CSAT and NPS are the two metrics that show up on nearly every customer dashboard — and they're constantly confused. They answer different questions on different timescales, and using one where you need the other is a common, costly mistake.
Note
CSAT: Are You Happy?
Customer Satisfaction asks a direct question after an interaction — "How satisfied were you?" — usually on a 1–5 or 1–7 scale. The CSAT score is typically the percentage of "top-box" answers: the share who chose the top one or two ratings.
| CSAT score | Reading |
|---|---|
| ≥ 85 | Excellent |
| 70 – 84 | Good |
| Below 70 | Needs attention |
CSAT is best right after a specific event — a support chat, a delivery, an onboarding step — because it captures how that experience landed while it's fresh.
NPS: Would You Recommend Us?
Net Promoter Score asks one question — "How likely are you to recommend us?" — on a 0–10 scale, then buckets the answers, as the chart above shows.
| Rating | Group |
|---|---|
| 9 – 10 | Promoters — loyal, will refer |
| 7 – 8 | Passives — satisfied but unenthusiastic |
| 0 – 6 | Detractors — at risk, may warn others |
NPS = % promoters − % detractors. Passives count toward the total but not the score, so it ranges from −100 to +100. A positive NPS means promoters outnumber detractors.
Tip
When to Use Which
| Use CSAT when… | Use NPS when… |
|---|---|
| Measuring a specific interaction | Measuring the overall relationship |
| You want fast, event-level feedback | You track loyalty over time |
| Optimizing a support or onboarding flow | Benchmarking brand advocacy |
Watch out
Common Traps
- Reading NPS as a percentage — it's a net figure from −100 to +100, not a proportion
- Comparing your NPS across industries — benchmarks differ wildly by sector
- Surveying only happy moments, which quietly inflates both scores
- Chasing the number instead of the driver behind it
CSAT and NPS in the SKARI Survey Lab
SKARI's Survey Lab scores both metrics and interprets them against benchmarks — so the number arrives with a reading, not just a figure.
- CSAT score with satisfaction tiers and per-feature satisfaction
- NPS with promoter / passive / detractor breakdown
- An employee NPS (eNPS) variant for internal surveys, with its own benchmarks
- Benchmark bands so a score comes with an 'excellent / good / average' read
Takeaway
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a high CSAT the same as a high NPS?
Not necessarily. Customers can be satisfied with an interaction (high CSAT) yet not loyal enough to recommend you (low NPS).
What's a good NPS?
It depends heavily on industry. Anything positive means more promoters than detractors; compare only against sector benchmarks.
What is eNPS?
The same net-promoter logic applied to employees — "would you recommend working here?" — with its own benchmark bands.
Key Takeaways
CSAT
Happy?
one experience
NPS
Refer?
loyalty
NPS range
−100…100
not a %
Both need
Why?
a follow-up
CSAT and NPS aren't rivals — they measure different things. Use CSAT for the moment and NPS for the relationship, read each against the right benchmark, and always ask why behind the number.
Takeaway
System Usability Scale (SUS)
A benchmarked usability score
Importance-Satisfaction (IPA)
What to fix first
Kano Model
Which features drive satisfaction