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Maybe it’s my quarter-life crisis talking, but life’s expensive.
From health insurance and taxes to rent and the oh-so-essential iPhone data plan, the bills rack up quickly. But luckily, deep in this sea of inflation, there is a tiny pearl of monetary salvation that we in the tech world call freemiums.
Freemium is a pricing model in which a product or service (usually something digital like SaaS, games, etc.) is made available free of charge, but advanced features and add-ons must be purchased at a premium.
In today’s costly market, this model offers consumers unmatched value that, traditionally, has never been available without a price tag. Even at the premium level, freemiums provide flexible pricing that puts control back in the hands of the buyer.
Consumers are delighted getting something for free and not being forced to pay for features they don't actually want or use, while businesses win over passionate advocates for their brand and product. Everybody wins!
Now, we’re no strangers to freemiums here in the IMPACT office.
Whether it's Slack, Wistia, Invision, or Dropbox, these tools are a huge part of our processes and everyday routines -- but which ones truly hold a special place in our hearts?
As the iconic Julie Andrews once sang (sort of), these are a few of our favorite "freems":
Evernote
“Evernote is definitely my favorite freemium. It takes note taking to a whole different level with its extensive list of features and makes it so easy share my notes and ideas with colleagues. Their freemium model gives me all the tools I would ever need to organize myself. It’s great!” - Joe Rinaldi, Creative Lead
Google Apps
“I would have to say Google Apps take the cake for me. Free for people & and affordable for business, nothing has helped me organize my life more at a lower price point.” - Kyle Bento, Growth Strategist
Spotify/Pandora
“There’s no way I could survive without my music during the work day. I’ve gone back and forth between free/paid versions for both apps, and love them equally.” - Vin Gaeta, Tech Supervisor
“Spotify got me with their 99 cent 3 month trial. I used the free version and had no problems with it, but once I got access to all the premium features I couldn’t go back. The wide range of artists and the way they let you listen to music by playlist, artist, radio, etc. are really what makes sets them apart as the best freemium." - Karisa Egan, Account Executive
“Spotify is hands down my favorite freemium. It’s library is so diverse and from a marketing perspective, it’s set the bar for many SaaS companies, in my opinion. The company’s Discover Weekly and Year in Music playlists are some of the best examples of personalized, interactive content available today -- and visually the latter is stunning. All brands should strive to offer the experience and “delight” that this kind of content delivers.”
Canva
“I’m also a huge fan of Canva. Though I don’t use it very often, I love the power that it puts in the hands of marketers who are not familiar with design or simply don’t have the budget for expensive software. With its wide array of templates and drag-and-drop functionality it’s a really easy-to-use and fun tool for ‘non-designers.’
Much like Spotify, I also can’t get enough of the company’s content marketing. From its emails to its blog content, everything it creates is beautifully design, interesting, and informative. Love it! ” - Ramona Sukhraj, Content Marketing Manager
MailChimp
“I know everyone else is going to say Spotify, so I’m going to say Mailchimp. I’ve used MailChimp more than a few times and being able to use (almost) the entire platform on a free account is so powerful for a small business that wants to get started with email marketing but doesn’t have the budget just yet.
The tool is amazing for crafting, building, and managing multiple campaigns, lists, and subscriptions - and even has a few really fun easter eggs that you’ll see if you use it often enough. If you’re looking to bootstrap your online marketing, give it a try!” - Derrick Weiss, Account Executive
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