Free vs Paid: The Ultimate Guide

Notion offers one of the most generous free tiers in the productivity space, but for power users and teams, the Plus and Business plans offer critical features.

Canva Pro unlocks a massive library of assets and time-saving AI tools that make it a no-brainer for small business owners and content creators.

Slack's free version is famous for its "90-day message limit," which is often the primary driver for teams to upgrade to a paid plan.

Zoom's 40-minute limit on free group meetings is the most well-known restriction in the software world.

Spotify Premium is almost universally considered the best value subscription for anyone who listens to music daily.

ChatGPT Plus gives you access to the most advanced models and features that aren't always available to free users during peak times.

YouTube Premium is the only way to officially remove ads and enable background play on mobile devices.

Dropbox's free tier is notoriously small, making it more of a trial than a long-term storage solution.

Grammarly Premium goes beyond basic spelling to help with tone, clarity, and plagiarism detection.

Super Duolingo removes the "Hearts" system, which is the biggest hurdle for learners who want to study for long periods.