[sethammons]

    As a startup we currently offer one simple subscription program completely for FREE! 
    Meanwhile, we are working hard on our paid plans with plenty of new features, everyone who signs up for our current free plan will be automatically migrated to our highest paid plan for free forever!
    **In case of excessive or unreasonable use of service, additional limits may be applied

As a developer, I appreciate being able to lightly use a service for free. I also appreciate that people have to be paid. It's ok to charge for something that gives value to other people. I think that promising early users to be free forever is short sighted. Maybe they have to offer it for free because it is relatively easy to just spin up your own SMTP sink locally.

[pm24601]

* I would not use a free service - I want to know that my company is a customer. I want recourse/support if there a problem. That said - be sure to get insurance, for when there is a fck up.

* I want to pay to make sure that companies we use stay in business.

* If my business is using your services to make money - you should be able to ask for money easily.

* The "free forever" send the message that you are shy about asking for money.

* Start testing pricing now. (with the price "reduced" to "free" - ie use strikethrough)

* Remember a startup is only a business if it is charging for its services. Otherwise, it is just an expensive hobby.

[always_good]

Also, I think of all the services I've used that (usually quietly) limit their "free forever" service into a tier and scrub it from their marketing once they get rolling and don't need to over-promise in their marketing anymore.

I'm sure it converts better, but it feels more honest to remove the "forever" part.

[stephenr]

Claiming to be free forever AND being a service that explicitly expects you to send a bunch of real email addresses to, is almost on the level of a Nigerian prince for sketchy behaviour.

I cannot believe anyone would use this service