Freemium Trap: Are You the Victim or the Product?
When do free becomes a honey trap?
We live in a world of digital promises. We download apps, explore websites, and it tells you “Get started, it’s free.”
Sounds harmless, doesn’t it?
Except, as you use it, small nudges pop up —
“Unlock this feature,”
“Upgrade for the premium experience.”
You shrug it off, not interested.
But, a week later that you find yourself unzipping your wallet.
Voilà!
The Early Days of Freemium
Free + Premium = Freemium
The Freemium model traces its roots back to the 1980s, primarily through shareware software.
Early adopters would allow users to try basic versions of their products before paying to unlock full features.
Hotmail — launched in 1996 was one of the first companies to offer users with free email.
The strategy truly gained momentum in the mid-2000s when businesses recognized the potential to scale rapidly by attracting large user bases through free access, then converting a percentage into paying customers.
