This year’s report includes valuable new insights on how NPS performance drives total shareholder returns and
primary share growth, as well as a spotlight on the role of AI in CX leadership.
As a customer experience (CX), marketing, or business unit leader, you can use the NPS Prism Benchmarks Report to
measure customer sentiment and loyalty in your industry, build better customer relationships, and drive business growth.
Over 1,000 companies are surveyed and 15 industries are represented, including Checking & Savings Accounts, Credit Cards, Wealth Management, Payments, Life Insurance, Property & Casualty Insurance, Annuities, Airlines, Auto, Utilities, Internet, Mobile, Video, Groceries, and Home Improvement.
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Download ReportUnited States NPS average by industry (rolling four quarters, Q1 2025 - Q4 2025)
This report summarizes each industry's key customer sentiment metrics over Q1-Q4 of 2025, including relationship NPS (rNPS), which captures the overall customer sentiment about a particular brand, and/or product NPS (pNPS), which measures customer satisfaction at the product level. The lines in our Industry Leaderboard represent the range of average NPS scores for Q1 2024 – Q4 2025, and multiple company logos in the same column indicate a tie. NPS Prism collects new survey data every 90 days, reflecting shifts in customer expectations within the industry.
NPS leaders not only outperform when it comes to earning customer loyalty: they also excel in creating shareholder value. Recent data from NPS Prism and S&P Capital IQ demonstrates that across several major industries, leaders delivered significantly greater than average shareholder returns over the past ten years. This effect was most noticeable for U.S. grocery stores, where Costco delivered 5X the industry average for total shareholder returns.
Costco has been offering great value for customers with top notch product quality and assortment with excellent private label offerings while delivering great in-store experience. The evidence makes it clear that companies that lead in NPS are also leading in financial performance, reinforcing the link between a strong customer experience and long-term shareholder value.
In banking, NPS is closely tied to primary checking account growth. With the industry average NPS at 33 across institution types, the impact of performance is clear: banks that exceed this benchmark—most often digital banks—exceed the industry’s average growth, while those below it frequently see declines.
Digital banks have increasingly captured share since 2022, though their growth has moderated in the past two years as national banks begin to close the digital experience gap. After a period of relatively flat performance, national banks saw a notable NPS increase in 2025 that coincided with a spike in new account openings. Regional banks, by contrast, have struggled to generate year-over-year growth since the COVID-19 pandemic, as traditional branch-led experiences have lagged rising expectations for fast, digital-first interactions.
Ultimately, NPS is more than just a score—it reflects real economic value. Satisfied customers spend more, recommend their bank to friends, and cost less to serve. This dynamic reinforces itself over time: as banks scale, they gain greater investment capacity and richer data on customers—creating a cycle of experience improvement, sustained NPS leadership, and continued market share gains that translate into higher shareholder returns.
While corporate investment in AI has historically focused on internal productivity, the frontier is shifting toward customer interfaces.
The data reveals a significant readiness gap: while over 60% of consumers (and nearly 70% of brand promoters) are willing to use AI chatbots, fewer than 5% have actually done so in the last six months. This represents a massive, untapped opportunity for brands to capture the first-mover advantage. However, successful execution is critical.
Trust vs. Human Touch
Early performance metrics are promising but nuanced. AI-powered bots currently earn an average NPS of 71—roughly 15 points higher than traditional scripted bots. However, they haven't yet cleared the "human" bar. More than half of users ultimately request a human representative, and those combined AI-human interactions typically deliver an NPS 20+ points higher than AI alone.
The Cost of Poor Execution
The stakes for getting this right are particularly high in sectors like U.S. Banking. When AI is executed well, it anchors customer loyalty. When it misses the mark, the fallout is swift: 11% of customers report they are more likely to switch brands—a churn risk double that of the broader population. Ultimately, AI is a precision tool. In the rush to automate, the winners won’t be determined just by the fastest deployment, but who can successfully bridge the gap between algorithmic efficiency and human-level trust.
While many 2024 NPS leaders retained their standing this year, in most industries, overall brand advocacy rose for companies across the board, and some had new players enter the top ranks like Idaho Power in the utilities industry and Starlink in telco. Leaders increasingly differentiated themselves by excelling in the most critical customer journeys and brand attributes. They also aligned experiences to meet evolving customer expectations and digital acceleration, while many laggards fell short in responding to new economic and technological pressures.
Acceptance of AI chatbots also continues to grow in many industries, including airlines and banking where ~60% of customers indicate they are willing to use them. Lower willingness exists among retail and telco customers. Major industry players are driving strong NPS performance for chatbots by investing in the right places to use them. Successful brands that are just beginning to use AI are starting small, using it for simple transactions and inquiries.
Leaders...
Prioritized performance in highly emotional, high-stakes customer interactions. Across several industries, the most defining moments for brands were marked by customers entering the journey already frustrated and with urgent needs. Leaders excelled in responding to incidents like insurance claims, financial fraud, flight delays, and utility outages, combining operational excellence with proactive, transparent communication and empathy.
Offered customers quality products and value as well as intangible benefits like trust and transparency. NPS leaders paired strong CX and clear product superiority, with internet leaders delivering speed and reliability, mobile leaders offering simple and low-cost plans, and grocery leaders providing strong assortment and pricing. Across sectors, customers also rewarded brands perceived as honest and respectful (e.g., proactive communication of price increases for insurance or empathy from staff in flight disruptions), pointing to the importance of both product and brand performance.
Proactively built customer relationships by offering guidance and advice, especially for complex products. For more complex product offerings like wealth management, life insurance, annuities, and banking, customers increasingly sought personalized advice from institutions. Firms that actively engaged clients in goal setting, clearly set expectations, and ensured consistent access to—and proactive outreach from—a dedicated primary point of contact outperformed their competitors. Leaders in the home improvement industry also differentiated themselves through their expertise, offering strong advice and guidance to customers on their projects, especially while they’re in the store.
Laggards...
Failed to meet customers where they wanted to be met. In 2025, customers increasingly turned to digital channels for less frequent, higher-stakes journeys such as account opening, onboarding, switching providers, and disruption resolution. This shift signals growing trust in digital platforms and rising expectations for seamless digital experiences across the full customer lifecycle. However, when it comes to highly emotional, complex touchpoints, empathetic and knowledgeable human assistance is still important to customers. Leaders are expanding digital capabilities into more customer journeys while ensuring strong human support can be easily reached when needed.
Ignored the impact of diverging customer sentiment caused by macroeconomic pressures. In multiple industries, economic conditions contributed to changes in customer loyalty. In banking, affluent customers with more financial flexibility demonstrated improving NPS, while lower-income segments experienced declines amid higher interest rates and cost pressures. Value perception, affordability, and transparent communication around pricing emerged as critical loyalty drivers across the board. Laggards failed to differentiate themselves in pricing for renewals, premiums, or grocery promotions.
Industry average Relationship NPS across Consumer Banking and the credit card industry remained broadly consistent with 2024. Navy Federal Credit Union continued to lead all banks with a score of 64, driven in part by proactive, financially focused guidance provided to credit card customers—reinforcing the loyalty impact of advice-led engagement.
At the same time, meaningful demographic divergence emerged. NPS improved among affluent households (household income >$100K), likely reflecting greater financial resilience and flexibility. In contrast, NPS
declined among lower-income households (HHI <$100K), who remain more exposed to sustained interest rate pressure and broader economic uncertainty. This widening gap underscores how macroeconomic conditions continue to shape customer sentiment and the need for CX strategies tailored to differing financial realities.
Compared to 2024, customers also reported greater friction in routine checking and savings interactions. Perceptions of being able to complete common tasks on the first attempt decreased, signaling rising expectations for seamless, low-effort digital experiences. As fraud incidences increase, tolerance for delays, complexity, or perceived lack of support during high-stakes moments has declined. These emotionally charged touchpoints — particularly fraud disputes and account issues — continue to exert an outsized influence on loyalty and retention.
In 2025, average NPS across the U.S. wealth management industry increased compared to 2024. While the industry spread between top and bottom performers remained relatively stable, several middle-of-the-pack companies had notable gains—suggesting competitive momentum is building beyond the traditional leaders.
Edward Jones and Raymond James continue to lead the industry in NPS performance. Their advantage is anchored in high levels of client engagement and strong execution in advice-led interactions. Both firms ranked highest in the percentage of clients who strongly agree that their advisor “was involved in creating their financial goals” and “provided relevant advice to help achieve them.”
These findings reinforce the outsized impact of moments where advisors guide clients through significant life transitions and meet client expectations for information delivery.
Compared to 2024, the industry also saw rising interest in digital channels for onboarding. Several companies experienced increased digital adoption for new account opening, reflecting growing client comfort with hybrid and fully digital experiences. This shift is particularly pronounced among younger, digitally native clients who are expanding into wealth management products—signaling a longer-term channel evolution for the industry.
In 2025, life insurance policyholders sought advice and guidance at higher rates than in the prior year, contributing to positive momentum in Relationship NPS across many companies. While average engagement increased industrywide, not all touchpoints drive equal value. Providers that excelled at (1) advising on appropriate coverage levels, (2)
recommending relevant value-add features, and (3) guiding customers on health-improvement opportunities were significantly more likely to convert policyholders into promoters.
In a category where digital adoption lags and many interactions cannot be fully digitized, human engagement remained a primary driver of loyalty in 2025. Leading providers distinguished themselves by setting clear expectations around process steps and timelines, proactively communicating updates, and equipping agents to deliver clear, actionable recommendations.
At the same time, more routine touchpoints—such as account management and performance monitoring—continued shifting toward digital. Companies that delivered intuitive, easy-to-navigate platforms enabled customers to complete key tasks on the first attempt and were materially more likely to generate promoters.
Annuities, given their inherent complexity, further underscored the importance of clarity and relationship continuity. Providers that consistently helped clients understand product structure, performance drivers, and trade-offs stood out in the market. This was especially critical for customers with complex products such as variable and indexed annuities, as well as longer-tenured clients further removed from the original purchase decision. Providers with a higher share of clients who feel they have a dedicated primary point of contact for annuity-related discussions continue to rank at the top of the industry in NPS.
In 2025, average Relationship NPS across the U.S. P&C insurance industry declined to 38, down from 41 in 2024. USAA continued to lead the industry, outperforming peers across most major touchpoints, including claims. However, broader softening in claims-related NPS was evident across the market and NPS leader USAA was no exception.
The claims experience remains the most critical—and polarizing—moment in the policyholder journey. Performance during this high-stakes interaction can either drive retention or accelerate likelihood to churn. Providers that delivered a strong claims experience ensured a seamless end-to-end journey from submission through payment and were consistently recognized for timely updates and clear communication of outcomes, regardless of channel.
Claims performance also has a direct impact on renewal. There is a strong correlation between positive claims experiences and a policyholder’s willingness to accept premium increases. While renewal is often considered a “routine” touchpoint, NPS performance varies widely across companies. Leaders differentiate by delivering stronger perceived value for money and communicating price changes transparently and proactively.
In 2025, several U.S. airlines saw relationship NPS increase compared to 2024, reflecting investments in service recovery, customer service, in-flight technology, and digital channels. Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and Delta Air Lines led the industry largely due to exceptional performance across these dimensions.
During high-stakes flight disruption events, including delays and cancellations, leading airlines prioritized timely, accurate notifications and proactive measures to satisfy passengers. These interventions do not need to be financial—timely updates and empathy from staff are often as effective as monetary compensation. Leading airlines also combine robust digital infrastructure, enabling passengers to resolve disruptions quickly, with access to human engagement to handle complex itinerary changes and neutralize negative experiences.
For day-of-travel experiences, customer service and aircraft cleanliness were the largest drivers of NPS. However, top-performing airlines differentiate by excelling across the full journey—from check-in and boarding to connections and baggage collection. Many have also invested in the in-flight experience, offering high-quality, complimentary Wi-Fi and entertainment, as well as enhanced cabins and food & beverage options to attract and retain premium customers.
In the U.S. Auto market, relationship NPS declined throughout the industry, affecting both mass and luxury brands across sedans, SUVs, and trucks. Lexus retained its lead despite a dip versus 2024, while its sister brand Toyota also declined but remained the top performer in the mass segment. Both OEMs held best-in-segment perceptions for brand “honesty and reliability” and were widely regarded by owners as offering the strongest “quality-to-price” balance.
Lexus and Toyota also notably stood out as segment leaders within the detractor-creating “completed service” episode, which had the highest incidence across all customers and typically results in reduced brand advocacy. Their strong relationship NPS translated into repeat purchasing: approximately 75% of existing customers reported considering their next vehicle purchase from the same brand.
Continued excellence in high-stakes touchpoints, combined with strong repeat purchase intent, underscores the value of their enduring brand perception in the market.
After industry-wide Relationship NPS increases in 2024 as inflation rates fell back below 4%, the U.S Utilities industry saw stable relationship NPS scores in 2025 for most providers. Idaho Power was an exception, with a 10+ point increase over the past year, putting it at the top of the industry in Relationship NPS for the first time.
Idaho Power stands out as a leader by performing strongly in two critical dimensions: proactive, transparent communication around outages, and strong experiences related to service affordability. By delivering reliability while responding effectively to emotional and financial stress points, it demonstrates what modern utility customer experience leadership looks like. Idaho Power led the U.S. Utilities industry in Relationship NPS in 2025 by supporting customers through critical experiences involving service outages and bill payment issues.
With utilities service providers, positive customer experience is largely defined by performance during high-emotion, high-stakes moments. Service outages, extreme weather events, and restoration communication are emotionally charged episodes where trust is either strengthened or lastingly damaged.
Equally critical are experiences centered around affordability of services, which has become increasingly important to customers throughout the U.S. When customers struggle to pay bills, request payment plans, or seek financial assistance, empathy, flexibility, and clarity matter as much as operational accuracy. Utilities providers who excel in these moments can build advocacy in regulated or low-choice markets.
H-E-B maintained their lead in grocery for 2025, though many others–across leaders and laggards alike–saw meaningful growth this year fueled by improving perceptions of assortment like “largest selection” and “best brands.” 2025 data reinforces that strong in-store experiences and product assortments continue to be key determinants of grocery customer loyalty, as demonstrated by H-E-B and their success in these areas.
H-E-B’s in-store browsing experiences lead the industry: they have the top rating for “largest selection” and “always has what I need.” Their staff performance also excels, with employees being perceived as far friendlier than the industry average. Their checkout boasts more efficient cashiers and better staff readiness for self-checkout assistance.
For online orders, both store pick-up and home delivery set the bar with the highest ratings of items being well-packed and fresh products being high-quality.
Amid continuously rising costs and monthly spend increases, value leaders raised the bar in 2025 for setting perceptions of everyday low prices and good sales promotions. In-store coupon usage was also up, underscoring the opportunity to win with shoppers through promotional strategies, and the impact of economic conditions on customer experience.
Self-checkout continues to be a pivotal touchpoint in-store. Following increasing adoption in prior years, preference for self-checkout has plateaued at just over a third of shoppers. While experience satisfaction has historically trailed cashier checkout, 2025 marks the first year where self-checkout utilizers were just as happy as those who checked out with cashiers.
Across the Home Improvement industry, Relationship NPS improved from 2024 to 2025 as customer perceptions of key purchasing criteria, including value for money, stock and item availability, and sales / promotions, also improved. Multiple factors outside the core retail experience have driven industry momentum, with CX remaining a differentiator for leaders.
Menards improved throughout 2025, placing second overall behind paint specialist Sherwin-Williams. While Menards’ KPC performance was relatively stable, the retailer made significant improvements across several post-purchase episodes related to order management (tracking, modifying, cancelling) and fulfillment (receiving an order, picking up an order).
These episodes are typically promoter-creating or moments of truth at the industry level, so NPS gains can help convert passive customers into high-value promoters.
Across the industry, promoters deliver significantly better outcomes for retailers than passives and detractors, with >50% higher annual spend and share of wallet, and 3X more positive referrals to a retailer annually.
In 2025, industry average Relationship NPS trended up across internet providers compared to 2024. Starlink emerged as the leader due to leadership across both product and customer experience dimensions.
From a product standpoint, Starlink led the industry in satisfaction with network speed and reliability, value for money, and technological innovation. These are also the top three reasons US internet customers have cited for leaving their former provider, and consequently, we have seen Starlink enter the consideration set for many customers who are highly likely to switch providers in the next 12 months. The company is also poised to capture share from traditional internet providers in the years ahead.
Starlink’s leadership can be attributed to more than just the product itself; the brand is also perceived to treat customers fairly and respectfully, to secure and protect private information, and to be easy to do business with. They also led the industry on key journeys across the internet experience including join / onboard, use services, billing & payments, and get assistance episodes.
In 2025, industry average Relationship NPS trended up across many mobile providers compared to 2024, with MVNOs Mint Mobile, Visible, and Consumer Cellular continuing to lead the industry. The top reasons mobile customers left their providers in 2025 were cost, data speeds, and customer service. All three leading mobile providers exceled on each of these dimensions, offering simple, low-cost plans with reliable networks and coverage. As other telco companies are increasingly launching new mobile offerings, existing providers can remain competitive by prioritizing these elements.
While all three MVNOs led in CX, they delivered distinct experiences. Mint Mobile and Visible emphasized digital-first engagement, leveraging intuitive apps and websites for onboarding, payments, and tech support.
For example, Mint Mobile led the “switch carriers” episode, with 60% of customers initiating the process digitally — compared to only 10–15% for legacy carriers. Consumer Cellular, by contrast, relied heavily on human channels, particularly its call center, which proved effective for complex journeys such as tech support, where it led the industry in episode-level NPS.
NPS Prism can help you unlock the “why” behind episodes within your customer journey to focus on improving the areas that will drive the most satisfaction. With a breadth and depth of benchmarking data, companies can track
satisfaction across products, episodes, and channels to improve their scores over time. NPS Prism enables frequent check-ins on CX improvement initiatives to distill the noise and establish a clear baseline for competition.
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