I'm not saying they have the obligation to keep the free tier, but don't expect people to stick around. Also free plans can definitely last, best example being

I'm not saying they have the obligation to keep the free tier, but don't expect people to stick around. Also free plans can definitely last, best example being Github. If Github would cut off free open source repos it would be over, and I'm pretty sure they are very aware of that. My point is, it's a mistake to assume people will pay for something that was free and it's a misunderstanding to think there is no symbiotic relationship. Hosting a giant community can be incredibly valuable, especially when it's tech people with big budgets in your sector. It's imo a business mistake to monetize in a way that goes against that. The community will have no issue finding a new home that does appreciate them (e.g. Github).