Hidden Costs

Free plan deletes messages after 90 days, permanently after 1 year

Starting August 2024, Slack began permanently deleting messages and files older than 1 year from free workspaces. Messages older than 90 days are hidden from search. This is a nightmare for compliance, legal, or HR purposes - if you need to reference a conversation from four months ago, it's gone. Upgrading within 1 year recovers hidden messages, but after 1 year, data is permanently lost.

Enterprise Grid is a permanent one-way upgrade with no downgrade option

Once you upgrade to Enterprise Grid, you're locked in forever. Slack's official position is that Grid's infrastructure is too different to allow downgrades. Downgrading is technically possible but extremely difficult - Grid's data export format is incompatible with Business+ import, and multi-workspace architecture must be collapsed into one workspace. This is intentional vendor lock-in - treat Grid adoption as a permanent decision.

Slack AI is a separate $10/user add-on that must be purchased for ALL users

Slack AI isn't included in any paid plan - it's a separate add-on costing $10/user/month billed annually. The catch: you must purchase it for all paid users in your workspace, not just those who need it. This 'everyone or no one' setup quickly inflates costs. A 100-person team would pay an extra $12,000/year for AI features.

2-seat minimum forces solopreneurs to pay double

Asana doesn't allow single-user paid subscriptions. Solo users wanting premium features must purchase a minimum of 2 seats, meaning the real minimum cost is $264/year ($22/month) even for one person. This effectively prices out freelancers and solopreneurs who don't need a second seat.

Automation capped at 250/month on Starter - hits limit quickly

The Starter plan ($10.99/user) limits automations to 250/month. With just 5 people and a few automation rules, teams hit this cap quickly. Once exceeded, you either stop automations or upgrade to Advanced ($24.99/user) - more than doubling your cost for a basic workflow need.

SSO requires Enterprise tier - no option for smaller secure teams

Single sign-on (SAML SSO) is only available on Enterprise, which has custom (expensive) pricing. Teams with 20-50 employees needing SSO for security compliance have no middle ground - they must pay enterprise rates regardless of team size. This one security requirement forces massive price jumps.

Minimum 3-seat requirement forces overpaying

Monday.com requires a minimum of 3 users for all paid plans. Solo users or 2-person teams must pay for an extra seat they don't use. Users have complained 'Why pay for seats you don't even need?' and it's described as designed more for teams than individuals, leaving smaller operations paying for unused capacity.

Users must be added in increments of 5

Beyond the minimum, Monday.com forces you to add users in blocks of 5, not individually. A team of 6 pays for 10 seats. One Reddit user complained: 'If you're a team of 5 that needs 1 additional user to join, you're gonna pay for 10 seats.' This significantly increases costs for growing teams.

Automation and integration limits quickly exceeded

Standard plan includes only 250 automation actions per month. Complex workflows easily exceed this limit, forcing upgrades or additional purchases. Users report being 'nickel-and-dimed' by the need to pay extra for essential features. Some integrations are also capped at a certain number of actions.

Pricing explodes as subscriber list grows

Pricing gets very expensive quickly as you scale. Mailchimp now charges for ALL contacts, not just active subscribers. Unlimited sends end after a point, requiring frequent list cleaning just to save money. Small businesses see costs eat into profitability.

Advanced features require expensive paid plans

The most useful features like advanced automation, A/B testing, and multichannel campaigns are only available in higher-tier plans. Support is also limited on lower tiers, forcing upgrades for basic functionality.

Billing continues after account deletion

Users report being charged for contacts after deleting their accounts. When trying to get refunds, Mailchimp makes the process complicated. Some face unexpected charges and extreme difficulty canceling subscriptions.

Charged after cancellation - billing continues despite confirmation

Users report being charged $1,500-$2,600 even after receiving written cancellation confirmation from support. One user was charged days after being told their account was 'fully closed.' Getting refunds requires extensive effort and bank disputes.

Now charges for ALL contacts including unsubscribed and bounced

As of November 2025, ActiveCampaign charges for entire contact list - including unsubscribed, bounced, and unconfirmed contacts. This is considered unfair as most ESPs only charge for active, emailable contacts.

Cannot downgrade plans - stuck at higher tier forever

When you upgrade plans, you're essentially locked in. Attempting to downgrade means paying MORE than your current rate or losing access entirely. Users feel trapped into giving increasingly more money as their needs change.

No refunds on prepayments - even for hardship cases

Constant Contact has strict no-refund policy on prepayments. Users report being charged $796+ after attempting to cancel and being denied refunds. Even documented hardship cases (hospitalization) were denied refunds despite repeated requests.

Cancellation extremely difficult - must call during business hours

Constant Contact makes cancellation very difficult by requiring customers to phone during Eastern business hours. No online cancellation option. Users report long hold times and difficulty reaching anyone to cancel.

Auto-renewal charges without clear consent

Users report being charged early renewal fees without consent and denied refunds. Automatic renewal catches users off guard. Proactive cancellation vigilance required.

International transactions cost significantly more

Domestic rate is 2.9% + $0.30, but international cards cost 3.9% + $0.30 (extra 1% cross-border fee). Currency conversion adds another 1%. For global businesses, effective fees can exceed 5%. The advertised rate is misleading for international commerce.

Settlement takes 7-14 days by default

Funds are held for 7-14 days before settlement, with some users reporting even longer holds. For businesses needing quick cash flow, the settlement timing creates friction. Express payouts exist but cost extra.

Add-on products increase total cost significantly

Stripe Billing adds 0.7% of billing volume. Stripe Tax adds 0.5% per transaction. Radar for fraud adds 0.07% per transaction. A typical international SaaS business might pay 5%+ when all features are included.

International fees add 4.49% plus currency conversion markup

International payments cost 4.49% + fixed fee, plus 1.5% cross-border fee. Currency conversion adds 3-4% margin on top of wholesale rates. A typical international transaction can cost 6-8% total. Fees described as 'a second tax' by users.

PayPal Credit has predatory interest rates

PayPal Credit practices described as 'outright predatory and completely unacceptable.' Interest rates are 'abusive' and payment allocation 'intentionally designed to squeeze every penny.' Misleading promotional periods trap users.

Dispute fees up to $30 for high-volume merchants

Standard dispute fee is $15 per dispute. If dispute rate exceeds 1.5% over three months with 100+ transactions, fee increases to $30 per dispute. Combined with seller protection gaps, chargebacks become extremely costly.

Guest seats add 15-30% to contract value

Guest seats are 'ClickUp's most overlooked cost driver.' Enterprise customer data shows guest seats can add 15-30% to total contract value if not properly negotiated. Optional add-ons include extra guests at $5/guest/month, extra automations at $10/25,000 actions.

ClickUp AI costs $5-28 extra per user per month

ClickUp Brain (AI) is a paid add-on starting at $5/user/month for basic features, or $9/user/month for AI Standard, up to $28/user/month for AI Autopilot. This can significantly increase costs - a Business plan at $12 jumps to $17-40 per user with AI features.

Features locked without warning requiring tier upgrade

One user was 'locked out of the Notes feature without warning, requiring an upgrade from $10 to $19 per license.' Recent billing changes have left teams 'staring at bills that have jumped tenfold.' The Unlimited plan price increased from $5 to $7 per user.

Pricing compounds across multiple dimensions

HubSpot pricing is sliced across four dimensions: products, features, user seats, and number of contacts. Real-world bills can be far higher than headline prices. One company reported paying $1,800/month: $600 for 20K contacts + $800 Marketing Hub + $400 Sales Hub.

Mandatory onboarding fees of $7,000-$10,000

Professional and Enterprise tiers require 'professional onboarding' which costs $7,000 (90 days) to $10,000 (120 days). This is non-negotiable for higher tiers, adding significant upfront costs that aren't obvious in headline pricing.

Unexpected charges when exceeding contact limits

Customers report being charged significant amounts (one user mentioned £1000) without warning when accidentally exceeding contact allowances. HubSpot acknowledges charges under their 'terms' but refuses to credit accounts or restore access.

Implementation costs range from $15,000 to $500,000+

Beyond license fees, Salesforce implementation costs range from $15,000 for basic small business deployments to $500,000+ for complex enterprise rollouts. Industry data shows 60-70% of implementations exceed initial budgets due to underestimated scope.

Hidden costs compound dramatically

Multiple hidden costs inflate the true price: integration via MuleSoft ($50K-$200K), training (15-20% additional), annual support (15-25% of initial cost), extra sandboxes (15-30% of license), and Premium Support (30% additional). These can double or triple the advertised price.

Integration between Salesforce clouds isn't seamless

Despite being the same company, integration between Salesforce ecosystem products (Sales Cloud, Marketing Cloud, etc.) is not as simple as expected. Third-party integration via MuleSoft can add $50,000-$200,000 to costs.

Contact limits force constant upgrades or data deletion

Insightly caps contacts based on plan (100K-500K records). Teams must either pay for unused features to get more contacts or delete old records to make room - a constraint many find absurd for a CRM that should grow with the business.

Annual billing only - no monthly option available

Insightly now only offers annual billing with no option to sign up for less than a year. This locks businesses into 12-month commitments before they can fully evaluate the platform.

Hidden setup fees up to $3,000 for technical configuration

Additional costs apply beyond per-user pricing: $249 for additional 25K tasks per month and $3,000 for required technical setup. These hidden fees catch businesses off guard when budgeting.

Pricing increases steeply as subscriber list grows

ConvertKit charges based on total subscribers, not just active ones. As lists grow, pricing jumps significantly. Creator plan goes from $39/month at 300 subscribers to $600+/month at 100K subscribers. Costs can quickly exceed revenue for smaller creators.

Starter plan severely limited - forces upgrade quickly

The free/starter plan has significant limitations. Key features like automation sequences, integrations, and custom domains require paid plans. The free tier is essentially a demo that pushes users to upgrade fast.

Creator Pro required for basic features like newsletter referrals

Features that competitors include in base plans require Creator Pro ($79+/month). Newsletter referral programs, subscriber scoring, and advanced reporting need the expensive tier. Feels like artificial feature gating.

Pricing based on ALL profiles, not just active subscribers

Klaviyo charges for total profiles, including inactive contacts you don't email. This means paying for dormant subscribers, making list management more expensive. Organizations with large inactive segments pay significantly more than expected.

Too expensive for small e-commerce startups

For businesses just starting their e-commerce journey, Klaviyo is often more expensive than their Shopify subscription. Small stores find Klaviyo pricing out of budget when alternatives offer similar features for less.

SMS credits cost extra on top of already expensive plans

SMS marketing requires additional credits beyond the base email plan. The Email + SMS plan starts at $35/month but SMS credits run out quickly. International SMS rates are particularly expensive.

Pricing increases rapidly as contact list grows

GetResponse pricing scales steeply with list size. Starting at $19/mo for 1,000 contacts, costs can reach $165+/month at 100K contacts. Users report price jumps being frustrating for growing businesses on budgets.

Auto-upgrade to higher tier when exceeding contact limit

If your contact list exceeds plan limit by even 1 contact (e.g., 1,001 on 1,000 plan), you're automatically bumped to the next tier. Users report unexpected charges with no warning before upgrade.

Fraudulent charges and billing disputes reported

Users report fraudulent charges - one was charged for 30,000 contacts when only 5 contacts could receive emails. Another reported attempts to bill $2000/month after cancellation. Customer service becomes unresponsive.

Transaction fees on top of monthly subscription

Shopify charges 2.5-2.9% + 30¢ per transaction on credit cards. Additional 0.6-2% fee if using third-party payment gateways. Combined with monthly plans ($29-299), total costs add up quickly for high-volume stores.

Essential features locked behind expensive apps

Many basic functions outsourced to third-party apps that cost extra monthly. Premium apps needed to unlock features stores need. App costs stack up quickly - some merchants pay more in apps than base subscription.

No refunds on fees when orders are cancelled

Shopify no longer refunds transaction fees when orders are cancelled or refunded. This represents huge cost to vendors dealing with returns. Policy change hit merchants without warning.

Forced plan upgrades based on revenue thresholds

BigCommerce automatically upgrades your plan when you hit annual sales limits: $50K for Standard, $180K for Plus, and $400K-$1M for Pro. Users report being surprised by sudden 3-10x monthly cost increases when crossing these thresholds. You have no choice about whether to upgrade once you reach the revenue limit.

App ecosystem limitations and add-on costs

Essential features like Google Reviews integration and Abandoned Cart Recovery reserved for higher-tier plans. Users report you 'cannot do anything without an APP' with lots of apps (each at $9-$50/month) needed for basic tasks. The app ecosystem is smaller than Shopify's 8,000+ apps, limiting integration options.

B2B features locked behind Enterprise pricing

Customer-group specific pricing (Price Lists) requires Enterprise plan ($400-$15K/month). You cannot provide VIP pricing, wholesale discounts, or different prices per customer group without upgrading. Managing multiple price lists becomes cumbersome with large catalogs, increasing risk of errors.

10% fee plus $0.50 per transaction is excessive

Gumroad charges 10% + $0.50 per sale, plus payment processing fees (~2.9% + $0.30). Total take is roughly 13-14% per transaction. For high-volume sellers, this adds up quickly. Lemon Squeezy and Paddle charge only 5% + $0.50. Many sellers switch to save on fees.

Withholds payouts and balances under $10

Gumroad keeps money if a creator's balance is under $10 and refuses any manual payout - even when closing the account. Some users report having payouts frozen and withheld with no explanation. Getting your own money out can be surprisingly difficult.

30% fee for Discover marketplace sales

If sales come through Gumroad's Discover marketplace rather than direct links, Gumroad takes 30% - three times the normal rate. Sellers often don't realize this until they see the deductions. The fee structure has multiple hidden layers.

AI features locked behind $20/user Business tier

In May 2025, Notion discontinued the $8/user AI add-on and bundled unlimited AI exclusively into Business and Enterprise tiers. What used to be a reasonable add-on now requires upgrading to the $20/user/month Business plan. For a team of 10, accessing Notion AI costs at least $200/month ($2,400/year), including features like SAML SSO that small teams don't need.

20 AI responses lifetime limit on Plus plan not disclosed

Paying Plus plan subscribers receive the same 20 lifetime AI responses as free users, not a monthly allocation. This limitation is buried in the pricing page and not disclosed at subscription time. Once exhausted, users must upgrade to Business at $20/month for actual AI access. Users feel deceived when they hit this wall after just 2 questions.

Advanced views locked behind Premium - $10/user/month

Calendar view, Timeline view, Dashboard view, and Map view are only available on Premium ($10/user/month) or higher. The free plan's 10-board limit fills up quickly. Since Trello was always just a Kanban board, competitors like ClickUp offer Gantt, Sprints, and 15+ views without paying extra.

Enterprise requires 50+ users minimum - $10,500/year floor

Trello Enterprise has a minimum of 50 users at $17.50/user/month, meaning the minimum commitment is $10,500/year. Smaller teams needing enterprise features like SSO, organization-wide controls, or advanced security are forced to overpay for unused seats or use inadequate lower tiers.

Free tier hard-capped at 10 users with sudden billing

On Jira's free plan, you are capped at exactly 10 users. If you hire your 11th employee or add a freelancer, you are forced to start paying for ALL users immediately. Unlike competitors like Linear (unlimited free users), this creates sudden billing spikes for growing startups.

Marketplace apps add significant hidden costs

Many essential features require paid third-party apps from the Atlassian Marketplace. Time tracking, advanced reporting, and integrations often need additional licenses. Total cost of ownership increases significantly beyond base subscription when accounting for plugins, training, and admin time.

Extremely limited 2GB free storage compared to competitors

Dropbox offers only 2GB of free storage while Google Drive offers 15GB and OneDrive offers 5GB. This stingy free tier forces users to pay quickly. Users find the free plan fills up rapidly, especially as photos and documents accumulate. Many users feel baited into premium plans.

Unexpected billing issues and charges without service

Users report being charged subscription fees without the service being properly activated. Others report continued monthly billing despite paying for annual plans. Advertised prices don't include taxes, surprising users at checkout. Billing support is nearly impossible to reach.

Significantly more expensive than competitors

Box Business Plus starts at $33/user/month while Dropbox Advanced costs $24/user/month and OneDrive Business Standard is $12.50/user/month. For large teams, Box's premium pricing adds up quickly. Many organizations find the enterprise features don't justify the cost premium.

Zero-knowledge encryption requires expensive KeySafe add-on

Box's standard offering doesn't include zero-knowledge or client-side encryption. For true privacy where Box cannot access your files, you need the KeySafe add-on which costs extra. Organizations with strict privacy requirements face additional costs.

40-minute limit on free plan disrupts meetings

The free Zoom plan cuts off meetings at exactly 40 minutes, interrupting conversations mid-sentence. Users describe it as 'annoying' and frustrating, especially during team check-ins or client calls. Workarounds exist (restarting) but are cumbersome. Google Meet offers 60 minutes free.

Confusing pricing with hidden add-on costs

Zoom's true cost is hard to determine with multiple add-ons: AI Companion requires extra payment, cloud storage beyond 5GB costs $10/user/month, toll-free minutes aren't included, and Zoom Phone has separate metered charges. The pricing page doesn't clearly show total costs.

Add-ons like Teams Premium and Copilot add significant costs

Beyond base pricing: Teams Premium costs $10/user/month for advanced meeting features, Copilot costs $30/user/month for AI, and Teams Phone with calling is $20+/user/month. These 'optional' features are increasingly necessary, dramatically increasing true costs.

Free plan now limits group calls to 60 minutes

In 2025, Microsoft started charging for group calls longer than 60 minutes on the free plan. What was previously unlimited is now time-restricted, pushing free users toward paid tiers - similar to Zoom's 40-minute strategy.

Free plan severely limited - only 5 minutes and 100 videos

The free Starter plan only allows 5-minute recordings and access to only 100 videos. This is significantly more restrictive than competitors. Users are pushed to paid plans quickly, with Business starting at $15/user/month.

Atlassian billing uses fixed tiers - small teams overpay

On Atlassian.com purchases, billing uses fixed user-tiers (50, 100, 250) with no monthly option, so small teams often overpay for unused seats. Coupons from Loom.com don't apply to Atlassian purchases.

3% transaction fees including on refunds

Acuity charges 3% per payment processed, and users are charged this fee even on refunds. Combined with already high monthly prices, this significantly eats into service business margins. 37% of reviewers feel negative about Acuity's value for money.

No free plan available

Unlike competitors like Calendly, Acuity has no free tier. Pricing starts at $16/month (annual) or $20/month (monthly). For businesses testing the waters or with light scheduling needs, this forces unnecessary expenditure.

Basic plan limited to only 3 users with minimal features

Copper's Basic plan has an arbitrary 3-user cap that forces growing teams to upgrade. The Basic plan lacks essential features, pushing users to Professional tier at $59/user/month. Users report the basic plan is 'not good enough' for actual business use.

Auto-renewal charges continue even after cancellation attempts

Multiple users report being charged annual fees after attempting to cancel, with no account usage for over a year. Refund requests are refused. The billing and cancellation process is described as rigid and inflexible, especially for long-time customers.

Expensive compared to similar tools - no free plan

Drip is described as 'expensive compared to other similar products.' Starting at $39/month for 2,500 subscribers, it costs more than alternatives. At 10K subscribers ($184/month), it's in the same tier as Klaviyo without all features. No free plan to test long-term.

Live chat support requires $99+/month plan

Live chat support is only available to customers spending $99+ per month. Lower-tier customers only get email support during business hours. Premium support is effectively a hidden cost.

Massive 50-150% price increases for grandfathered users

In late 2024, AWeber increased prices 50-150% for customers on grandfathered plans. Some users saw pricing double overnight. Official reason was 'to continue providing quality service' but caused mass exodus to alternatives.

Expensive compared to newer alternatives

At 10,000 subscribers, AWeber costs $100/month while MailerLite costs $73 and ActiveCampaign $79 with better automation. Users find AWeber overpriced for the features offered, especially after 2024 price hikes.

Many paid extensions needed for basic functions

Core is free but specific functions like payment gateways, invoicing, advanced shipping need paid extensions. WooCommerce's own plugins are relatively expensive. Total cost often rivals Shopify.

Payment processing issues - delays and holds

Users report delayed payments, unexpected refunds without verification, and funds held for extended periods. High international payment fees. Account suspensions with funds held hostage.

Rigid refund policy leaves users frustrated

Ghost's terms state no refunds for cancellations. While they offer goodwill refunds for the current month, users who haven't used the platform feel this is inadequate. Billing complaints and partial refund stories appear in Trustpilot reviews.

Free trial deletion catches users off guard

Ghost's 14-day trial isn't clearly communicated as leading to site deletion if not converted to paid. Some users report being surprised their content was deleted when they didn't upgrade, feeling the trial terms weren't transparent.

Paywall limits audience reach dramatically

Paywalled articles are only visible to paying Medium members (~1M subscribers). Non-members see 3 free articles/month, then paywall. Writers must choose between earnings (paywall) and reach (free). Most readers won't pay $5/month just to read one article. The paywall kills viral potential.

Meta content restrictions limit what earns money

Medium's April 2025 policy restricted meta content (writing about writing, Medium tips, etc.) from earning. Many Medium 'gurus' who taught others saw income disappear. The platform decides what types of content can monetize, limiting creator freedom.

10% fee for transactions under $10

While standard fee is 5% + $0.50, transactions under $10 incur a 10% fee. For SaaS with low-price tiers or microtransactions, this doubles the effective rate. The fee structure has edge cases that increase costs beyond advertised rates.

Higher cost than Stripe for many use cases

Paddle is more expensive than Stripe for many SaaS businesses. While Paddle includes MoR, a typical international Stripe business pays ~5.1% + $0.30 with all add-ons. Paddle's 5% + $0.50 is similar but with less flexibility. The MoR value must justify the cost.

Restrictive free plan forces quick upgrades

The free plan limits users to only 5 active projects, which feels restrictive when trying to evaluate if the app works for your workflow. Many users find themselves forced to upgrade to premium quickly before fully testing the product. The 300 task limit per project adds another restriction that power users hit frequently.

Severely limited free tier (50 notes, 1 device)

The free plan now limits users to just 50 notes, one notebook, and syncing to only 1 device plus web. This is a massive reduction from the previous unlimited notes. Many users feel their data is being held hostage to force upgrades.

Sync across devices requires $48/year paid plan

While the core app is free, syncing notes across devices requires Obsidian Sync at $4/month ($48/year). Free alternatives like iCloud or Dropbox have sync issues including corruption and file duplication. This catches users who assume 'free' means full functionality.

No free plan - $15/month minimum with no affordable tier

Roam Research doesn't offer a free plan at all. The minimum is $15/month or $180/year for the Pro plan. This is exceptionally expensive for a note-taking app, especially when alternatives like Obsidian and Logseq offer similar features for free. The 31-day trial converts to annual billing if not cancelled.

Free plan limited to 1500 blocks

The free tier is limited to 1500 blocks, and users don't always know how often they create blocks or how much time it takes to reach the limit. This contrasts with Notion which offers unlimited blocks for free. Many users hit this wall unexpectedly.

High subscription cost at $50/year for a writing app

At $5.99/month or $49.99/year, Ulysses is expensive compared to one-time purchase alternatives like Scrivener ($60 once). The ongoing cost feels steep for users who primarily need a focused writing environment.

Separate purchase required for each platform

iA Writer is sold separately per platform - you must buy Mac, iOS, Windows, and Android versions individually. This adds up quickly for users on multiple platforms. Unlike subscription apps, there's no 'all platforms' option.

Only 5GB free storage - much less than competitors

OneDrive's free tier offers just 5GB, compared to Google Drive's 15GB. The free storage fills up quickly, forcing upgrades. Microsoft clearly positions the free tier as a trial to push users toward Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

Only 5GB free storage is inadequate

Apple provides only 5GB of free iCloud storage, which is significantly less than competitors like Google Drive (15GB free). Users quickly fill this with photos and backups, forcing paid upgrades. Multiple Capterra and Reddit users report feeling forced into paid tiers.

60-minute limit on free group meetings

Free Google Meet group calls (3+ participants) cut off at 60 minutes. While better than Zoom's 40 minutes, it still interrupts longer meetings. Users must rejoin or upgrade to Workspace to get unlimited meeting time.

Hidden enterprise pricing and add-on fees

Webex Contact Center and Enterprise pricing is not publicly disclosed - you must fill out demo request forms and speak to sales. Add-ons like workforce optimization ($40+/user/month), calling integration ($8+/user/month), and digital engagement use usage-based billing that can quickly increase monthly spend.

Server boosts are expensive with minimal benefit

Server boosting costs $4.99/month per boost, and reaching Level 3 requires 14 boosts ($69.86/month). Users describe the pricing as 'exorbitant' and 'a ripoff' with minimal benefit - the features unlocked (audio quality, streaming resolution, emoji slots) don't justify the cost for most servers.

Free plan extremely limited - only 1 event type

The free plan allows only one active event type with no customization. Features like reminders, multiple event types, and integrations require paid plans starting at $10-12/user/month. For teams, costs escalate to $16-20/user/month quickly.

Billing system issues with incorrect invoicing

Trustpilot 2-star review (Ben): 'invoices were issued to wrong names despite correct company details. Invoices cannot be reissued' and lacks invoice history in-app. Stated: 'the invoicing and billing side makes it unusable for a serious business.' Problematic for EU VAT compliance.

Core features locked behind paywall

Calendar integration, meeting reminders, and custom branding are all locked behind paid tiers. Users feel nickel-and-dimed as features that should be basic require upgrading. Even editing polls requires payment in some cases.

Add-ons can double or triple your bill

The $14/user base price doesn't include essential features. A 5-person team on Lite ($70/mo) adding LeadBooster ($32.50) and Web Visitors ($49) pays $151.50/mo - more than double. Many teams find the 'simple CRM' costs over $250/month once they add needed features.

Hidden costs for storage, API, and add-ons

While Zoho advertises transparent pricing, enterprises face unexpected costs. Additional storage costs $4/GB/month - a 25-user team could easily need extra 10GB annually ($480/year). API credits have daily limits with overage charges. The gap between Standard and Enterprise plans is significant, and many essential features require higher-tier subscriptions.

Expensive add-ons for basic features

Users complain that Freshsales is 'very expensive for what it offers and requires too many add-ons' including charges for email volume, contacts, and API connections. The API Extension add-on costs $250/month for increased limits. There's a significant price jump between subscription tiers that catches users off guard when scaling.

Very expensive, especially for calling features

Close is described as 'a very expensive platform, especially if you want calling features.' Growth plan starts at $99/user/month, and Scale at $139/user/month. Add-ons like AI Call Assistant cost $50/month plus $0.02/minute usage fees. Small startups find it difficult to afford, particularly when only using basic lead management.

Removing Brevo logo costs extra $10.80/month

The Brevo logo appears on all emails by default. Removing it costs an additional $10.80/month on top of your plan. This hidden cost catches users by surprise when trying to maintain professional branding.

Transaction fees on lower ecommerce plans

The Basic and Core plans still charge transaction fees (3% on Business equivalent functionality). Only the Advanced plan ($99/month) eliminates all transaction fees. Digital products incur a 1% fee on all plans except Advanced. These fees add up significantly for growing stores.

Free plan has severe limitations and Wix branding

The free plan displays Wix ads on your site, doesn't allow a custom domain, and has limited storage and bandwidth. To remove branding and look professional, you must upgrade. This creates a bait-and-switch feeling for users who didn't realize the limitations upfront.

Collaborator seats are expensive

Each additional editor/collaborator costs $20-30/month extra. Teams quickly find collaboration expensive - a 5-person team pays $100-150/month just for seats. Unlike tools with unlimited collaborators, Framer's per-seat model penalizes growing teams.

Premium plugins and themes add hidden costs

While WordPress core is free, professional sites require paid plugins and themes. Security plugins, SEO tools, backup solutions, page builders, and premium themes can cost $200-500+/year. High-quality hosting adds more. The 'free' platform has significant hidden costs.

10% revenue cut adds up significantly

Substack takes 10% of all subscription revenue plus Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30 + 0.7% recurring). Total take is roughly 13-14% of earnings. For creators earning $100K+/year, that's $13,000+ going to Substack. Many switch to 0% fee alternatives like Ghost when they scale.

Pricing becomes steep for growing newsletters

While the free tier is generous (2,500 subscribers), pricing can feel steep for smaller newsletters once you outgrow it. Scale plan starts at $43/month. Users wish there were more intermediate pricing options. Monetization features require paid plans.

Pricing structure merges tiers with list size awkwardly

The pricing structure can be confusing - it merges function tiers with list-size based pricing. Automations only accessible from the $79/month Professional tier. Some users find the free plan's 100 subscriber limit restrictive. Pricing can feel steep for small newsletters.

Extra 1.5% fee for international transactions

The advertised 5% + $0.50 fee has an additional +1.5% for international transactions. For global SaaS products with customers worldwide, this adds significant hidden cost. The base rate is competitive, but international sellers pay more than expected.