Definition: What is the freemium model?
Freemium is a combination of “Free” and “Premium”—a revenue model in which the basic version of a product is offered free of charge, while advanced features, higher capacities, or additional services are subject to a fee.
The basic principle: Build a large user base through free entry, then convert a portion of these users into paying customers. Typical conversion rates are 2-5%—so the model only works with a sufficiently large base.
Strictly speaking, freemium is not an independent business model, but rather an acquisition strategy that is frequently combined with a subscription revenue model. The free version serves as a marketing tool—it reduces the barrier to entry and allows users to experience the value of the product before they pay.
Freemium variants
- Feature-Limited: Basic features free, premium features paid. Example: Slack (free with limited search history), Zoom (free with 40-minute limit)
- Capacity-Limited: Limited volume free, more capacity for a fee. Example: Dropbox (2 GB free, more with subscription), Mailchimp (up to 500 contacts free)
- Time-Limited (Trial): Full version free for a limited time. Strictly speaking, not true freemium, but a free trial. Example: Netflix 30-day trial
- Audience-Limited: Free for certain user groups, paid for others. Example: Atlassian (free for <10 User), GitHub (kostenlos für Open Source){{{wpml_tag_67}}} {{{wpml_tag_68}}}{{{wpml_tag_69}}}Ad-Supported:{{{wpml_tag_70}}} Kostenlos mit Werbung, werbefrei gegen Bezahlung. Beispiel: Spotify Free (mit Werbung) vs. Premium (ohne){{{wpml_tag_71}}} {{{wpml_tag_72}}} {{{wpml_tag_73}}}Wann funktioniert Freemium?{{{wpml_tag_74}}} {{{wpml_tag_75}}}Freemium ist nicht für jedes Produkt geeignet. Es funktioniert, wenn:{{{wpml_tag_76}}} {{{wpml_tag_77}}} {{{wpml_tag_78}}}{{{wpml_tag_79}}}Geringe Grenzkosten:{{{wpml_tag_80}}} Ein zusätzlicher Gratis-Nutzer kostet fast nichts (typisch für {{{wpml_tag_81}}}digitale Produkte{{{wpml_tag_82}}}){{{wpml_tag_83}}} {{{wpml_tag_84}}}{{{wpml_tag_85}}}Großer Markt:{{{wpml_tag_86}}} Genügend potenzielle Nutzer, damit 2-5 % Conversion wirtschaftlich sind{{{wpml_tag_87}}} {{{wpml_tag_88}}}{{{wpml_tag_89}}}Erlebbarer Wert:{{{wpml_tag_90}}} Nutzer können den Produktwert in der Gratisversion erleben – das motiviert zum Upgrade{{{wpml_tag_91}}} {{{wpml_tag_92}}}{{{wpml_tag_93}}}Natürliches Upgrade-Bedürfnis:{{{wpml_tag_94}}} Mit steigender Nutzung wird der Bedarf nach Premium-Features offensichtlich{{{wpml_tag_95}}} {{{wpml_tag_96}}}{{{wpml_tag_97}}}Netzwerkeffekte:{{{wpml_tag_98}}} Gratisnutzer bringen weitere Nutzer – {{{wpml_tag_99}}}Plattform-Effekte{{{wpml_tag_100}}} und Viralität verstärken das Wachstum{{{wpml_tag_101}}} {{{wpml_tag_102}}} {{{wpml_tag_103}}}Freemium funktioniert NICHT gut bei: hohen variablen Kosten, kleinen Zielmärkten, Produkten ohne erlebbaren Gratisnutzen oder Angeboten mit hohem Erklärungsbedarf.{{{wpml_tag_104}}} {{{wpml_tag_105}}}Wichtige Kennzahlen{{{wpml_tag_106}}} {{{wpml_tag_107}}} {{{wpml_tag_108}}}{{{wpml_tag_109}}}Free-to-Paid Conversion Rate:{{{wpml_tag_110}}} Anteil der Gratisnutzer, die zu zahlenden Kunden werden. Benchmark: 2-5 %{{{wpml_tag_111}}} {{{wpml_tag_112}}}{{{wpml_tag_113}}}Time-to-Conversion:{{{wpml_tag_114}}} Wie lange braucht ein Gratisnutzer bis zum Upgrade? Kürzer = besser{{{wpml_tag_115}}} {{{wpml_tag_116}}}{{{wpml_tag_117}}}Viral Coefficient:{{{wpml_tag_118}}} Wie viele neue Nutzer bringt jeder bestehende Nutzer? >1 = viral growth
- Cost-to-Serve: What does a free user cost? Must be significantly below conversion revenue
- ARPU (Average Revenue Per User): Average revenue per user across all (free + paid)
Freemium for SMEs
For SMEs, freemium should be approached with caution—but there are suitable approaches:
- Knowledge Freemium: Free basic content (blog, webinars, tools) + premium consulting or content for a fee
- Tool Freemium: Offer a simple digital tool for free (e.g., calculator, checker, assessment) → lead generation for consulting
- Community Freemium: Free access to the community + premium membership with exclusive content and consulting
- Caution with services: Services with high personnel costs are poorly suited for freemium—here a free initial consultation (free trial) is better than a permanent free offer
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between freemium and free trial?
With freemium, the basic version remains free permanently—users upgrade voluntarily for more features. With a free trial, the full version is free for a limited time (e.g., 14 or 30 days), after which payment is required. Freemium builds a larger user base, free trial has higher conversion rates.
What is the typical conversion rate for freemium?
The average free-to-paid conversion rate is 2-5%. Top performers like Slack or Dropbox achieve up to 10-15%. This means: 85-98% of users never pay. The model only works if the marginal cost per free user is very low and the market is large enough.
Is freemium suitable for B2B companies?
Yes, freemium also works in B2B—especially for SaaS products and digital tools. Success factors: Allow individuals to use it for free (bottom-up adoption), offer team features as premium, and build in natural upgrade triggers (e.g., user limit, storage space, integrations).