[jaysonelliot]

For us, the preferable solution is to let us pay for it and install it ourselves.

For every Slack or Google that reaches mainstream adoption, there are a hundred smaller, often amazing companies, who don't.

Rather than rolling the dice on an all-or-nothing SAAS strategy that requires a big hit to get people to feel comfortable committing a whole organization, you can sell something people can buy, install, and own.

It doesn't mean you can't offer the freemium hosted option. What it does do is give you a chance to see organic growth in the early days. With subscription-based support services, you can even book more revenue — just the kind of thing a startup needs when they're looking for traction in the bootstrapped / angel funded days.