 | 15% |
NPS = 60% − 15% = +45. The score is written as a whole number, not a percentage.
What is a good NPS?
Any score above 0 means you have more promoters than detractors. Above +30 is generally considered good and above +50 excellent — but it varies widely by industry, so the most useful comparison is your own trend over time and a comparable organisation, not a universal benchmark.
How to collect NPS in real time
NPS is traditionally sent by email weeks after an interaction, which means low response rates and stale data. Capturing it in the moment — on a kiosk, QR, or smiley-style survey — lifts response rates and lets you act while the relationship is live. Pair the score with an optional "what's the main reason?" question so you know why it moved.
NPS isn't the only metric
NPS measures loyalty, not satisfaction with a specific touchpoint — for that you want CSAT. See what a CSAT score is, how the two differ in CSAT vs NPS vs CES, and the full set in customer satisfaction metrics.
Questions
Answered
How is NPS calculated?
NPS = % Promoters − % Detractors. Ask 'how likely are you to recommend us?' on 0–10, then promoters are 9–10, passives 7–8 (excluded from the formula), and detractors 0–6. Subtract the detractor percentage from the promoter percentage; the result ranges from −100 to +100.
What is a good Net Promoter Score?
Above 0 means more promoters than detractors. Above +30 is generally good and +50 excellent, but it varies a lot by industry — compare against your own trend and a similar organisation rather than a universal number.
What's the difference between NPS and CSAT?
NPS measures overall loyalty (likelihood to recommend), while CSAT measures satisfaction with a specific interaction or touchpoint. Most programs use CSAT for in-the-moment action and NPS for the long-term relationship trend.
Measure it in real time
Book a free assessment and we'll show you how to capture this score the moment it happens.