The Sean Ellis test asks users: 'How would you feel if you could no longer use [product]?' with the answers very disappointed, somewhat disappointed and not disappointed. If 40% or more say very disappointed, you likely have product/market fit. Superhuman added three questions: who would benefit most, the main benefit, and how to improve the product.
Key takeaways
- The core question: 'How would you feel if you could no longer use [product]?' Very, somewhat or not disappointed.
- 40% or more 'very disappointed' is the benchmark for product/market fit.
- Survey only people who've used the product recently and more than once, and aim for at least 40 answers.
- Add segment questions so you can find the group where you already have fit.
- Superhuman started at 22% and reached 58% within three quarters by acting on the answers.
Rahul Vohra and his engineers had been building Superhuman since 2015. They'd poured their hearts into it and still hadn't launched.
Rahul knew a product that won't sell is a failure. So before launch, he sent a four-question survey to every one of his pre-launch users.
The result stung. Only 22 percent said they'd be "very disappointed" if they could no longer use Superhuman. Well short of the 40 percent line.
But, as I wrote in The Subscription Playbook, that survey gave him something better than a good score. It gave him a plan. Within three quarters, Superhuman's score had reached 58 percent.
Here's the survey, ready to copy, with the extra pieces that make it work for your business. For the method behind it, read the Sean Ellis 40% test, and for the bigger picture, how to know if you have product/market fit.
Who should get the survey?
Send it only to people who have genuinely experienced your product. Superhuman followed Sean Ellis's recommendation and focused on people who had:
- used it at least twice,
- in the last two weeks.
For products people use less often, such as a monthly service, use the last full billing cycle instead.
Not people who signed up and vanished. Aim for at least 40 responses before you read much into the score.
The invitation email
Subject: Can I ask you 4 quick questions about [Product]?
Hi [First name],
I'm [Your name], [role] at [Product]. We're deciding what to build next, and I'd love your honest view.
It's 4 questions and takes about 2 minutes:
[Start the survey]
There are no right answers. If you'd be fine without us, that's exactly what we need to hear.
Thanks,
[Your name]
The survey
Part A: The four core questions
1. How would you feel if you could no longer use [Product]? (choose one)
- Very disappointed
- Somewhat disappointed
- Not disappointed (it isn't really that useful)
- N/A, I no longer use [Product]
2. What type of people do you think would most benefit from [Product]? (free text)
3. What is the main benefit you receive from [Product]? (free text)
4. How can we improve [Product] for you? (free text)
Part B: Segment questions (add three or four)
These are what let you find the group where you already have fit.
5. Which best describes you? (choose one: [Role or business type 1] / [2] / [3] / [4] / Other)
6. How often do you use [Product]? (Daily / A few times a week / Weekly / A few times a month / Less often)
7. How did you first hear about [Product]? (Search / Recommendation / Social media / Review site / Event / Other)
8. What would you use instead if [Product] were no longer available? (free text)
If your survey tool can pass hidden fields, also capture plan, sign-up date and company size automatically. Fewer questions, better data.
Score your PMF survey in a minute
Paste your answers into the free Product/Market Fit Survey Scorer and get your score, overall and by segment.
The scoring sheet
PMF score = "Very disappointed" answers ÷ (All answers − "N/A" answers) × 100
Score it overall, then for every segment.
| Segment | Answers | Very disappointed | Score | Main benefit (most common) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All users | [#] | [#] | [%] | [Theme] |
| [Segment 1] | [#] | [#] | [%] | [Theme] |
| [Segment 2] | [#] | [#] | [%] | [Theme] |
| Daily users | [#] | [#] | [%] | [Theme] |
| Joined in last 90 days | [#] | [#] | [%] | [Theme] |
What a segment can show you (illustrative)
100 answers overall: 31 very disappointed, a 31% score. But 24 of the 45 daily users said very disappointed, a 53% score. You don't have a fit problem with everyone. You have fit with daily users and a weaker offer for everyone else.
Superhuman's first move was exactly this. Focusing on users who matched the persona of its biggest fans lifted its score from 22% to 33% before it changed anything in the product.
The follow-up email to your biggest fans
Send this to everyone who answered "very disappointed."
Subject: Thank you, and a favor?
Hi [First name],
Thanks for your answers. You said you'd be very disappointed without [Product], which honestly made our week.
Would you be up for a 20-minute call? I'd like to understand what you love about it, so we can build more of it.
[Book a time]
[Your name]
And this one to "somewhat disappointed" users whose main benefit matches your fans':
Subject: What's holding [Product] back for you?
Hi [First name],
You told us [their main benefit, in their words] is what you get from [Product], but that you'd only be somewhat disappointed without it.
What's the one thing that would make it a must-have for you?
Just hit reply. I read every answer.
[Your name]
That second email is the clever part of Superhuman's engine. Listen to the near-fans who want what your fans want. Politely ignore the ones who want a different product.
Mistakes that wreck the score
- Surveying everyone on your email list. Lapsed users drag it down. Brand-new users haven't formed a view.
- Leading wording. "How disappointed would you be..." assumes the answer. Use the exact question.
- Reading the overall number only. The segments are the point.
- Running it once. Track it quarterly.
What to do next
- Filter your user list to recent, repeat users.
- Copy the survey and the invitation email.
- Score it overall and by segment with the free PMF Survey Scorer.
- Send the two follow-up emails and split your next roadmap between "more of what fans love" and "fix what holds near-fans back."
If your score is low because people don't value the product enough to pay, run a willingness-to-pay interview next, then the willingness-to-pay survey. For what happened to Superhuman after it found fit, read the Superhuman case study.
Frequently asked questions
Which survey tool should I use for the Sean Ellis test?
Any tool that supports single-choice and open-text questions and exports to a spreadsheet will do, including Google Forms, Typeform, Tally or the survey feature inside your product analytics tool. What matters more is linking each answer to the user's plan, tenure and usage, so use a tool that can pass a user ID or email through a hidden field.
Should I include an 'N/A, I no longer use it' option?
Yes. It stops lapsed users from distorting your score, and it gives them an honest answer to pick. Exclude those answers from the calculation, but count them separately, because a large share of lapsed users is a retention signal in its own right. If you've filtered your list properly to recent, repeat users, very few people should choose it.
How often should I run the Sean Ellis survey?
Run it once to get a baseline, then every quarter, or after a major product change. Superhuman treated its score as a key metric and, according to First Round Review, tracked it on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis. Survey different users each time, or wait at least a few months before asking the same person again, so people don't tire of the question.
Can I run the Sean Ellis test before launch?
Only with people who've actually used a working version, such as beta or pilot users. Superhuman ran it with its pre-launch users. Asking people who've only seen a landing page or a demo measures interest, not dependence. Before you have users, use problem interviews and willingness-to-pay research instead.
Does the Sean Ellis test work for a service business?
Yes, with small changes. Swap 'use' for the service, for example 'How would you feel if you could no longer get your bookkeeping done by us?' With a small client base you won't reach 40 answers, so treat the results as conversation starters and follow up personally with the 'very disappointed' and 'somewhat disappointed' clients.
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Robert Coorey, MBA
Robert is the author of The Subscription Playbook and Feed a Starving Crowd and a Director at BPAG Accountants in Sydney. More about Robert.
Sources
- First Round Review, How Superhuman Built an Engine to Find Product/Market Fit
- The Subscription Playbook, Robert Coorey (2022), Chapter 10
Facts and prices checked 27 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.