Google requiring all ‘G Suite legacy free edition’ users to start paying • Hacker News Board

Re: Google requiring all ‘G Suite legacy free edition’ users to start paying

#91

Post by herodoturtle » Wed, Jan 19, 2022, 6:55 PM UTC

What are some (paid) alternatives to using G-Suite for emails?

Context:

We're a small but relatively old SaaS company.

Been happily using G Suite's free tier since day 1 - only for email.

This announcement is a tad disappointing, but as other commenters have said, 10 years of a free product is pretty great.

We'll likely upgrade to Google's paid tier, but out of curiosity, since we're switching to a paid service, we may as well explore alternatives too.

Just need cloud email accounts for around 8 users, and with minimal risk of being flagged as spam.

Thanks!

Re: Google requiring all ‘G Suite legacy free edition’ users to start paying

#92

Post by SteveNuts » Wed, Jan 19, 2022, 6:55 PM UTC

aingisni_del wrote: post #87

SteveNuts wrote: post #83

Google is really on a killing spree lately. Can any insiders give us insight into whether the people at the top of Google are aware that they have a strong reputation in the community for killing things off?

Do you really think they care about that reputation? It's simply binary: Product makes money, product does not make money. Did you think Google was giving away free stuff for "the community"?

I'm not necessarily just talking about this particular instance, just in general that's definitely been the overall theme of the discussion when things like this happen. We're a paying G-suite customer so we're not affected, but we HAVE been affected by features that users adopt as part of their workflow and productivity that Google decides to axe on a whim.

It makes us as an IT organization look stupid when our users come asking us where the feature they rely on went. I just want to know if leadership at Google has any inkling that this is their reputation or not.

Re: Google requiring all ‘G Suite legacy free edition’ users to start paying

#93

Post by samueldr » Wed, Jan 19, 2022, 6:56 PM UTC

I figure all play store purchases and similar content are now taken hostage.

Are there any ways to migrate those licenses to a "google account"? Or am I being forced to pay to keep using licenses I already paid for?

Oh, and what about my YouTube channel?

Re: Google requiring all ‘G Suite legacy free edition’ users to start paying

#94

Post by killerpopiller » Wed, Jan 19, 2022, 6:57 PM UTC

herodoturtle wrote: post #91

What are some (paid) alternatives to using G-Suite for emails? Context: We're a small but relatively old SaaS company. Been happily using G Suite's free tier since day 1 - only for email. This announcement is a tad disappointing, but as other commenters have said, 10 years of a free product is pretty great. We'll likely upgrade to Google's paid tier, but out of curiosity, since we're switching to a paid service, we m…

I am happy with MS 365

Re: Google requiring all ‘G Suite legacy free edition’ users to start paying

#95

Post by cpach » Wed, Jan 19, 2022, 6:57 PM UTC

herodoturtle wrote: post #91

What are some (paid) alternatives to using G-Suite for emails? Context: We're a small but relatively old SaaS company. Been happily using G Suite's free tier since day 1 - only for email. This announcement is a tad disappointing, but as other commenters have said, 10 years of a free product is pretty great. We'll likely upgrade to Google's paid tier, but out of curiosity, since we're switching to a paid service, we m…

Fastmail.

Re: Google requiring all ‘G Suite legacy free edition’ users to start paying

#96

Post by Macha » Wed, Jan 19, 2022, 6:57 PM UTC

Well I think this is probably the push to move my email to fastmail, though for €5/month if they've got rid of the 5 user minimum I might pay for the archive/drive space/laziness.

Re: Google requiring all ‘G Suite legacy free edition’ users to start paying

#97

Post by treesknees » Wed, Jan 19, 2022, 6:57 PM UTC

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29996432

Re: Google requiring all ‘G Suite legacy free edition’ users to start paying

#98

Post by 422long » Wed, Jan 19, 2022, 6:57 PM UTC

herodoturtle wrote: post #91

What are some (paid) alternatives to using G-Suite for emails? Context: We're a small but relatively old SaaS company. Been happily using G Suite's free tier since day 1 - only for email. This announcement is a tad disappointing, but as other commenters have said, 10 years of a free product is pretty great. We'll likely upgrade to Google's paid tier, but out of curiosity, since we're switching to a paid service, we m…

Also looking for recommended paid/simple alternatives. Email only. Been using it for family email on a custom domain and am not looking forward to funding a dozen accounts every month for eternity.

Re: Google requiring all ‘G Suite legacy free edition’ users to start paying

#99

Post by batch12 » Wed, Jan 19, 2022, 6:58 PM UTC

I needed this. Finally an excuse to get off my ass and transition the last bits away.

Re: Google requiring all ‘G Suite legacy free edition’ users to start paying

#100

Post by jfengel » Wed, Jan 19, 2022, 6:58 PM UTC

Huh. I thought that was what I had, but I haven't heard this directly from them. It's the first I've heard of it.

I used a microscopic subset of the features. Aside from them hosting my email, I don't think I'm any different from other users. It's just me; I'm not really a business. I notice some differences, mostly in limitations: less storage, features of my Pixel phone that sometimes don't work with that account.

I'll probably upgrade to whatever the minimal plan is just because it's less trouble than any alternatives. I've had this for a very long time, so there's a lot that I'd rather not touch. They're providing a fair bit of value and I don't really mind paying for that.

But I'm surprised not to have heard about this by email. Perhaps I'm on yet another different legacy thing.