Role
Product designer
Industry
Workflow tools
Year
2023
Free tier was an ambitious initiative to allow free account holders to use Portals, which was historically available only for Pro and Premium users since the release of the MVP.
History of Portals
History of Portals
History of Portals
History of Portals
Portals was originally designed to be a premium feature within WeTransfer—a popular file sharing platform. But as it had developed into its own feature-rich tool, the original setup turned out to be quite restrictive.
WeTransfer boasts millions of free users, but not nearly as much Pro / Premium account holders, which meant the pool of users for Portals was pretty limited.
Portals was originally designed to be a premium feature within WeTransfer—a popular file sharing platform. But as it had developed into its own feature-rich tool, the original setup turned out to be quite restrictive.
WeTransfer boasts millions of free users, but not nearly as much Pro / Premium account holders, which meant the pool of users for Portals was pretty limited.
Portals was originally designed to be a premium feature within WeTransfer—a popular file sharing platform. But as it had developed into its own feature-rich tool, the original setup turned out to be quite restrictive.
WeTransfer boasts millions of free users, but not nearly as much Pro / Premium account holders, which meant the pool of users for Portals was pretty limited.
Portals was originally designed to be a premium feature within WeTransfer—a popular file sharing platform. But as it had developed into its own feature-rich tool, the original setup turned out to be quite restrictive.
WeTransfer boasts millions of free users, but not nearly as much Pro / Premium account holders, which meant the pool of users for Portals was pretty limited.
100.000 visits every month
but a (very) locked door
100.000 visits every month
but a (very) locked door
100.000 visits every month but a (very) locked door
100.000 visits every month
but a (very) locked door
Every month, over 100 000 free account holders were coming to Portals for the first time. However, they were not able to interact with the product because they were free workspace holders. Sadly, their engagement ended before it begun.
Every month, over 100 000 free account holders were coming to Portals for the first time. However, they were not able to interact with the product because they were free workspace holders. Sadly, their engagement ended before it begun.
Every month, over 100 000 free account holders were coming to Portals for the first time. However, they were not able to interact with the product because they were free workspace holders. Sadly, their engagement ended before it begun.
Every month, over 100 000 free account holders were coming to Portals for the first time. However, they were not able to interact with the product because they were free workspace holders. Sadly, their engagement ended before it begun.
Setting Portals free
Setting Portals free
Setting Portals free
Setting Portals free
The overwhelming interest we were experiencing combined with a good activation rate but limited pool of users presented us with an opportunity: opening up Portals to free accounts.
The overwhelming interest we were experiencing combined with a good activation rate but limited pool of users presented us with an opportunity: opening up Portals to free accounts.
The overwhelming interest we were experiencing combined with a good activation rate but limited pool of users presented us with an opportunity: opening up Portals to free accounts.
The overwhelming interest we were experiencing combined with a good activation rate but limited pool of users presented us with an opportunity: opening up Portals to free accounts.
Diving into data
Diving into data
Diving into data
Diving into data
Before configuring the free tier, it was important to understand the makeup of a typical workspace. Data showed us that the average active workspace creates between 1-9 reviews, and the majority of active workspaces use less than 200 GB of storage.
Before configuring the free tier, it was important to understand the makeup of a typical workspace. Data showed us that the average active workspace creates between 1-9 reviews, and the majority of active workspaces use less than 200 GB of storage.
Before configuring the free tier, it was important to understand the makeup of a typical workspace. Data showed us that the average active workspace creates between 1-9 reviews, and the majority of active workspaces use less than 200 GB of storage.
Before configuring the free tier, it was important to understand the makeup of a typical workspace. Data showed us that the average active workspace creates between 1-9 reviews, and the majority of active workspaces use less than 200 GB of storage.
Framing the free tier
Framing the free tier
Framing the free tier
Framing the free tier
Due to its complicated relationship with WeTransfer, multiple tiering mechanisms were compared: usage caps, timed trials, feature gating, media resolution gating, support gating, seats, add-ons, and of course, ads.
Worth noting that WeTransfer’s core experience tiering system was a combination of usage caps and feature gating.
Due to its complicated relationship with WeTransfer, multiple tiering mechanisms were compared: usage caps, timed trials, feature gating, media resolution gating, support gating, seats, add-ons, and of course, ads.
Worth noting that WeTransfer’s core experience tiering system was a combination of usage caps and feature gating.
Due to its complicated relationship with WeTransfer, multiple tiering mechanisms were compared: usage caps, timed trials, feature gating, media resolution gating, support gating, seats, add-ons, and of course, ads.
Worth noting that WeTransfer’s core experience tiering system was a combination of usage caps and feature gating.
Due to its complicated relationship with WeTransfer, multiple tiering mechanisms were compared: usage caps, timed trials, feature gating, media resolution gating, support gating, seats, add-ons, and of course, ads.
Worth noting that WeTransfer’s core experience tiering system was a combination of usage caps and feature gating.
A glimpse of Portals
A glimpse of Portals
A glimpse of Portals
A glimpse of Portals
To showcase the true value of Portals, we decided to allow the user to experience the full feature set, with usage restrictions.
A free account gets access to 1 portal, 5 reviews, and 3 GB of storage. Video previews limited to 2 GB to prevent a huge increase in costs on our end (due to videos representing one of our highest costs).
To showcase the true value of Portals, we decided to allow the user to experience the full feature set, with usage restrictions.
A free account gets access to 1 portal, 5 reviews, and 3 GB of storage. Video previews limited to 2 GB to prevent a huge increase in costs on our end (due to videos representing one of our highest costs).
To showcase the true value of Portals, we decided to allow the user to experience the full feature set, with usage restrictions.
A free account gets access to 1 portal, 5 reviews, and 3 GB of storage. Video previews limited to 2 GB to prevent a huge increase in costs on our end (due to videos representing one of our highest costs).
To showcase the true value of Portals, we decided to allow the user to experience the full feature set, with usage restrictions.
A free account gets access to 1 portal, 5 reviews, and 3 GB of storage. Video previews limited to 2 GB to prevent a huge increase in costs on our end (due to videos representing one of our highest costs).
Pushing the limits
Pushing the limits
Pushing the limits
Pushing the limits
Setting the limits was important, but enforcing them was essential in making (or breaking) the experience for new free account holders.
A workspace hitting one limit still has access to other features until those limits are reached. For example, hitting the 1-portal limit still allows up to 5 reviews, letting newcomers explore the tool.
However, if a workspace exceeds its limit (e.g., due to downgrading), it's temporarily locked until excess items are deleted and plan limits are followed, helping keep media costs per user reasonable.
Setting the limits was important, but enforcing them was essential in making (or breaking) the experience for new free account holders.
A workspace hitting one limit still has access to other features until those limits are reached. For example, hitting the 1-portal limit still allows up to 5 reviews, letting newcomers explore the tool.
However, if a workspace exceeds its limit (e.g., due to downgrading), it's temporarily locked until excess items are deleted and plan limits are followed, helping keep media costs per user reasonable.
Setting the limits was important, but enforcing them was essential in making (or breaking) the experience for new free account holders.
A workspace hitting one limit still has access to other features until those limits are reached. For example, hitting the 1-portal limit still allows up to 5 reviews, letting newcomers explore the tool.
However, if a workspace exceeds its limit (e.g., due to downgrading), it's temporarily locked until excess items are deleted and plan limits are followed, helping keep media costs per user reasonable.
Setting the limits was important, but enforcing them was essential in making (or breaking) the experience for new free account holders.
A workspace hitting one limit still has access to other features until those limits are reached. For example, hitting the 1-portal limit still allows up to 5 reviews, letting newcomers explore the tool.
However, if a workspace exceeds its limit (e.g., due to downgrading), it's temporarily locked until excess items are deleted and plan limits are followed, helping keep media costs per user reasonable.
Communication is key
Communication is key
Communication is key
Communication is key
For a good first-time experience, it was essential to properly communicate status and ways out of hitting limits at every step. The trick was to achieve this without becoming overbearing.
For a good first-time experience, it was essential to properly communicate status and ways out of hitting limits at every step. The trick was to achieve this without becoming overbearing.
For a good first-time experience, it was essential to properly communicate status and ways out of hitting limits at every step. The trick was to achieve this without becoming overbearing.
For a good first-time experience, it was essential to properly communicate status and ways out of hitting limits at every step. The trick was to achieve this without becoming overbearing.
Going with any workflow
Going with any workflow
Going with any workflow
Going with any workflow
In order to understand how users will navigate a free (but limited) workspace, it was important to lay down the main flows but even more so to pay extra attention to potentially tricky scenarios.
In order to understand how users will navigate a free (but limited) workspace, it was important to lay down the main flows but even more so to pay extra attention to potentially tricky scenarios.
In order to understand how users will navigate a free (but limited) workspace, it was important to lay down the main flows but even more so to pay extra attention to potentially tricky scenarios.
In order to understand how users will navigate a free (but limited) workspace, it was important to lay down the main flows but even more so to pay extra attention to potentially tricky scenarios.
Results are in. We beat expectations.
Results are in. We beat expectations.
Results are in. We beat expectations.
Results are in. We beat expectations.
With over 211k visitors and an 18.1% interaction rate, we beat our initial monthly projections. Data showed strong signal that people are interested in the tool, but it also revealed opportunities to improve (and detangle) Portal's
sign-up and onboarding flows, which were still intertwined with WeTransfer.
Though not initial goals, boosting activation, adoption, and Portal user attraction were next on our roadmap, benefiting significantly from Freemium initiative data.
With over 211k visitors and an 18.1% interaction rate, we beat our initial monthly projections. Data showed strong signal that people are interested in the tool, but it also revealed opportunities to improve (and detangle) Portal's
sign-up and onboarding flows, which were still intertwined with WeTransfer.
Though not initial goals, boosting activation, adoption, and Portal user attraction were next on our roadmap, benefiting significantly from Freemium initiative data.
With over 211k visitors and an 18.1% interaction rate, we beat our initial monthly projections. Data showed strong signal that people are interested in the tool, but it also revealed opportunities to improve (and detangle) Portal's
sign-up and onboarding flows, which were still intertwined with WeTransfer.
Though not initial goals, boosting activation, adoption, and Portal user attraction were next on our roadmap, benefiting significantly from Freemium initiative data.
With over 211k visitors and an 18.1% interaction rate, we beat our initial monthly projections. Data showed strong signal that people are interested in the tool, but it also revealed opportunities to improve (and detangle) Portal's
sign-up and onboarding flows, which were still intertwined with WeTransfer.
Though not initial goals, boosting activation, adoption, and Portal user attraction were next on our roadmap, benefiting significantly from Freemium initiative data.
Free tier
Free tier
Role
Product designer
Industry
Workflow tools
Year
2023-2024
Free tier was an ambitious initiative to allow free account holders to use Portals, which was historically available only for Pro and Premium users since the release of the MVP.
Free tier was an ambitious initiative to allow free account holders to use Portals, which was historically available only for Pro and Premium users since the release of the MVP.
Role
Product designer
Industry
Workflow tools
Year
2023
Free tier was an ambitious initiative to allow free account holders to use Portals, which was historically available only for Pro and Premium users since the release of the MVP.
Free tier was an ambitious initiative to allow free account holders to use Portals, which was historically available only for Pro and Premium users since the release of the MVP.
Free tier was an ambitious initiative to allow free account holders to use Portals, which was historically available only for Pro and Premium users since the release of the MVP.
Role
Product designer
Industry
Workflow tools
Year
2023-2024