The best sales funnel examples are the ones you can walk through yourself. This guide breaks down 12 funnels that are live on the companies' own websites, from Russell Brunson's free-plus-shipping book funnel to the freemium funnels at Dropbox and Slack and the free trials at Shopify, Spotify and Amazon Prime. For each one you get the steps, why the structure works and what you can borrow.
Every offer detail on this page was checked on the company's own page in November 2026. We describe structure only. None of these companies publish their conversion rates, so no results are claimed.
Sales Funnel Examples at a Glance
| # | Company | Funnel Type | Entry Offer | Next Step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DotCom Secrets | Free-plus-shipping book | Free book, buyer pays shipping | $37 audiobook bundle, $97 training |
| 2 | One Funnel Away Challenge | Challenge funnel | Free challenge with a software trial | ClickFunnels at $97 a month |
| 3 | HighLevel Bootcamp | Live training funnel | Free weekday bootcamp | 30-day free trial, then a paid plan |
| 4 | Systeme.io | Freemium | Free plan up to 2,000 contacts | Startup plan at $17 a month |
| 5 | 5 Day Lead Challenge | Lead funnel | Free five-day training | ClickFunnels |
| 6 | Dropbox | Freemium plus referral | 2 GB free | Paid storage plans |
| 7 | Slack | Freemium | Free plan with 90 days of history | Paid plans with full history |
| 8 | HubSpot | B2B freemium | Free CRM | Paid hubs and seats |
| 9 | Grammarly | Freemium plus trial | Free writing checks | Pro plan trial |
| 10 | Shopify | Low-cost trial | 3 days free, then $1 a month for 3 months | Regular plan |
| 11 | Spotify | Free trial | $0 for 1 month | $12.99 a month |
| 12 | Amazon Prime | Free trial | 30 days free | $14.99 a month or $139 a year |
If you are looking for stories about what individual ClickFunnels users built and earned, those are covered separately in our ClickFunnels case studies. This page is about funnel structure.
In This Article
- Sales Funnel Examples at a Glance
- How to Read These Examples
- Funnel Examples From Funnel-Builder Companies
- Freemium and Referral Funnel Examples
- Free Trial Funnel Examples
- Patterns These Sales Funnel Examples Share
- How to Copy a Sales Funnel Example the Right Way
- How to Measure Your Version of These Funnels
- Which Example Fits Your Business?
- Mistakes When Copying Sales Funnel Examples
- Our Verdict
- Frequently Asked Questions
How to Read These Examples
A sales funnel is the path from a first click to a purchase and beyond. Our what is a sales funnel guide covers the theory. When you study an example, look for four things:
- The entry offer: what the visitor gets first, and what it costs them (email, shipping, a card on file or nothing).
- The commitment step: where the visitor first pays or hands over something valuable.
- The value increase: order bumps, upsells, upgrades or usage limits that lead to a bigger purchase.
- The follow-up: emails, reminders or in-product prompts that bring people back.
Funnel Examples From Funnel-Builder Companies
Funnel software companies use their own tools to sell, which makes their funnels unusually easy to study.
1. DotCom Secrets: Free-Plus-Shipping Book Funnel
What you see: the order page at dotcomsecrets.com asks "Where Should We Ship Your FREE Book?" and lists "DotCom Secrets Book Free + Shipping." Our ClickFunnels free books guide found US shipping at $9.95 and international shipping at $19.95 when it checked in November 2026.
The steps: 1. A sales page for the free book. 2. A two-step order form: shipping address first, then payment. 3. A one-time offer on the order form: "Audiobook + 5 More Exclusive Products!" for $37. 4. An "Exclusive Upgrade" to DotCom Secrets Live recordings for $97. 5. Confirmation and follow-up emails.
Why the structure works: the free book removes the price objection, but paying shipping turns a lead into a buyer with a card on file. The audiobook bump costs little to deliver and fits the moment, because the buyer can start listening immediately instead of waiting for delivery.
What to borrow: if you have a book, a physical guide or a printed planner, offer it free plus shipping and put a digital version on the order form. Our DotCom Secrets summary covers the funnel ideas inside the book.
2. One Funnel Away Challenge: Challenge-to-Trial Funnel
What you see: the One Funnel Away Challenge page says "when you sign up for a ClickFunnels 14-day free trial today, you'll be able to join One Funnel Away Challenge for FREE! Then after 14 days, it's one low monthly payment of just $97/mo."
The steps: 1. A long sales page that sells the challenge, not the software. 2. An order form that starts the ClickFunnels trial. 3. Thirty days of daily missions, during which participants build a funnel inside ClickFunnels. 4. Billing starts after 14 days unless the trial is cancelled.
Why the structure works: the challenge gives people a reason to use the software every day during the trial. By the time billing starts, they have pages, products and a funnel inside the account.
What to borrow: if you sell software or a membership, bundle the trial with a guided program that produces a result inside the product. Our One Funnel Away Challenge review explains the challenge in detail.
3. HighLevel Bootcamp: Live Training Funnel
What you see: GoHighLevel's bootcamp page promises a "FREE BOOTCAMP + 30 DAY FREE TRIAL" and says "Bootcamps are happening every weekday at 11am CT, and it's 100% free to join."
The steps: 1. A registration page for the live bootcamp. 2. Signup for the 30-day trial. 3. A live Zoom session that walks through setting up the platform. 4. Continued use during the trial, then a paid plan.
Why the structure works: complex software has a setup problem. A live session with a coach solves it during the trial, which is the stage where most software buyers decide whether to stay. Running sessions every weekday means nobody waits long for the next one.
What to borrow: if your product needs setup, replace a recorded webinar with a short, frequent live session focused on getting one thing working. See our GoHighLevel free trial guide for how the trial options compare.
4. Systeme.io: Freemium Funnel
What you see: Systeme.io's pricing page lists a free plan with "2,000 contacts, 3 sales funnels, 1 course" and says it "never expires and does not require a credit card." The Startup plan is $17 a month with 5,000 contacts and 10 sales funnels.
The steps: 1. Free signup without a card. 2. Users build funnels, courses and email lists on the free plan. 3. Limits on contacts, funnels and courses come into play as the business grows. 4. Paid plans raise those limits.
Why the structure works: the limit that triggers an upgrade is tied to the customer's own growth. A user who passes 2,000 contacts is getting value from the product and is more likely to pay.
What to borrow: if you offer a free tier, put the limit on a number that grows with success, such as contacts, projects or clients. Our Systeme.io free plan guide has the full limits.
5. 5 Day Lead Challenge: Lead Funnel
What you see: the 5 Day Lead Challenge page at 5dayleadchallenge.com is a free registration page for a five-day lead generation training from ClickFunnels. It asks only for an email address. As of November 2026 it lists no upcoming date.
The steps: 1. A registration page with one form. 2. Five daily sessions, each with homework. 3. Participants build a lead magnet and a lead funnel. 4. The training points toward funnel software to host it.
Why the structure works: the free training teaches people to build the exact kind of funnel the software hosts, so the product becomes the obvious next step.
What to borrow: teach a free, practical skill that requires your paid product to finish. Our 5 Day Lead Challenge review breaks down each day.
Freemium and Referral Funnel Examples
Freemium funnels give away a useful product with limits. The paid offer appears when the user hits the limit.
6. Dropbox: Freemium Plus Referral Funnel
What you see: Dropbox's plans page lists "Basic Free 2 GB to store and share your files." Its help center says "Dropbox Basic accounts get 500 MB per referral and can earn up to 16 GB," and "Friends who sign up to Dropbox through your referral earn 500 MB of additional free storage."
The steps: 1. Free signup for 2 GB. 2. Users fill the space with files. 3. Two ways to get more: invite friends for extra space, or upgrade to a paid plan. 4. Each referred friend enters the same funnel.
Why the structure works: the referral program turns the storage limit into a growth loop. Both people get a reward, so the invitation does not feel like a sales pitch.
What to borrow: if your product has a natural limit, let users unlock more by referring others, and reward both sides.
7. Slack: Freemium Funnel With a History Limit
What you see: Slack's pricing page lists a Free plan at "$0 USD free forever" with "90 days of message history." It adds: "Messages are saved and searchable for 90 days. Upgrade to access the previous 12 months messages." Slack's help center also says content on the Free plan more than a year old is permanently deleted.
The steps: 1. A team signs up for free. 2. The team moves conversations and files into Slack. 3. After 90 days, older messages are no longer accessible on Free. 4. The upgrade prompt offers access to that history.
Why the structure works: the limit grows more noticeable the more the team uses the product. Messages the team already wrote become the reason to upgrade.
What to borrow: give full features for free but limit how far back users can access their own work, or how much they can keep.
8. HubSpot: B2B Freemium Funnel
What you see: HubSpot's CRM page is titled "Free HubSpot CRM" and says "HubSpot's free CRM unifies all your customer data on one platform." Calls to action read "Get free CRM."
The steps: 1. Educational content and free tools attract business users. 2. Free CRM signup. 3. The team adds contacts, deals and email tracking. 4. Paid plans and other hubs add features and seats. 5. Larger accounts talk to sales.
Why the structure works: a CRM holds a company's customer data, so once a team relies on it, switching is costly. B2B funnels like this also add a human sales step for bigger deals, which is the main difference from consumer funnels.
What to borrow: in B2B, offer a free entry product that holds data the customer will keep adding to, and route large accounts to a conversation. Our GoHighLevel vs HubSpot comparison looks at HubSpot's paid side.
9. Grammarly: Freemium Plus Trial Funnel
What you see: Grammarly's plans page lists Free at $0 a month and a Pro plan with a "Try for free" button. It promises an "Email reminder 2 days before trial ends."
The steps: 1. A free account that works in the browser and in desktop and mobile apps. 2. Free writing suggestions in everyday tools. 3. Premium suggestions are shown as available on Pro. 4. A free Pro trial with a reminder before billing.
Why the structure works: the product works where people already write, so it is used daily. The reminder before the trial ends builds trust and can reduce refund requests and complaints.
What to borrow: if you run a trial, tell people before you charge them. It is a small step that makes the trial feel safer to start.
Free Trial Funnel Examples
Free trial funnels ask for a commitment up front, usually a payment method, and convert automatically unless the user cancels.
10. Shopify: Low-Cost Trial Funnel
What you see: Shopify's pricing page says "Try 3 days free, then $1/month for 3 months."
The steps: 1. Free signup with an email address. 2. Three free days to set up a store. 3. A $1-per-month period for three months. 4. Regular plan pricing after that.
Why the structure works: a store takes longer than three days to launch. The $1 period gives sellers months to build and make first sales before the full price starts, while the small charge filters out people who are not serious.
What to borrow: if your customers need weeks to see value, extend the trial with a low price instead of making it longer for free. Our ClickFunnels vs Shopify comparison explains when a store and a funnel builder fit together.
11. Spotify: Free Month Funnel
What you see: Spotify's Premium page says "$0 for 1 month, then $12.99 per month after," for Premium Individual, and "Offer only available if you haven't tried Premium before."
The steps: 1. Spotify Free brings in listeners, while Premium is sold as ad-free listening. 2. A free month of Premium. 3. Automatic billing after the month. 4. Several plans (Individual, Duo, Family and Student) to match households and budgets.
Why the structure works: the free tier and the trial work together. Listeners who already use the free version know the product, so the trial only has to show the difference.
What to borrow: a free tier and a trial are not either-or. A free version builds the habit, and a trial of the paid version shows what is missing.
12. Amazon Prime: 30-Day Trial Funnel
What you see: Amazon's Prime page says "Enjoy your free 30-day trial of Prime. After, Prime is just $14.99 per month." The annual option is $139 a year after the trial, with lower-priced plans for young adults and people on qualifying government assistance.
The steps: 1. The Prime page leads with benefits such as free delivery, award-winning TV and exclusive deals. 2. A 30-day free trial. 3. Monthly or annual billing after the trial. 4. Segment-specific plans for students, young adults and people on government assistance.
Why the structure works: the main benefit, free delivery, is something a shopper feels on the very next order, so the trial proves its value quickly. The segmented plans keep more people in the funnel instead of losing them on price.
What to borrow: present your membership or upsell at the moment it solves a problem the customer has right now, and offer a lower-cost version for price-sensitive groups.
Patterns These Sales Funnel Examples Share
| Pattern | Examples | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| A low-risk first step | Free book, free plan, free month | Make the first yes easy |
| An early commitment | Shipping charge, card on file, data inside the product | Small commitments lead to larger ones |
| Value grows with use | Slack history, Systeme.io contacts, HubSpot data | Tie upgrades to the customer's progress |
| Help during the trial | One Funnel Away, HighLevel Bootcamp | Get users to a result before billing starts |
| Offers at the right moment | Audiobook bump, Prime's delivery benefit | Present add-ons when they solve an immediate need |
| Built-in sharing | Dropbox referrals | Reward both sides of an invitation |
None of these funnels ask for a big purchase on the first page. Each one starts with something free or nearly free, then raises the value step by step. That is the value ladder idea in practice.
How to Copy a Sales Funnel Example the Right Way
Studying a competitor's funnel is common practice, and the ClickFunnels community calls it funnel hacking. Do it ethically and copy the structure, not the content.
- 1Opt in or start the trial as a real visitor
- 2Screenshot every page and note the step order
- 3Record the price and offer at each step
- 4Save the follow-up emails and note when they arrive
- 5Write the structure as a page-by-page outline
- 6Rebuild it with your own offer, words and design
Turn your notes into an outline with our sales funnel templates, then follow how to create a sales funnel to build it.
How to Measure Your Version of These Funnels
The companies above do not publish their funnel numbers, so you will need your own. Each funnel type has a different number that matters most.
| Funnel Type | Main Number to Track | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Book or tripwire funnel | Order bump and upsell take rate | Front-end offers are often priced to break even, so the add-ons carry the profit |
| Challenge or webinar funnel | Show-up rate and offer conversion | People who register but never attend cannot buy at the pitch |
| Freemium funnel | Free-to-paid conversion and time to upgrade | Free users cost money to serve until they upgrade |
| Free trial funnel | Trial-to-paid conversion and early cancellations | Shows whether users reach a result before billing starts |
| B2B funnel | Lead-to-meeting and meeting-to-close rates | Shows whether marketing and sales agree on who is qualified |
| Referral loop | Invitations sent per user and invite acceptance | Shows whether the loop actually brings in new users |
Track revenue per visitor alongside these. It combines every step into one number you can compare with your cost per click. Our sales funnel stages guide explains how to find the weakest step.
Which Example Fits Your Business?
| Your Business | Closest Example | Funnel to Build |
|---|---|---|
| Author, consultant or coach with a book | DotCom Secrets | Free-plus-shipping book funnel |
| Course creator or coach | One Funnel Away, 5 Day Lead Challenge | Challenge or lead funnel |
| Software or app | Slack, Grammarly, Systeme.io | Freemium or trial funnel |
| Complex software or service | HighLevel Bootcamp | Live onboarding or webinar funnel |
| B2B service or software | HubSpot | Free tool plus sales conversation |
| Ecommerce brand | Shopify, Amazon Prime | Low-cost entry offer plus membership or subscription |
| Product with a natural limit | Dropbox | Freemium plus referral loop |
Mistakes When Copying Sales Funnel Examples
- Copying a big company's model without its traffic. Freemium works for Dropbox and Slack because they can serve many free users. A small business may do better with a paid entry offer.
- Copying words and design. Your audience, offer and voice are different, and the original's copy and branding are not yours to use.
- Skipping the follow-up. Most of these funnels depend on emails, reminders or in-product prompts that you do not see on the first page.
- Assuming the funnel is profitable. A visible funnel tells you the structure, not whether it makes money. Measure your own numbers.
- Adding every step at once. Start with the entry offer and one upsell, then add steps that your data supports.
Our Verdict
The most useful sales funnel examples are the ones you can see live and study yourself. Book and challenge funnels from ClickFunnels show how to turn a free offer into buyers. Freemium funnels from Dropbox, Slack, HubSpot and Systeme.io show how to tie upgrades to growth. Free trial funnels from Shopify, Spotify and Amazon Prime show how to reduce risk at the first step. Pick the example closest to your offer, outline it page by page and build it in the sales funnel software that fits your budget.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What Is a Good Example of a Sales Funnel?
Russell Brunson's DotCom Secrets offer is a clear one. The book is free plus shipping, the order form offers an audiobook bundle for $37, and buyers then see a $97 upgrade to recorded training, so one free offer leads to paid products.
What Are Examples of Freemium Sales Funnels?
Dropbox, Slack, HubSpot, Grammarly and Systeme.io all give away a free plan with limits, such as storage, message history or contact counts, and present paid plans once users need more.
What Is an Example of a B2B Sales Funnel?
HubSpot offers a free CRM that captures business users, then sells paid plans and larger hubs. B2B funnels usually add a sales conversation, such as a demo or consultation, before larger purchases.
What Is an Example of a Free Trial Funnel?
Amazon Prime offers a free 30-day trial, then charges $14.99 a month or $139 a year. Shopify offers 3 days free, then $1 a month for 3 months, before regular plan pricing applies.
Are These Sales Funnel Examples Still Live?
The offers on this page were checked on the companies' own pages in November 2026. Offers, prices and trial lengths change often, so check the live page before you rely on any detail.
Can I Copy Another Company's Sales Funnel?
You can copy the structure, such as the order of pages and the type of offer at each step. Do not copy their wording, design, images or brand, which are protected and would not fit your audience anyway.
How Many Steps Should a Sales Funnel Have?
As few as the offer needs. A lead funnel can work with two pages, while a book or webinar funnel often has four to six steps including upsells and follow-up emails.
Build Your Own Version
Pick the example closest to your offer, start a ClickFunnels free trial and rebuild the structure with your own product, copy and follow-up.
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