I will add an additional element to this. We have found a lot of success in giving a second Free 14-day Trial to selected segment (ones who didn't get to try premium features) of users after initial 30 days with sentry.io.
We, at sentry.io, have gone full circle in testing out many different Free Trial+Freemium strategies. For context, we have always kept both. In the past it started with a Freemium signup and then you can opt into a 14-day Free Trial at any time. We found that start a Free-Trial at Signup is much more effective. Now the added element is a second Free-Trial.
Great read! I would love to hear what you think about the reverse trial versus a looser freemium that offers more advanced features with limited usage (more usage gating rather than feature gating). I feel that the urgency that causes higher free-to-paid conversions of free trials may also convert users who are not receiving enough value and will eventually churn. It may also create false positives about what's working and what's not.
"To share an Airtable example, extensions are a much-loved premium feature among our user base. We give everyone the chance to try extensions for free (limit of 1 in our free plan), and unlock more extensions as users progress through our paid offerings."
This is a good example of how to apply the theory 👍🏼
Another excellent post. Kyle is on a roll. One thing I would add to this is the value of the data created by users. If (i) users generate data that is of value to other users (network effects) then you want as many users as possible and freemium is a required part of your strategy and (ii) the freemium users can help you identify UI issues and uncover where value paths are not being completed. A value path is a series of actions by the user that result in something of value. The freemium and free trial versions should both include at least one complete value path.
I will add an additional element to this. We have found a lot of success in giving a second Free 14-day Trial to selected segment (ones who didn't get to try premium features) of users after initial 30 days with sentry.io.
We, at sentry.io, have gone full circle in testing out many different Free Trial+Freemium strategies. For context, we have always kept both. In the past it started with a Freemium signup and then you can opt into a 14-day Free Trial at any time. We found that start a Free-Trial at Signup is much more effective. Now the added element is a second Free-Trial.
Also, wrote about this at https://www.plgnotes.com/posts/freemium-strategy-plg
Excellent summary of PLG conversion methods! Thanks for sharing
Great read! I would love to hear what you think about the reverse trial versus a looser freemium that offers more advanced features with limited usage (more usage gating rather than feature gating). I feel that the urgency that causes higher free-to-paid conversions of free trials may also convert users who are not receiving enough value and will eventually churn. It may also create false positives about what's working and what's not.
"To share an Airtable example, extensions are a much-loved premium feature among our user base. We give everyone the chance to try extensions for free (limit of 1 in our free plan), and unlock more extensions as users progress through our paid offerings."
This is a good example of how to apply the theory 👍🏼
Great article Kyle and team
Another excellent post. Kyle is on a roll. One thing I would add to this is the value of the data created by users. If (i) users generate data that is of value to other users (network effects) then you want as many users as possible and freemium is a required part of your strategy and (ii) the freemium users can help you identify UI issues and uncover where value paths are not being completed. A value path is a series of actions by the user that result in something of value. The freemium and free trial versions should both include at least one complete value path.