Where is the border between offering something for free vs. offering it for payment?

🍬 Sweeteners are free. 💊 Painkillers are not.

I faced this question with my iOS app, which is free but has a subscription for Pro features. Ultimately, I erred on the side of making the free version as rich as possible. I'd rather have more users who stick around longer, because they may eventually convert. As I add new features, they will mostly be Pro/paid features, so hopefully the Pro version only gets more attractive over time.

I'm battling this dilemma right now. My wish was to have a freemium modal on launch; unfortunately, I made an unnecessary and costly decision earlier this year :/ I have learnt my lesson, sink or swim, will press the button next week. My current strategy is to offer a 50% product hunt promotion from launch day for a few weeks and steer towards my long-term plan to a freemium modal.

I think it really comes down to the value you're providing and the context. Offering free content helps build trust and establish your expertise, but as you grow your audience, it’s natural to start offering paid options whether that's premium content, courses, or services.

It's all about establishing credibility first, whether the product/service is offered by individual or organization. Coming to the border, I feel what's widely available and someone can find with little research should be given free. It's the experience that one can't get or find (without actually putting in the efforts & time). So, charge for that. In terms of product, charge for the USPs. If someone is using a competitor or alternative, you have to create an impression that yours is better, so let them use it (and find it out themselves how it's better in terms of experience and results), and then show them what more they can do (USPs). That's where you should charge. Thoughts?

The border between offering something for free vs. charging for it usually comes down to value and sustainability. When it’s free, you’re providing something that offers enough value to attract users and build trust. It could be a tool, a resource, or a service that helps users solve a problem without expecting anything in return initially. However, once the offering grows in value, scope, or requires more resources to maintain – like advanced features, premium support, or more personalized experiences – that’s when it makes sense to start charging. It's all about ensuring that the value users get justifies the cost, while still providing enough free features to keep people engaged.