Current Free Tier Limits (March 2026)
| Tool | Category | Free Tier Limits | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | 250 contacts, 500 sends/mo | Tightened | |
| Asana | PM | 2 users, unlimited tasks | Tightened |
| Loom | Video | 25 videos/person, 5-min recordings | Tightened |
| Slack | Chat | 90-day history, 10 integrations | Tightened |
| Zapier | Automation | 100 tasks/mo, 2-step only | Stable |
| Make | Automation | 1,000 ops/mo, 2 scenarios | Stable |
| beehiiv | Newsletter | 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends | Generous |
| Kit (ConvertKit) | 10,000 subscribers, unlimited sends | Generous | |
| Brevo | 100K contacts, 300 emails/day | Generous | |
| HubSpot CRM | CRM | Unlimited contacts, 2K emails/mo | Generous |
| n8n | Automation | Unlimited (self-hosted) | Generous |
| Freshsales | CRM | 3 users, basic CRM | Stable |
| Zoho CRM | CRM | 3 users, 5K records | Stable |
| Attio | CRM | 3 seats, 50K records | Stable |
| Bardeen | Automation | 100 credits/mo | Stable (but paid jumped to $99) |
The Tightened Tiers: What Changed and Why
Mailchimp: 87.5% Contact Reduction Since 2019
Mailchimp's free tier trajectory: 2,000 contacts (2019) → 500 contacts (2023) → 250 contacts (2024). Sends went from 10,000/month to 1,000/month to 500/month. At 250 contacts and 500 sends, the free tier cannot sustain even a small newsletter. The Essentials plan at $13/month for 500 contacts is the real starting point.
Free alternative: beehiiv Launch (2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends) or Kit Newsletter (10,000 subscribers, unlimited sends).
Asana: Down to 2 Users
Asana Personal (free) now limits you to 2 users with unlimited tasks and projects but only list and board views. The Starter plan is $13.49/seat/month for timeline, workflow builder, and forms. For teams of 3+, Asana requires a paid plan.
Free alternative: ClickUp Free (unlimited users, limited features), Notion Free (unlimited blocks for individuals), or Trello Free (unlimited boards, limited power-ups).
Loom: 25 Videos with 5-Minute Cap
Loom Starter restricts free users to 25 videos per person and 5-minute maximum recording length at 720p. Previously, the free tier was more generous. The Business plan at $18/seat/month removes all limits with unlimited videos, unlimited recording length, and 4K quality.
Free alternative:OBS (free, open-source screen recording) or Tella (free tier for basic recordings). No free tool fully replaces Loom's instant sharing and viewer analytics.
Slack: 90-Day Message History
Slack Free now hides messages older than 90 days. You also get only 10 app integrations and 1:1 voice/video calls (no group calls). Slack Pro at $8.75/seat/month restores unlimited history, unlimited integrations, and group video for up to 50 people.
Free alternative: Discord (free, unlimited message history, unlimited users). Microsoft Teams (included with many Microsoft 365 plans).
The Generous Tiers: Who Is Still Giving Away Value
Kit Newsletter (free, 10,000 subscribers):The most generous email free tier by subscriber count. Limited to basic sending — no automations, no integrations. But for newsletter-only use cases, 10,000 subscribers with unlimited sends is exceptional.
Brevo Free (100,000 contacts, 300 emails/day): The most generous by contact storage. 300 emails/day = ~9,000/month, which is enough for most small businesses. The limitation is Brevo branding on emails.
HubSpot Free (unlimited contacts, 2,000 emails/month): The most generous CRM free tier. Unlimited contacts with basic CRM features. The 2,000 email limit and HubSpot branding are the main constraints.
beehiiv Launch (2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends): Strong free tier for newsletter creators with website builder, custom domain, and basic analytics included. The main limitation is beehiiv branding.
n8n Community (unlimited, self-hosted): The only truly unlimited free tier in automation. Requires Docker and server management, but you get unlimited executions, unlimited workflows, and full data sovereignty.
The Pattern: Why Free Tiers Shrink
Free tiers shrink for one reason: the company's growth stage changed. In the growth stage, generous free tiers acquire users cheaply. In the profitability stage, those free users are converted or cut. The Mailchimp trajectory (2,000 → 250 contacts over 5 years) is the template. Tools currently in their growth stage (beehiiv, Kit, Attio) will likely follow this pattern once growth slows and investor pressure shifts from user acquisition to revenue.
Self-hosted and open-source tools are the exception. Ghost self-hosted, n8n Community, and Cal.com Open are structurally free because the code is open. The company monetizes through managed hosting, not by restricting the free tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which free tiers are most likely to shrink next?
beehiiv and Kit are the most likely candidates. Both are growth-stage companies offering generous free tiers to acquire users. When they shift to profitability, expect subscriber limits to tighten or features to gate behind paid plans. This could be 12–24 months away.
Should I avoid free tiers entirely?
No. Free tiers are excellent for starting. But build your workflow so you can migrate when the free tier tightens. Export data regularly. Avoid deep customization you cannot rebuild elsewhere. Treat free tiers as temporary, not permanent.
Is Mailchimp Free still worth using?
At 250 contacts and 500 sends/month, Mailchimp Free is only useful as a demo. Kit Free (10,000 subscribers) and beehiiv Launch (2,500 subscribers) both offer dramatically more. Switch unless you specifically need Mailchimp's e-commerce integrations.
Are open-source free tiers safe from changes?
Self-hosted versions are permanently free because you run the software yourself. Cloud-hosted versions (n8n Cloud, Ghost Pro) can still change pricing. The safety is in the self-hosting option, not the open-source license alone.