How do you calculate Customer Effort Score?

Add up all the numeric answers to the effort question and divide by the number of responses. The result is the average effort rating — your CES — reported on the same scale as the question, for example 6.0 out of 7.

What is the CES formula?

CES = sum of all effort ratings ÷ number of responses. It is a simple average, with no buckets or subtraction. The free CES calculator computes it for you from your raw responses.

Is a higher CES score better?

On an 'easy' agreement scale like the 1–7 one we use, yes — a higher score means less effort, which is better. On an older 'how much effort' scale, higher means more effort and is worse. Always confirm the scale direction first.

What scale should I use for CES?

A 1–7 scale from Very difficult to Very easy is a clear, common choice and the one we use, though 1–5 also works. The important thing is to keep the same scale and direction every time so your scores stay comparable.

What is the top-2-box CES method?

Instead of averaging, you report the percentage of respondents who chose one of the two easiest options — the 6s and 7s on a 1–7 scale. It is easier to explain but discards the middle of the scale, so pick one method and keep it.

Should I report CES as a number or a percentage?

Both are valid. The average (a number like 6.0 out of 7) keeps the most nuance; the top-2-box percentage is simpler for executive reporting. Choose one approach and use it consistently so your trend stays meaningful.

Why does the scale need to be stated with the score?

Because 4.0 out of 5 and 4.0 out of 7 are very different results. Always report CES with its scale and direction, such as '5.8 out of 7 (higher = easier)', so no one misreads it.

How many responses do I need for a reliable CES?

There is no fixed minimum, but very small samples swing wildly. Report the response count alongside the score, and rely on the trend over time rather than a single reading from a handful of answers.

CES

Customer Effort Score Calculation: Formula and Examples

Calculating a Customer Effort Score is refreshingly simple: unlike NPS, there are no buckets and no subtraction. In its most common form CES is just the average of all the effort ratings you collect. The subtlety is in the scale you use and the direction it runs, because those decide what a 'good' number even looks like.

This guide shows the CES formula, works through examples on both 1–5 and 1–7 scales, covers the top-2-box alternative, and explains how to report the result so it stays comparable over time. For the full method behind the metric, see the complete Customer Effort Score guide.

The CES formula

The standard Customer Effort Score is the average (mean) of every numeric response to the effort question:

CES = sum of all effort ratings ÷ number of responses

That is the whole formula. Because CES is an average rather than a percentage, the result sits on the same scale as your question. On Surveys.expert the effort question runs 1–7 from Very difficult to Very easy, so a higher CES means customers found the interaction easier — less effort. Compute it automatically from your responses with the free CES calculator.

Direction matters before you interpret

On an 'easy' scale (like ours), higher is better. On an older 'how much effort did you have to put in' scale, higher means more effort and is worse. The arithmetic is identical; only the interpretation flips. Always know which direction your scale runs.

Step by step

1Collect the numeric answers to your effort question, all on the same scale and in the same direction.
2Add every rating together to get the total.
3Count the number of responses.
4Divide the total by the number of responses to get the average — that is your CES.
5Round to one decimal place and always report it alongside the scale, e.g. '5.8 out of 7'.

Worked example on a 1–7 scale

Suppose you run a support CES survey on our 1–7 'Very difficult → Very easy' scale and collect 10 responses: 7, 6, 7, 5, 6, 7, 4, 6, 7, 5.

Total = 7 + 6 + 7 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 4 + 6 + 7 + 5 = 60.
Number of responses = 10.
CES = 60 ÷ 10 = 6.0.

Your Customer Effort Score is 6.0 out of 7 — customers found it easy to get help. Because higher is easier on this scale, that is a strong result, but the trend over time matters more than the single number.

Create your survey with AI

Describe what you want to learn and get a ready-to-edit survey in seconds — free to start.

Worked example on a 1–5 scale

The same math applies to a 1–5 effort scale. Say a checkout CES survey collects 8 responses: 5, 4, 5, 3, 4, 5, 2, 4.

Total = 5 + 4 + 5 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 2 + 4 = 32.
Number of responses = 8.
CES = 32 ÷ 8 = 4.0.

The score is 4.0 out of 5. Reporting '4.0' with no scale is meaningless — 4.0 out of 5 and 4.0 out of 7 are very different results, so always attach the scale to the number.

The top-2-box alternative

Some teams prefer to report CES as a percentage instead of an average, using the 'top-2-box' method. Rather than averaging, you count the proportion of respondents who chose one of the two most positive (easiest) options.

CES (top-2-box) = respondents choosing the top 2 'easy' options ÷ total responses × 100

On a 1–7 scale, count the 6s and 7s; on a 1–5 scale, count the 4s and 5s.
Divide by total responses and multiply by 100 to get a percentage of low-effort experiences.
In the 1–7 example above (7, 6, 7, 5, 6, 7, 4, 6, 7, 5), seven of ten answers are 6 or 7, so the top-2-box CES is 70%.

Pick one method and stick with it

The average is the most common and preserves the most nuance; top-2-box is easier to explain to a board but discards the middle of the scale. Both are valid — just do not switch between them, or your trend line becomes meaningless.

How to report CES

Always state the scale and direction — '6.0 out of 7 (higher = easier)' removes all ambiguity.
Report the number of responses alongside the score so readers can judge how reliable it is.
Segment by touchpoint — support, checkout, delivery, returns — because an overall average hides which moment feels hardest.
Track the trend on a fixed cadence rather than reacting to a single reading.
Pair every score with the open-text 'why' so the number always comes with reasons you can act on.

For what counts as a good result once you have the number, see the CES benchmarks guide. To turn the open-text comments into ranked friction themes automatically, describe your goal in AI Studio or start from the CES survey template.

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

Customer Effort Score (CES): The Complete Guide

Everything about Customer Effort Score: what it is, how to measure and calculate it, benchmarks, the best questions, a full survey example, common mistakes and AI-powered effort analysis.

CES Benchmarks: What Is a Good Customer Effort Score?

How to interpret your Customer Effort Score: what counts as good on common scales, why benchmarks vary by touchpoint and industry, and why your trend matters most.

Customer Effort Score Questions: Wording and 20+ Examples

How to word the CES question correctly, which scale to use, and 20+ ready-to-use effort questions for support, checkout, delivery, returns and self-service.

Customer Effort Score Examples: Surveys for Every Touchpoint

Real CES survey examples for support, checkout, delivery, returns, onboarding and mobile apps — with the exact questions and when to send each one.

CES calculator

Calculate your Customer Effort Score from your responses.

CES survey template

Start from a ready-made CES survey and edit anything.

Create your survey with AI

Describe your goal and generate a tailored CES survey.