What counts as a free plan here. A tier that stays free with no end date and does something useful on its own. Plans capped so tightly that you have to upgrade in the first week are not listed. We do not accept payment to feature a tool.
Free forever, not free for a fortnight
Tools with a real free plan
Tidio Review 2026: Features, Lyro AI Agent, Pricing, Pros and Cons
AI Customer Service & Live Chat
A free plan with 10 seats, ticketing and 50 conversations a month, with no card needed.
monday.com Review 2026: Features, CRM, Pricing, Pros and Cons
Work Management & CRM
A free plan for two people and a 14-day Pro trial with no card.
Mailchimp Review 2026: Features, Pricing, Pros, Cons and Honest Verdict
Email Marketing
Free plan for up to 250 contacts and a low entry price on Essentials.
Before you rely on one
Five limits to check on any free plan
Usage caps
Contacts, records, users or monthly sends. Work out when your normal usage would hit the cap, not just whether it fits today.
Paid-only features
Automation, integrations and reporting are the usual paywalled features. Check the one you need is actually included.
Vendor branding
Many free plans add the vendor’s logo to the emails, forms or pages your customers see.
Support
Free tiers often get forums only. Decide whether you can manage without a reply from a person.
The first paid step
Look at what the cheapest paid plan costs, because that is where you land the day you outgrow the free one.
More ways to pay less
Other kinds of deals
Discounts
Genuine price cuts on the tools we review, each with the condition that comes attached.
Free trials
Every trial we track, side by side, and what to check before the clock starts.
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