The Sean Ellis Test
Measure Product Market Fit
Use the original Sean Ellis PMF survey (the 40 percent test) that helped Dropbox, Slack, and Airbnb find product market fit. The Sean Ellis product market fit framework trusted by 1,000+ successful startups.
Companies that used the Sean Ellis test
What is the Sean Ellis Test?
The original product market fit survey created by Sean Ellis - the growth hacker who helped Dropbox, LogMeIn, and Eventbrite achieve PMF
The Core Question
"How would you feel if you could no longer use [Product]?"
• Very disappointed
• Somewhat disappointed
• Not disappointed
This single question reveals if your product has become essential to your users' lives.
Who is Sean Ellis?
Sean Ellis is the entrepreneur who coined the term "growth hacking" and created the 40% PMF test.
He helped Dropbox grow from 100K to 4M users, guided LogMeIn to IPO, and advised Eventbrite to achieve product-market fit.
After analyzing 100+ startups, he discovered that companies where 40%+ users said they'd be "very disappointed" without the product had strong, sustainable growth.
The 40% Rule
Sean Ellis' PMF Benchmark
The product market fit threshold discovered by analyzing 100+ startups. Use the Sean Ellis test to measure if you've crossed the 40 percent benchmark.
The Magic Number
If 40%+ of active users say they'd be "very disappointed" without your product, you have strong product-market fit according to the Sean Ellis test.
Sean Ellis' Research:
Ready to scale growth and invest in acquisition
Segment to champions, optimize for them
Focus on product iteration, not growth
The Complete Sean Ellis Survey
4 Questions to Measure PMF
Beyond the 40% test, Sean Ellis recommends these follow-up questions to understand your champions
How would you feel if you could no longer use [Product]?
• Very disappointed
• Somewhat disappointed
• Not disappointed
This is the core Sean Ellis test question that determines your 40% score
What type of people do you think would most benefit from [Product]?
Open-ended text response
Reveals your ideal customer profile from your champions' perspective
What is the main benefit you receive from [Product]?
Open-ended text response
Identifies your core value proposition from real user language
How can we improve [Product] for you?
Open-ended text response
Shows what to build next to convert more users to champions
Average feedback gives you nothing to act on. Segmented feedback gives you clear moves
How to Use the Sean Ellis Test
4-Step PMF Process
The proven Sean Ellis product market fit methodology used by 1,000+ startups
Survey Active Users
Send the Sean Ellis survey to users who've experienced your core value (used product 2+ times in past 2 weeks). Get at least 40 responses for statistical significance.
Calculate Your 40% Score
Count how many said "very disappointed" and divide by total responses. This is your Sean Ellis test score. Above 40% = strong PMF.
Identify Your Champions
Segment users who said "very disappointed". What traits do they share? Company size? Role? Use case? This is your ideal customer profile.
Build for Champions
Read their qualitative feedback. Double down on what they love. Address gaps that prevent "somewhat disappointed" users from becoming champions. Repeat monthly.
Powerful Analytics
Analytics that connect the dots for you
See trends, patterns, and priorities without digging through spreadsheets.
Geo Analytics
See Feedback on World Map
Your US customers love you. Your EU customers are frustrated. You'd never know from an average. Map feedback by region to spot geographic patterns instantly.
Analyze like a Pro
See Word Cloud from Open-Ended Feedback
See what each segment is actually saying. One word cloud per segment - so you know what matters to who.
- ✓Auto-generated from survey responses
- ✓Filter by segment to see different priorities
- ✓Spot patterns without reading every response
Build like a Pro
Surveys that look like your product
Match your surveys to your product. Custom colors, logo, and styling — so feedback collection feels native, not third-party.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Sean Ellis test?
The Sean Ellis test is a simple survey that asks users: "How would you feel if you could no longer use [product]?" If 40%+ say "very disappointed", you have product-market fit. Sean Ellis created this test while helping companies like Dropbox and LogMeIn achieve PMF.
Why is 40% the benchmark?
Sean Ellis analyzed 100+ startups and found that companies with less than 40% "very disappointed" users struggled to find sustainable growth, while those above 40% had strong traction. The 40% threshold became the gold standard for measuring PMF.
How many responses do I need for the Sean Ellis survey?
At least 40 responses from users who've experienced your core product value (used it 2+ times in past 2 weeks). More responses increase accuracy. Survey active users, not signups who never engaged.
What if my score is below 40%?
Most startups start below 40%. Use the qualitative feedback from the survey to identify your champions (the "very disappointed" users), understand what they value, and build for them specifically. Repeat the survey monthly as you iterate.
Ready to Run the Sean Ellis Test?
Join 1,000+ startups using the Sean Ellis PMF survey to measure product market fit and reach the 40 percent benchmark faster
Run your Free Sean Ellis PMF SurveyMeasure product market fit in 24 hours • No credit card required • Instant results