Should you offer free access when launching a paid product on Product Hunt?
I'm seeing more products launch on Product Hunt that require payment to actually use any features. No free trial, no freemium tier, just a download that leads straight to a paywall.
Part of me thinks this makes sense. If your product has real value, why give it away? People on Product Hunt understand they're looking at premium tools. Plus offering free access can attract users who will never pay anyway.
But I also see the argument for temporary free access during launch. Product Hunt users want to actually try what they're upvoting. How can they give meaningful feedback or become advocates if they hit a paywall immediately?
Some makers offer special promo codes just for the PH community.
Then there's the middle ground - a limited free trial that gives people enough time to evaluate during the launch buzz, but converts them to paid after.
I've seen successful launches using all three approaches, but I'm curious what actually works better for building genuine momentum versus just getting empty upvotes.
What's your experience launching paid products on PH? Do you think the community expects some level of free access, or are people fine paying if the value is clear? And does it affect your chances of getting featured?
Replies
Based on my exprience, free plans or free trials bring a lot of 0-value users.
If your product has a cost per user, a free plan will kill your budget... Unless you have a venture-backed company with millions in cash.
I prefer to offer a $1 trial. Or even if you want to say "free" with a CC required.
I think the first rule of MVP is: will people use it? For that you need to reduce the barrier for access. I'm one of those people who never buy anything without testing, unless probably strongly-recommended by a friend. And also, PH users are regular testers of many products: it would be pretty expensive if you have to pay for each one. I mean, why pay to test? Think testings at the front of your supermarket; would you want to pay for those? I think free access for testing is a good marketing cost.
@blessing_museki thats true, and youre right especially for launching on product hunt where people are here specifically to test, we should give them that opportunity so yeah ill add a free trial then thanks
Trickle
I believe that for products with little competition and clear value, charging upfront not only saves marketing costs and filters users effectively but also reflects confidence in the product’s worth.
For most products in highly competitive markets, offering a free trial is an important way to lower the barrier to entry, build trust, and improve user retention.
However, ultimately, what retains users is the true value of the product itself—free trials are merely a bridge to help users discover that value, not the deciding factor.
@ninaaaa0913 thats a good point and that was my initial approach that not offering a free trial shows confidence in the product and quality.
But what do you think about a free trial just for the launch only? Do you think it could give early adopters a chance to validate the product and build trust?
Trickle
@sahil_khxn I think offering a free trial during the launch phase is a solid strategy. For early users, it’s a chance to validate the product’s value; and for us, it helps gather feedback and build word of mouth more quickly.
I also think it could help bring in some users who are still on the fence — the ones who are curious but not ready to commit. As long as the trial is clearly limited to the launch period, it won’t hurt the perceived quality or confidence in the product.
That's a really thoughtful take. Each approach has its pros and cons, and it often depends on the type of product and target audience.
A well-timed free trial can be a great way to build trust and engagement during launch, especially when early feedback is valuable. On the other hand, going straight to paid can signal confidence and help filter in more serious users.
Offering something to the Product Hunt community whether it’s a limited trial, a special code, or even a demo version seems to strike a good balance.
It allows people to experience the value before committing, which can lead to more authentic feedback and advocacy.
@toreapat Yes thats the fine line im trying to balance; signalling confidence and authority while also building trust and engagement with the community.
I think your approach seems to be the best of both worlds, to have a limited trial so I think ill go with that, thank you
Hey Sahil, great topic 🙌🏽!!! I have launched a few products on PH, and what I have learned is that people want to feel the value before committing. A hard paywall right after clicking “Get It” can kill the vibe, even if your product’s amazing.
What worked well for us was offering a PH-only free trial or even a small credit (like $5 or 3 free uses). It made people feel included, gave them something to try, and led to way better feedback and conversions. Maybe try a limited-time trial just for launch week, the best of both worlds without opening the floodgates.
@hamza_afzal_butt Nice to hear from someone experienced on this, thats some solid insight. If youve tested this multiple times and came to that conclusion, then I think its safe to assume offering some sort of free trial, even if only for the start seems to be the best way to launch so I will definitely do that, thank you
I think the user should have at least one chance to try.
ZeroThreat
Yes, definitely. Most of the products are coming up with Freemium model, which allows users to test/check before they burn their pocket. And that's exactly what we did with the ZeroThreat plan.
@sarrah_pitaliya But what do you think would be better, freemium or just a short free trial period?
ZeroThreat
@sahil_khxn It depends on your needs and the product you are choosing to? Because most of the products restrict their features unless you join the premium. They don't provide exclusive one in either free trial period or freemium. However, if your need is limited, then definitely freemium is better.
It seems like good etiquette to offer a trial for PH users, since generally if you're posting on PH you're seeking the users, they aren't actively seeking you.
I just launched an app here today with a free trial for PH users even though we don't offer any trials or discounts anywhere else.
@vinvalentino Youre right, the point of PH is for people to test your product and give feedback, so they should have free access for that.
Ive added a free trial now for my app based on all the feedback. Its launching midnight so lets see what happens
SlashPage
I think it's necessary for two reasons
1. it makes me want to try the product more. I don't want to pay for something I don't know if it's really what I want.
2. if the product is a bit lacking, the user can be a bit more forgiving. Instead of writing all over the place that they wasted their money!
@elly_sp Those are some really good points, especially the second one. Dont want anyone feeling they wasted their money so a free trial is definitely good for that.
Vitara AI
Yes, offering free access or a free trial helps attract more users, get feedback, and build trust. It’s a great way to show value before asking people to pay.