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What Is the Freemium SAAS Business Model? An Ultimate Guide

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freemium business model

Wondering if the freemium business model is right for your SAAS company? 

Look no further! We explain it all in this article.

My name is Connor Gillivan. I’ve been an Entreprenuer for 10+ years, have started 8+ companies, and had an exit in 2019.

In this article, we’ll break down the freemium business model so you can decide if it’s the right fit for your SAAS business or not.

Here’s what we’ll cover: 

  • What Is the Freemium Business Model for SAAS Companies?
  • Pros of Freemium.
  • Cons of Freemium.
  • What Is An Example of a Freemium Company?
  • Freemium vs Free Trials
  • Key Metrics to Track for the Freemium Model
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • What’s the Best Software for Running the Freemium Model?

What Is the Freemium Business Model for SAAS Companies?

If you’re thinking about starting a SAAS business or changing your pricing strategy, the freemium business model could be a great option.

Freemium saas is a pricing strategy that offers a basic version of your product for free, while charging for premium features or more usage.

Here are some key points to keep in mind about the freemium business model for SAAS companies:

  • Freemium is all about giving your potential customers a chance to try your product before committing to a paid subscription. By offering a free version of your software, you’re lowering the barrier to entry and increasing the chances of converting leads into paying customers.
  • Freemium pricing is not the same as a free trial. A free trial is a short-term, limited-time offer that lets potential customers try out your full product. Freemium, on the other hand, offers a permanently free version of your product with limited features.
  • Freemium can be a great way to generate interest and buzz around your product. By getting people to try your product for free, you can build a loyal user base and get feedback on what works and what doesn’t.
  • Freemium pricing can also help you stand out in a crowded marketplace. Many SAAS companies charge upfront for their products, so offering a free version can make your product more attractive to potential customers.

Overall, the freemium business model can be a powerful way to attract and retain customers for your SAAS business. But it’s important to keep in mind that there are risks and challenges involved.

Pros of Freemium:

Here are some of the benefits of the freemium business model for SAAS companies:

  1. Attract more users: By offering a free version of your product, you can attract more users who may not be willing to pay for a subscription upfront. This can increase your user base and potentially lead to more conversions in the long run.
  2. Lowers barriers to entry: The freemium model can make it easier for users to try out your product, as they don’t need to commit to a paid subscription right away. This can help build trust and familiarity with your brand.
  3. Opportunity to upsell: Freemium pricing can create opportunities for upselling users to paid plans. Once users are familiar with your product and see the value in it, they may be more likely to upgrade to a paid plan for additional features.
  4. Increases brand awareness: By offering a free version of your product, you can increase brand awareness and generate buzz around your product. Users may share their positive experiences with friends and colleagues, leading to more exposure for your brand.
  5. Provides valuable user feedback: Freemium can be a great way to get feedback from users who are trying out your product. You can use this feedback to improve your product and make it more appealing to potential customers.
  6. Competitive advantage: In a crowded marketplace, offering a free version of your product can help you stand out from the competition and differentiate your brand.

Cons of Freemium:

cons of freemium

Here are some of the potential drawbacks of the freemium business model for SAAS companies:

  1. Costly: Offering a free version of your product can be costly, as it requires resources to maintain and support both the free and paid versions of your product.
  2. Lower conversion rates: While the freemium model can attract more users, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they will convert to paying customers. Some users may be content with the free version and never upgrade to a paid plan.
  3. Difficulty in finding the right balance: It can be challenging to find the right balance between free and paid features. You don’t want to offer too much in the free version, but at the same time, you don’t want to make the paid version seem unnecessary.
  4. Potential for abuse: Offering a free version of your product can attract users who are not serious about using it or who may abuse it. This can create additional costs and support burden for your team.
  5. Brand dilution: If the free version of your product is too limited, it may not showcase the full potential of your product and could dilute your brand image.
  6. Competitor copycats: If your freemium model is successful, competitors may try to replicate it, making it more difficult for you to stand out in the market.

What Is An Example of a Freemium Company?

Here are some examples of well-known SAAS companies that use the freemium business model:

  1. Dropbox: Dropbox offers a free version of its cloud storage service, which includes basic features such as file syncing and sharing. Users can upgrade to a paid plan for additional storage and advanced features.
  2. Hubspot: Hubspot offers a free version of its marketing automation software, which includes basic marketing and sales tools. Users can upgrade to a paid plan for more advanced features and support.
  3. Canva: Canva offers a free version of its graphic design tool, which includes basic design features and templates. Users can upgrade to a paid plan for access to more advanced features and additional design assets.
  4. Slack: Slack offers a free version of its team communication software, which includes basic messaging and collaboration tools. Users can upgrade to a paid plan for more advanced features and support.
  5. Mailchimp: Mailchimp offers a free version of its email marketing software, which includes basic email campaign features and automation. Users can upgrade to a paid plan for access to more advanced features and support.

In addition, here’s a look at a made up company using the Freemium business model.

TaskMaster offers a freemium business model to its users, where users can sign up for a free account and access basic project management features such as creating and assigning tasks, setting deadlines, and collaborating with team members.

Users can upgrade to a paid plan for additional features such as project templates, advanced reporting, and integrations with other tools such as Slack and Trello.

TaskMaster’s freemium model allows them to attract a large user base, many of whom may not have otherwise tried the product. As users become familiar with the product and see the value in the additional features, they may choose to upgrade to a paid plan.

TaskMaster’s pricing strategy for its paid plans is designed to incentivize users to upgrade by offering significant value at each pricing tier. For example, the basic plan might offer 3 team members and 5 projects, while the next tier might offer 10 team members and 20 projects.

By using the freemium business model, TaskMaster can generate recurring revenue from its paid users while also maintaining a large user base of potential paying customers. This allows the company to continue investing in product development and innovation, while also providing ongoing value to its users.

Freemium vs Free Trials

freemium vs free trials

The freemium business model and free trials are both marketing strategies that allow SAAS companies to offer a version of their product for free to potential customers. However, there are some key differences between the two approaches.

Here are some similarities and differences between the two approaches:

Similarities:

  • Both approaches allow users to try the product before committing to a purchase.
  • Both approaches can attract potential customers who may not have otherwise tried the product.
  • Both approaches can help build brand awareness and loyalty.

Differences:

  • Freemium allows users to access a limited version of the product for free indefinitely, while free trials offer access to the full product for a limited time (e.g., 14 days).
  • Freemium typically offers a more limited set of features than the paid version, while free trials offer the full set of features.
  • Freemium allows users to use the product at their own pace and on their own schedule, while free trials have a set expiration date.
  • Freemium can generate revenue from advertising or optional paid features, while free trials are typically used to generate revenue from paid subscriptions.

Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages, and the best approach will depend on the specific needs and goals of your SAAS business.

In general, the freemium model may be a better fit for SAAS businesses with a lower price point and a larger potential customer base, while free trials may be better suited for SAAS businesses with a higher price point and a more targeted customer base.

Key Metrics to Track for the Freemium Model

Here are some key financial and marketing metrics to track for the freemium model:

  1. Conversion rate: This metric measures the percentage of free users who convert to paid users. A high conversion rate indicates that your product is effectively communicating its value to users, while a low conversion rate may indicate that your product is not meeting user needs or that your pricing strategy needs adjustment.
  2. Customer acquisition cost (CAC): This metric measures the cost of acquiring a new customer. For freemium businesses, it’s important to calculate the CAC separately for free and paid users. This allows you to determine whether the cost of acquiring free users is justified by the eventual revenue generated from paid upgrades.
  3. Average revenue per user (ARPU): This metric measures the average revenue generated per user, including both free and paid users. This metric can help you determine the effectiveness of your pricing strategy and identify opportunities for upselling or cross-selling to existing users.
  4. Churn rate: This metric measures the percentage of users who cancel their subscription or stop using your product altogether. For freemium businesses, it’s important to track churn separately for free and paid users. A high churn rate for free users may indicate that your product is not meeting user needs, while a high churn rate for paid users may indicate that your product is not delivering value.
  5. Lifetime value (LTV): This metric measures the total revenue generated by a customer over the entire lifetime of their relationship with your business. For freemium businesses, it’s important to calculate the LTV separately for free and paid users. This metric can help you determine the value of acquiring and retaining different types of users.
  6. Cost per acquisition (CPA): This metric measures the cost of acquiring a new customer through different marketing channels. By tracking CPA for free and paid users separately, you can determine the most cost-effective channels for acquiring and converting users.
  7. Virality: This metric measures the percentage of users who refer new users to your product. A high virality rate indicates that your product is highly valued by users and has the potential for rapid growth.

Freemium Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

freemium faqs

1. Is Freemium a good business model?

Whether or not the freemium business model is a good fit for your SaaS business depends on your product, market, and goals. Freemium can be a good model for businesses that have a product with a low marginal cost of delivery, a large addressable market, and a clear value proposition that can be communicated to users through a free version of the product.

However, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of the freemium model and consider whether it aligns with your business goals and revenue targets. Ultimately, the success of a freemium business model depends on your ability to effectively communicate value to users, convert free users to paid users, and generate sustainable revenue over the long term.

2. What are the risks of freemium?

While the freemium business model can offer several advantages, there are also some risks to consider. One of the primary risks is that providing a free version of your product can attract users who have no intention of paying for the premium version, which can result in lower conversion rates and revenue.

Additionally, the cost of supporting a large user base can be high, particularly if your product requires a significant amount of customer support or resources to maintain.

Another risk is that the free version of your product may be so feature-rich that users don’t see a compelling reason to upgrade, which can limit revenue potential.

Finally, it’s important to consider the potential impact of negative user reviews or feedback on the reputation of your brand and the success of your business.

3. How does Freemium make money?

Freemium businesses typically make money by offering a free version of their product with limited features or functionality, and charging users for access to additional features or an upgraded version of the product. This is often referred to as a “premium” or “paid” version of the product.

Freemium businesses can generate revenue through a variety of pricing models, such as tiered pricing, where users pay based on the number of features or level of service they require, or usage-based pricing, where users pay based on the amount of data or resources they consume. Some freemium businesses also generate revenue through advertising or sponsorships, although this approach can be challenging for some products and markets.

Ultimately, the key to generating revenue with a freemium business model is to provide enough value with the free version of the product to attract and retain users, while still offering enough compelling features or benefits to drive conversions to the paid version.

4. Is Amazon a freemium model?

Amazon is not a freemium model, as it primarily operates as an e-commerce platform and not a software-as-a-service (SaaS) business. While Amazon does offer some free services, such as free shipping for Amazon Prime members, it does not offer a free version of its core product – e-commerce marketplace – with limited features or functionality, which is a key characteristic of the freemium business model. However, Amazon does offer various pricing models, such as subscription-based services like Amazon Prime, and pay-as-you-go services like Amazon Web Services (AWS), which are common among SaaS businesses.

5. Is Youtube freemium?

Yes, YouTube is a freemium model. YouTube offers a free version of its platform that allows users to view and upload videos, as well as access some basic features like commenting and creating playlists. However, to access additional features such as ad-free viewing, access to original content, and the ability to download videos for offline viewing, users can subscribe to YouTube Premium, which is the paid version of the platform. YouTube generates revenue through a variety of means, including advertising, sponsorships, and revenue-sharing with content creators. By offering a free version of its platform, YouTube has been able to attract a massive user base, which has helped to drive its success as a business.

What’s the Best Software for Running the Freemium Model?

Here is a list of some of the best software for running the freemium model:

  1. Stripe: Stripe is a payment processing platform that can help you manage subscription billing and invoicing for your freemium SaaS business. With Stripe, you can accept payments from customers in multiple currencies and payment methods, automate billing and invoicing, and track revenue and customer metrics.
  2. Hubspot: Hubspot is an all-in-one marketing, sales, and customer service platform that can help you grow and manage your freemium SaaS business. With Hubspot, you can create marketing campaigns, track leads and customer interactions, and manage customer support.
  3. Mixpanel: Mixpanel is an analytics platform that can help you track user behavior and engagement for your freemium SaaS business. With Mixpanel, you can track user actions, segment users based on behavior, and create targeted campaigns to drive engagement and conversion.
  4. Intercom: Intercom is a customer messaging platform that can help you engage and communicate with users of your freemium SaaS product. With Intercom, you can send targeted messages to users, track user behavior and engagement, and provide customer support.
  5. Amplitude: Amplitude is a product analytics platform that can help you understand user behavior and product usage for your freemium SaaS business. With Amplitude, you can track user actions, create product funnels, and identify opportunities to optimize user experience and drive conversion.

What Is AccountsBalance?

accountsbalance

AccountsBalance is a monthly bookkeeping service specialized for agencies & SAAS companies.

We take monthly bookkeeping off your plate and deliver you your financial statements by the 15th or 20th of each month.

You’ll have your Profit and Loss Statement, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement ready for analysis each month so you and your business partners can make better business decisions.

Interested in learning more? Schedule a call with our CEO, Nathan Hirsch.

And here’s some free resources:

In Summary

The freemium business model is a great option for SAAS companies, for all of the reasons that we mentioned in this article.

However, it of course comes with its cons as well.

So, don’t dive in without imagining how those will impact things for your SAAS business.

If you still have questions about the freemium model, reach out to us at [email protected] and we’ll be glad to help!

Cheers!

Want help with your bookkeeping? We make it easy. Get startedSpeak w/ a Founder, or Schedule a Callback

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Connor Gillivan

Connor Gillivan

CMO and Founder of AccountsBalance and EcomBalance. Founded FreeUp (acquired in 2019). Founder of Outsource School. Published Author. Investor.

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